What can you do to encourage your kid not to rely on you to entertain them?

Question

I would like to get my kids to quit following me around all the time. It would be nice if they could entertain themselves to give me a little free time to get things done. Even if I am only across the room watching them from afar.

Answer 1

My experience tells me that when you fire up their imagination, they start to spend hours playing by themselves at that age.  Some great tips for my boys have been a simple "Magnetix" set and ask them to build big houses, fire stations, hospitals, etc.  Also lately they've spent hours in the play room building a stage and preparing a puppet show.  I just bought them a monkey puppet which is a real winner, but best of all, you can buy eggs now that when put in water, they eventually "hatch" then grow.  I've never seen aything like it.  The kids just love  

Answer 2

wregtgegtsrebht

Answer 3

How old are they?  It is very difficult for children 18 months and under to play by themselves for any more than 10 minutes or so.

Answer 4

You've got to help them tap into their creative side.  Think of different activities you could help them get started and let them finish.  There are finger paints, markers, colors, books, chalk boards, blocks, puzzles...all kinds of stuff.  First you have to teach them how to do it and then let them do it alone.

Answer 5

Activity stations.

They are great for the first couple of times you have to stay with them show them how to do it but once they pick it up its great. It's also good as you can set up two if like most kids their age they fight lol make felt boards for them get them building blocks and set them up an area to use. At the start of activity time let them pick something to do help them start up then once they get going say I'm just going to do whatever ill be back soon. They will be so taken in by whatever they are doing they will hardly notice !

We use the activity stations at a couple nursery's i worked in when tidying needed done and it was the one that was most effective by far !

Answer 6

they're old enough to understand you when you tell them to play by themselves.. there's 2 of them, they should be entertaining enough.

Answer 7

As a parent, it is your job to entertain your children until they are over 18 and move out on their own.

Appreciate the fact they love being around you and you the same with them.  

There are many countries where the child is not even aloud to be near their parents.  Appreciate what you have and stop moaning and complaining.