Do you have too many stuffed animals? As for us, I would say "yes!" But my 3-year-old would say "The more the merrier!" She plays with them all day every day. Now, I have to say, she has an incredible imagination. She role plays with them and has even made us sit down to watch them perform a "show." I guess I am just *somewhat* concerned that out of all the toys she has, she continues to play with her stuffed animals. They fill her bed, they fill MY bed, they ride in other toys, etc. So, again, she is creative in her play...I guess I just get worried.
Is this obsession with particular things normal?
Thanks, Mommas!
Thanks Ladies! your honesty is so appreciated! Let me clarify, it has nothing to do with "what" she is playing with. She has always had a remarkable passion for animals. My concern was simply in the amount of time she spends with her stuffed "buddies." I will absolutely continue to encourage her play -- to tell you the truth, she is quite the little performer, so this is a great avenue for her and obviously something that is fun for her. I won't dwell on it! thanks again!
Sounds perfectly normal to me. Would you be questioning this if it was a baby doll or barbie dolls instead? She is being creative and it sounds like she has a multitude of "animals" to be creative with. My daughter absolutely loves her stuffed animals and I also think that we have way to many, but she loves them and plays with them so what's the harm.
I thought from the title that this post would refer to a single toy -- but she's playing with lots of toys, not just one! Why is it a concern that she "continues" to play with stuffed animals, as if by age 3 she should be past the stuffed-animal stage? Encourage, rather than discourage, her great imagination, and ask her to do more shows for you! Rather than being worried by her play, I'd be thrilled with it, especially if she's doing her own, original, creative thing and not just aping and imitating TV shows or movies. It's not just normal, it's a sign of intelligence and creativity. Enjoy her while she is still thrilled to do it for you.
My 10-year-old "still" plays with her few most beloved stuffed animals!
My first thought when I read this is, "Consider yourself lucky that your daughter is playing with her stuffed animals." My children have stuffed animals that they never play with but they don't want to get rid of, and they are always begging for more when we go to the store. Anyway . . .
I wouldn't worry about your daughter. Even though she is only playing with her stuffed animals, it sounds like she is playing with them in a variety of ways and really using her imagination. I'm usually more concerned about the child who can only play with one toy one particular way (e.g., rolling the toy train back and forth in front of his eyes) or doesn't know how to play with his toys at all. Sounds like your daughter has a very lively and fun way of playing with her stuffed animals. I bet that's a lot of fun to watch.
I was like that as a kid, i set them up for proper weddings, court scenarios, graduation parties, one time there was even a briss(public circumcision by a rabbi), lol dont ask. I LOVED stuffed animals. My kids could honestly care less about the bulk of them, they have a few favorites. My oldest likes to collect sentimental ones, like ones from when i was a kid, my husband was a kid and her uncles old one (all ratty and loved) I think most things kids decide to play are normal. Even if they are weird.
Totally typical.
For us, first it was stuffed animals, then trains, then Hot Wheels.....now it's model planes....it never ends! LOL
My favorite toy growing up was my stuffed animals. I never did really play with dolls much and my now 6 yr old daughter is/was the same way. She would rather pretend to make a zoo or be a vet than play house with baby dolls. I think it's great!
I think so (but don't really know). My 4 yo son does pretty much the same thing with his cars/truck/trains. With only a little variation, those are the toys he plays with all day, everyday. He has a great imaginations and makes them do all sorts of things. He even plays school with his trucks as the students. I think he will begin to grow out of it in a couple of years.
My almost three year old is obsessed with Cars - the small matchbox size ones. Luckily, they are small, and even though he may take 10 or more to bed, there is still room for him!
I think its normal for 3 year olds to be obsessed with certain toys.
Ours always chose hotwheels. He's 5 now and will still choose hotwheels over anything else. there's so much he can do with them, and he's using his imagination, so we don't worry about it. We have WAY too many cars, though, so for his birthday and Christmas this year I made a request for no hotwheels.
This question made me smile!
My 18 year old daughter STILL loves lots and lots of stuffed animals. She doesn't play with them anymore, but her bed is literally covered with them and she sleeps surrounded by them every night. She only took a few to college, but she sleeps with them all around her every night in her little twin dorm bed.
She loved playing with them as a child, and was barely interested in dolls, although she did play with little plastic animal sets a lot. We thought this might mean that she was extremely interested in animals, but other than loving our cat and dogs, she isn't really particularly interested in real animals. She just likes cute, cuddly furry things!
My suggestion is to limit how many other toys you buy, because your daughter is going to mainly play with the ones she loves most, and it may continue to be stuffed animals. When she's bigger, she might like little plastic animal toys like Littlest Pet Shop.
The way that she's playing shows a vivid imagination, and this is the healthiest kind of play for brain development--much better than playing with toys that only do one thing or don't require much pretending. She's probably very intelligent.
