How Much Time Do You Spend Playing with Your Kids?

mine are five. we had a snow day today. we made v-day goody bags for their classmates. then they each played on the computer, 30 min each. then we did some number/letter exercises, all sitting at the table, 30+. then we put on the cd player/karaoke machine and while they sang i danced in the kitchen. then made them lunch, they sat on the table i lied down until they ate, in the living room right across from them.
then we watched a 30 min cartoon, i sat down with them. then we played a board game, in fact 3 games. then they went off and did some imaginary play. i stopped two fights. then started cooking dinner. now one is on the computer, the other one is singing on the karaoke machine. i am sitting with the latter one in the same room.
so, i am most times tired to sit and play all day so i break it into some things with me some by themselves. i also read one book per choice each night.
to me, i think it's too much, but then again i have nothing else to do so why not.

1 mom found this helpful

I don't really play on the floor with my kids alot, but we do tons of other things together. we do crafts, color, bake, dance, exercise & stretch, make home movies. The other day I video taped them having a dance show for me. It was basically them dancing like maniacs to the radio, but the had a blast. These things don't have to be complicated, just takes a little effort and time. I bet if you sat them down and asked what they want to do with you, you would be suprised at some of their answers.

I am in the same boat. My daughter always wants to play ponies or barbies with me, but when I get the time (I have 4 kids, the youngest is almost a year and pretty active) I fiind myself organizing her Barbie house (her daddy made it for her :) ) or brushing hair. We were all kids once and did the fun imagination things. I remember pretending to be a horse, a unicorn, mermaid, etc. w/ my little sister, and we played Barbies and Ponies all the time. And with hotwheel/matchbox cars (my dad never had boys). Such imagination. I am trying to rekindle that....
So why is it hard for us adults to play like that??

i think as kids get older they are ok to play by themselves (or with each other) more. that's the great thing about having siblings. also i am sure you do plenty of other things with them, read books, chores, going outside, to parks, craft projects, tickle fights, etc. i don't see a need to get on the floor and play with them all the time at this age. some yes, but not constantly, or even every day.

Last winter mine were 18 months and 3 years.. and I had to direct the play or it was a disaster.... so I would say lets play blocks lets color... time to go to the basement playroom.. I pretty much ran the show.. cause they werent old enough to do much on their own.. without battles..

Now they are 2 1/2 and 4.. and they can play together.. so I let them.. they have their little imaginary world going.. they are going to the zoo.. or hte beach.. and it goes along nicely until the younger one doesnt want to do what the older one does.then we have a battle and i have to step in..

depending on my mood and their mood.. I might not play with them at all.. if they are doing fine. I let them.. other days. I play a lot... depends on whether I have lots of housework to do... or whatever..

but no.. I dont entertain my kids all day..

if you mean you are bored to tears playing trucks for 4 hrs i totaly get it. i try and have a creative check list of different things to do. i've literally fallen asleep w/my 4 yr old. LOL. I think its hard to judge time because i would play for 1/2 hr, do laundry and dishes, read a book w/them and then on the computer.... some days its play all day. some days they are lucky to get 2 hrs of my undivided attention. to be honest. depends. i think people think they actually play more than they do.

I still try to play with my son even as it gets more "adult" like. For instance, I will act goofy with my son based on his lead. Yesterday he learned to crawl like a snake on floor and play like a robot, so HE initiated walking like a robot and doing a tummy bounce..I over acted the part by pretending he bounced me so hard I was dizzy. He cracked up, thought it was funny, so to answer your question, yes I still play. I also have a 9yr old niece, 12 yr old nephew, that I play with him pretending I am the "dude" talking the "talk" and with my niece, I pretend I am fashion flare, so I just play at the stage they are at and animate it. Have fun!

N.,

I have always played with my children on the floor, couch, grass, water.......I do all kind of physical things with my children. I also loved playing board games. My youngest is ten and we play basketball, knee hockey, twister.........tickling and dancing. I was this way with my much older children also. It depends on what you like to do. Even if I didn't care to do somethings, it meant the world to them that I was willing to play what ever they wanted.

N.,

Yes, it is VERY common. It is especially hard in the winter months with not much to do outside! My daughter LOVES card games, so we do a lot of those. But honestly, some nights, I just don't want to do it! I work FT and have a demanding job and two kids, and I want to relax most weekdays.

I just try to realize how soon they will be grown up and not want anything to do with me, and that motivates me to play star wars and doctor and housekeeping!

Just explore a lot of options.....matching card games, go fish, crazy 8's, monopoly. These are all a big hit at my house. We also do star wars fighting with the boy, and hide and go seek, etc. Be creative.....do crafts, make rice krispie treats, color, build things! My 6 yr old son and I LOVE to turn up the music in the living room and dance like crazy!

On nights when I simply cannot play another card game, I throw in a kid movie and snuggle up next to my little ones, or we snuggle up and read book after book. They love it, and it is still "quality time".

Best wishes mom!

Don't feel bad. I am the same way. As babies I would play with my girls the whole day. Now it's rare for me to get down on the floor and play with them. I chalk it up to a few things. One being that as babies I was teaching them new things. Every little toy, funny face, and song was a new experience and I could see their little eyes light up with excitement and joy. Not so much the case anymore.

Another, they have a different imagination than I do. I can't pretend that I am a princess who just fell off a cliff and lost her prince and had to rescue the puppy from the burning castle, then fell asleep for three days and had to wait for her prince to find his way out of the deep dark woods so he could kiss me and wake me up. I just can't do it! I would rather color, or glue things together, maybe bake cookies or do the dishes☺.

Which brings me to my next reason. House work seems to pile up now that they are older. What with school activities, homework, getting them ready in the morning, getting them to bed at night, making sure they are well fed. Doing all these extra things in addition to housework kind of takes up a lot of time.

My advice, let daddy "throw" them around for a bit (I don't know why they like this so much) and you can take quiet time...read them a book or ask them to watch a movie with you. You won't exactly be "interacting" with them like when they were younger but you will be spending time with them. It's okay thay you don't want to be a pirate scouring the seas for treasure only to find that you have turned into a construction worker who has to get their truck out of the mud before the building falls down.

I think it's really common for moms because we are too busy worrying about all the little things that make it possible for our little ones to play priates and princesses.

Take care and happy movie watching!
♥ M. ♥