My 2 1/2 year old son has always lined things up, but it is really getting out of control! I think/hope this is normal. He lines up his balls (about 15), bears, crayons, books and basically anything else that will stay in a line. I have 3 stretches of lines going across the living room, and two in the kichen. These lines must be perfect and heaven forbid someone knock something out of place. He is finally accepting that we can't keep the lines out all day, every day and doesn't break down anymore when we clean up. I am just wondering if anyone else's kiddos do this. He wasn't talking at 18 months, but is now having conversations with us...and is very silly and laughs a lot. So I don't think it's Autism, which we were scared of when he wasn't talking.
Wow! So I''m not alone!! I feel much better, and checked out the Babycent link, which had even more "strange" behavior stories. I think I will mention to the doc next time we're in, but the more I read, the more I'm conviced it's okay. Thanks mamas!! I love this website!
My young cousin loved to line up things as well when he was a toddler. He grew out of it and is now much more interested in making messes. :)
http://www.babycenter.com/expert/toddler/toddlerbehavior/...
http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/toddler/normal2.html
I use to line up things like crazy when I was a kid. I especially loved the fisher price little people. I vividly remember lining everyone up at the bus stop and step by step putting them into the bus-one would get in and all twenty people in the line would move up one step. Funny thing is, I caught my daughter doing the same thing the other day. It is probably a phase. I turned out alright- at least I think so!
It's probably normal. But there's huge variances in autism. My son talks and tells jokes and is a relatively happy 16 year old. And he has Asperger's Autism.
Autism is a collection of at least 3 elements. Your pediatrician should know if your son presents any of these traits.
With that said, it could be just a phase or maybe he's a little OCD.
my daughter also loves to line things up & stack things (she is 3 now but has always done this since she could play with toys)....i encourage her with blocks & drawing. she has a great imagination & i dont want to limit her. unless there are other things that set off alarms i wouldnt worry! kids have great imaginations & i can remember being a kid & doing things like this, it was a great game in my head, much more than just toys lined up! sometimes she is almost a little "OCD" like in the way that they have to be perfect, but i think this is just her organizational skills building & also her ability to really see spaces in an advanced way.
& now she has taught her cousin (whom is just 6months younger than she) to stack things & line them up, i think it's a good skill.
now she is into making shapes with things, like lining her crayons up so they make a circle or square!! i think it's great!
I would talk to his pediatrician (just to rule out Autism). He may just be a funny kid. Kids are strange sometimes.
My 4 year old does that and now my 21 month old does it too. Which I think its because they watch each other. My 21 month old only lines up cars. Then gets upset when he gets one out of line to play with and I straighten them up and that car he was playing with doesnt fit in the same spot. My youngest doesnt talk alot either but is catching on real fast in the past months.
My son went through this stage also. I kind of worried about it. He seemed sort of obsessed with it! It just stopped and he started playing with a Geo Trax train set that we bought him!
Don't worry.
C.
My childstill has that behavior of lining up his stuff. Sometimes he lines up his entire set of toys in a circular shape and even has a gate for his toys.
