Doesn't play with toys

[MeAndVee]

My 14 month old doesn't really play with his toys.  He'll occasionally bring me one of his electronic toys and press its buttons a few times then run off to do something else.  Which I expect.  But the something else is usually wandering aimlessly around the apartment.  He just is not interested in playing with much of his toys.  What toys catch a 14 month old's interests?  What activities can we do together?  We just moved into this apartment so I would love an activity that would engage him for sometime while I unpack.  Even if it is just 10 minutes at a time.

[aidliz]

My son never really played with toys on his own either.  He was really into puzzles.  The one toy he did play with was the busy ball bopper.  The balls fly out of the bopper and back down around, he loved it and at 5 still plays with it sometimes.  He also liked his tunnel, he would crawl in and out of it. 
Give him a box that you have unpacked. They seem to like boxes, they can sit in them put stuff in them... Come to think of it my son looooved a basket of misc. toys we had, he would take all the toys out one by one and then I would ask him to help me put them back, it was a game to him, you could try that with a box.

[MeAndVee]

Our apartment is too small for tunnels.  Too bad really because I just know he would love it.  Was thinking about getting a sand/water table for Christmas.  I was going through his toys today and found that much of it he has outgrown.  Good thing the holidays are coming.

[aidliz]

The tunnels fold up, I stick mine under the couch when they are done playing. 

[skatty]

Leorah has never really played with toys either but recently she seems more interested. She LOVES her sand and water table though, she stands up in it to splash around Perhaps he would like a few bags and boxes dotted around he can have a rummage in with grown up type stuff like a bunch of keys and and old mobile etc, this worked for L as she thought she was poking around somewhere she shouldn't 

[Samuel's mum]

Josie doesn't really care for toys. She just wants to be on the move. With Sam I did that Montessori thing of having a box of 'REAL' objects and that would engage him. Not baby toys but things of different textures e.g. coasters, hairbrush, sock, old remote control, feathers...

[maxysmum]

Max has only recently started to play properly with his toys, before that I would sit with him and play things, he was more into drawing and painting or just rough and tumble play, balls and tunnels were definatley a hit! as pp have said.

[monopod]

Oh I'm so glad I've read this! Ethan is nearly 6 months and nothing I have gotten for him seems to attract his attention much at all. if it does, it does for a few minutes. DH keeps telling me 'he's a baby, they have short attention spans' but I think I only half hear him because I'm busy looking at other people's kids and wondering why they are playing so happily with their toys! He also gets grouchy if left for too long (i.e. 5 minutes) in one position.

Is it true that Touchy babies (which Ethan is, almost definitely - together with some Spirited in the mix) tend to be like this? Lately I have been resorting to plonking him in his Bumbo chair and letting him watch me do stuff around the house, or turning on the iTunes visualiser and letting him be mesmerised by that, but I feel so guilty for not actively stimulating him. I feel like we should get out more but it's difficult without a car and with wanting to be home in time for his naps

Sorry to jump in on your thread MeandVee!

[skatty]

Monopod, Ethan sounds exactly how Leorah was, she wasn't truly happy until she was mobile, it was a very hard time for me  As for toys , they used to over stimulate her so easily and that would make her angry, I remember when she was only a few weeks old I put her under one of those play gyms and she was swiping at a toy and I was thinking wow how clever but actually it was making her furious, I wasn't so good at baby whispering then  I definitely would think it is a spirited trait to be watching the action rather than playing with toys and he will soon be wanting to join in with the action  Do you have a sling? I don't know what I would have done without one at that age, Leorah was always happiest being involved with the action so even if we were just around the house she loved being in the sling.

A bit off topic but as a heads up I recommend you read "Raising Your Spirited Child" by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, it is perfect for parents of spirited and touchy kids, it's not really written about babies but the way she gets you to think and talk to these kinds of kids is great and the earlier the better 

[monopod]

Ooh, thanks for that scatty I do have a sling but I've only ever used it in the house once as a last resort when he was a few weeks old and hadn't slept all day! I might try that and see how he likes it. Have also taken a look at the book on Amazon - looks interesting! I may get a copy

[newmom11]

i could have written your post.  my 15 month old son has never really been into toys.  his attention span is super short and he's never been really good at independent play.  i have to sit in the floor with him most days, unless we are outside and then he is fully entertained just walking around.  my lo too was most content after he was mobile.  even now though i struggle w/ finding things to keep him entertained...especially now that it is colder and we are stuck indoors a lot more.  one thing he has really enjoyed which is a montessori activity is putting pens in a container (like an old milk carton).  it's good for the fine motor skills.  he will sit for 10 or 15 minutes and put pens in the container.  you just have to keep an eye on them so they don't get up and walk around w/ the pens.  he also loves to be involved in whatever i'm doing.  i'll usually put him on the counter w/ me while i make dinner or drag him around in the laundry basket while i'm putting laudry away.  some days are long b/c if i don't have things around the house to do, then we have to resort to his toys for activities and like i said before, he's just not that interested in them.  he' much rather play w/ my makeup or brushes or push the broom around...but even that only keeps his attention for a few minutes.  i think this stage is just hard...it's not like they can work a puzzle or color or play a game. 

[skatty]

Do your spirited kids like books? My DD has loved books forever having a favourite at 5 months old which she still looks at every day. They are one thing that keep her attention and they are one thing I don't mind spending money on and spoiling her with.

[MeAndVee]

He just started liking books.  Used to be he wouldn't sit still for any length of time when it came to books.  Now he brings me books to read or look at with him.  Lately its an animal book he favors and will have a fit if I don't drop everything to look at it with him.

[skatty]

Have also taken a look at the book on Amazon - looks interesting! I may get a copy

There is also a discussion thread on the book/companion method part of the site you wil find interesting

He just started liking books.  Used to be he wouldn't sit still for any length of time when it came to books.  Now he brings me books to read or look at with him.  Lately its an animal book he favors and will have a fit if I don't drop everything to look at it with him.

Have you got some lift the flap books and touch and feel books, I think active kids like these best as they can be involved, Usbournes That's not my puppy/bunny/fairy/tractor/dinosaur are great.

[verytired]

here are some things my 15 mo likes (for about 5 min atleast)

- books: thick card board ones with just 1 or 2 pics on each page. He usually wants me to sit with him and read the books though
- TJ Bearytales: DS got this as a gift for his first b'day and he loves it. Its a bear that talks and moves it hand and eye and ears. I have actually seen DS hug and kiss it. He watches it sing for about 10 min or so
- kitchen stuff: I let DS play with almost everything in the kitchen (except knives and forks and glass). He cooks with me (eg: if I make pancakes I get one bowl for me and one for him, one spoon for each of us and then he imitates me pouring the dough and flipping the pancake etc.)
- balls: we must have atleast 20-30 balls in the house. DS loves putting all his smaller balls in the salad bowl and mixing them up with a spoon.

But honestly, it is almost impossible to get him to play with his toys for more than a few minutes. He wants me to sit with him and play and most of the time he will just get up and start walking around the house looking for something else while I am left playing with his toys!