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Author Topic: Attention span of a toddler?  (Read 2378 times)

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Offline Jiinx

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Attention span of a toddler?
« on: September 05, 2010, 00:36:28 am »
....is it as fleeting as a butterfly?

Since she was a baby, she's had zero interest in toys. I thought it was because toys for babies were marketed for new time parents who get excited by all the colours ;) I played more with her infantino toys than she did! ;D

 So she's 14 months now. Still zero interest in toys. Really, any toys. I keep getting things above her age and for her age and I can't find anything that will 'click' with her.

 She does, however, love exploring, emptying, pushing, untangling, beeping etc. real life things ...I don't think there's a place in our place that she hasn't touched! I don't mind it at all. It's great. However, I'm running out of things to occupy her that she finds interesting ..she usually plays with things while she bf..in the carseat..but it'll last a couple of minutes before she flings it away. I find she gets bored easily? Is that normal?

When does their attention/patience increase?

thanks :)
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Offline ~inbalance~

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Re: Attention span of a toddler?
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2010, 01:10:53 am »
Sarah, I think personality has A LOT to do with it.  What you described is T to a T!  ;)  Toys are useless around here, he has never had much interest in them.  I mean, he will play with toys, but not as they are meant to be played with, kwim?  Every toy is the 'same' really.  He is so much more into exploring and 'real-life' things like you said your DD is.  But I've seen babies even from a young age totally ENGROSSED in toys, but not so much in moving or exploring.  Sounds like you've got a little adventurer on your hands!  :)

If we're indoors the only thing that will hold T's attention is the tv!!!  So I make a point of trying to get outdoors as much as possible!  What about playing with other kids, does she like interacting?  Have you checked out any Ontario Early Years Centres?  There is a great one on Consumers Rd off of Victoria Park.  There is lots of fun stuff from toys to arts and crafts, and she can play with other kids too, and the best part is it's FREE!  I used to go to that one when we lived in North York, and now I go to the one here too.  Check it out if you're finding it hard to entertain her at home, there is so much to do and you might get some new ideas for her.  :)
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Em
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Offline Jiinx

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Re: Attention span of a toddler?
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2010, 01:25:30 am »
Martina,

Quote from: Martina Rae on September 04, 2010, 20:10:53 pm
But I've seen babies even from a young age totally ENGROSSED in toys,
Quote from: Martina Rae on September 04, 2010, 20:10:53 pm
Toys are useless around here, he has never had much interest in them.  I mean, he will play with toys, but not as they are meant to be played with, kwim?

YES! Exactly! My SIL's daughter would be one of those babies who would sit and play. And many other babies would sit for 'hours' ( :o ) playing with one toy? lol..I'm LUCKY if I get 10 minutes to get away from her playing with whatever toy it is to wash the dishes. Soon she'll be crawling around the corner, dismissed the toy, and wondering what mommy is up to because it's soooooooooo much more interesting! ::)

I do go out. It's the only thing that occupies her, but I was wondering if that was normal, yk? I mean..I wasn't sure if I was setting up a bad habit. I have a lot of friends and families around so I'm very lucky. As soon as she gets an inkling that I'm getting ready she'll whine and climb my legs until I hoist her up into the stroller and she's happy. lol..she's such a character.

Wendy mentioned Early Years too. one of my other friend's go there too. I have been meaning to go there but just waiting for her to 'walk' bc...her crawling on the floor makes me shudder.

She does love interacting. She loves watching people ...she could people watch for hours, honestly. She's so much more interested in what people are doing, saying and will go explore where voices and noises come from. She doesn't mind a stranger coming up to me and lifting her out of my arms...lol..she's not picky with the attention.

I was googling some places after I posted. there is a huge market out there for toddler activities. I had no idea. So far the free things have been great - park, playdates..walks..but I'm dreading the winter :( :( :(

Thank you. It's reassuring to know about other babies/toddlers. I just told my SIL today after watching my daughter engrossed in keys, stairs, rocks, leaves  and dismissing toys and wondering if it was 'normal' :)
« Last Edit: September 05, 2010, 01:30:48 am by Jiinx »
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Offline ~inbalance~

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Re: Attention span of a toddler?
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2010, 01:35:52 am »
The Early Years Centre that I went to was impeccable - very clean!!  You can't wear outdoor shoes in there and there are tons of mats, etc all over the place.  Definitely go check it out!  I wish I still lived in the city and I'd go with you!

Another idea is indoor play places.  We used to go to one in the Bermondsey/Eglinton area.  Again, very clean and lots of fun.  This was GREAT for T because it was filled with physical things - slides, ladders, a bouncy castle, push cars - as well as toys so he was NEVER bored and had so much fun running around and climbing.  This is the one I went to:
http://www.extremefun.ca/#/home

A friend used to come over for playdates with her son and he would just park it on the floor and play with all the toys.  He could do all the sorting ones, you know the different shaped blocks in the holes etc.  I still don't think T would have the patience for that!  But it's ok, that's just how he is.  ;)

You know how the books say keep rotating your toys and only give age appropriate ones?  I don't.  I just have a box of toys that he rustles through when he's in the mood, because like I said he won't try to play with something 'properly'.   ::)
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Em
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Offline Jiinx

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Re: Attention span of a toddler?
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2010, 01:42:42 am »
thanks. I shall go check it out. thanks for the link as well :-*

Yeah, I've been told to rotate them too..but really, it makes no difference. She might play with it for a few minutes longer but that's it. I have a playskool toy that pops balls out with music that I hide in the closet..no matter, she'll still try to find me as I'm more entertaining. Even books with pop ups, or peek a boo I've tried..sigh. Sometimes I wish she was more easy to entertain :)

Thanks hun.

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Offline Jiinx

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Re: Attention span of a toddler?
« Reply #5 on: September 05, 2010, 01:46:33 am »
martina! So what did/do you do for car rides?
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Offline ~inbalance~

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Re: Attention span of a toddler?
« Reply #6 on: September 05, 2010, 01:52:04 am »
Well, we've always been fortunate with T and the car as he's always been content to just sit there!  But I will be looking for ideas for F because he is nowhere near as easy in that department.  :P 

Does she always want you to play with her?  Or is she content to explore the house on her own?  I made sure early on that the house was as babyproofed as possible and let T have at it.  I think it helped with his independence and ability to entertain himself.  He doesn't always need me to entertain him.  Not that he doesn't want me to!  But I know that if I need to do something, he's not always looking for me, kwim?  Of course it means lots of closets and cupboards get emptied and it's always a mess!  :P
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Em
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Offline Jiinx

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Re: Attention span of a toddler?
« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2010, 02:02:31 am »
She's been okay sitting there. She sometimes needs a snack. Her lovey comes in handy and she'll sit there and chew/suck on it until we get home.

She does a bit of both. Lately she's been playing with herself, but with me in the room. She doesn't need me to 'engage' her. She just needs my presence lately. Not sure why. I've tried to nip in the bud but she'll just follow me now that she can crawl. She explore on her own and I can leave her to it most times, and just check in on her when things get eerily quiet (for instance when she found a ball of yarn and started unravelling it or finds toilet paper that mommy/daddy forgot to put out of her reach).

lol..yes lots of closets and cupboards get dumped on the floor. ::)
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Offline ~inbalance~

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Re: Attention span of a toddler?
« Reply #8 on: September 05, 2010, 02:06:09 am »
Teething?  Teething ALWAYS made T 'need' me around more.  I could always tell when he was teething because normally he is so independent and could literally play for hours without looking for me, but when teeth are coming he would be right at my feet most of the time!  :P
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Em
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Offline Jiinx

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Re: Attention span of a toddler?
« Reply #9 on: September 05, 2010, 02:41:34 am »
haha..hmm it is quite possibly teething. She's been teething hard for the last month.

Wow, for hours? It must have been an easy decision to have a second baby ;)
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Re: Attention span of a toddler?
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2010, 11:39:18 am »
LOL, I am SO thankful that T plays so well on his own, especially since F is so difficult!  He seriously would occupy himself for hours during those early weeks with F when I was so busy attending to a fussy baby.  :P
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Offline twogirlsmommy

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Re: Attention span of a toddler?
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2010, 12:13:57 pm »
I swear as I was reading this post you were talking about my DD.  Who right now is attacking the dog instead of playing with her toys.  One of her favorite things to do is to walk up and down our block now that she can.  She will do this forever!  She maybe plays with her toys for bout 20 minutes if that other then that she is all about everything else but her toys.  So I pretty much baby proofed or moved anything dangerous and let her have at it but also teach her some limits.  I figure at this stage in the game I should just be happy she is entertaining herself even if it is with the dog :)
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