My Mindees have no imagination.....

**Louise0208** · 24-02-2011, 10:09 AM

my 5 year old son has a lovely old wooden farm set which cost me a small fortune 2 years back, he plays for hours with it but iv always kept it away from the mindees as one of his 'special toys' but this morning he wanted to play with it with the mindees
so i set it up (takes about 45mins to do) ready for when they arrived....son was so excited about playing with it with someone except me & his sisters....but it soon turned to disapointment

Mindee A (6)- what does it do? where do you turn it on
Mindee B (4)- Thats rubbish....it doesnt make any noise
Me - its a playset, you pretend that your in the farm
Mindee A - its stupid.....i can do that on the laptop better

Mindee C (6) would of loved it but hes not here today.

if it doesnt have batteries, main electric or makes a noise then my mindees are not interested....so big brother (12) is now playing with little brother on the farm.

i try to get them to play shops, schools, families etc.....but its only my own kids that play while the others sit there with a grouch on as i ban tv, dvds, pc, ds etc for most of the day....its like they dont know how to play

~Chelle~ · 24-02-2011, 10:16 AM

My kids and mindees have been playing with wrestling figures and a wrestling ring and also the cars and play mat for most of the morning, they all seem to have great imaginations.

They are now playing on the Xbox Kinect, which they are allowed to play with for half an hour then we are off out after lunch.

My kids and mindees have happyland, train sets, lego, duplo cars and will sit and play with them all day long, making up different games and settings.

It is sad that some children can only be "entertained" by switching something on or watching tv, dvd, games consoles.

**maryp0ppins** · 24-02-2011, 10:17 AM

yes most of mine over the age of 4 think if its not TV or a wii/play station/xbox then its BORING

I have also set things up crafts, classic board games but they just say No....

It took them all their time to get off their back sides yesterday when I told them we were going for a nice walk to get some fresh air....! mindee (10) said but the ground is wet & I've come in my new shoes

Penny1959 · 24-02-2011, 10:21 AM

I am having a similar problem with a new mindee age 4 - she has spent all her time in day nursery and only came to me because mum moved away from family and so no longer has family help outside of nursery hours.

Anyway this mindee has no idea how to play - she thinks you should
a) have an adult available to prompt the play
b) sit at a table to do everything - including using the home area

She has no imagination and is finding it hard to adjust to our routines and ways of playing. As you say things should have a on button and make a noise - I do have some of these things and have provided them to support her interests - however once she has made the toy work once she loses interest and goes and sits on the sofa.

The only other 'playing' involves taking the part of an adult and insisting her 2 year old sister does nursery type sit at table activities (her sister fortunatly does know how to play and will if her sister lets her)

I have had a glimmer of hope though this week - we had out the heuristic play - as we often do - but this time I shut the door to the other room (usually open to enable mindees to chose what to do) and she eventually started to explore the items - and ended up playing for over an hour wrapping things like wooden rings and cardboard tubes in bits of bubble wrap.

I hope you find a way to open your mindees eyes to the word of imaginative play.

Penny

**Louise0208** · 24-02-2011, 10:21 AM

i have everything you have mentioned apart from the knect....we have wii insted....but there just not interested though they would stay on the wii all day if i let them

i find it quite sad really

i was never happier than when i was making something out of nothing

**FussyElmo** · 24-02-2011, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Louise0208

my 5 year old son has a lovely old wooden farm set which cost me a small fortune 2 years back, he plays for hours with it but iv always kept it away from the mindees as one of his 'special toys' but this morning he wanted to play with it with the mindees
so i set it up (takes about 45mins to do) ready for when they arrived....son was so excited about playing with it with someone except me & his sisters....but it soon turned to disapointment

Mindee A (6)- what does it do? where do you turn it on
Mindee B (4)- Thats rubbish....it doesnt make any noise
Me - its a playset, you pretend that your in the farm
Mindee A - its stupid.....i can do that on the laptop better

Mindee C (6) would of loved it but hes not here today.

if it doesnt have batteries, main electric or makes a noise then my mindees are not interested....so big brother (12) is now playing with little brother on the farm.

i try to get them to play shops, schools, families etc.....but its only my own kids that play while the others sit there with a grouch on as i ban tv, dvds, pc, ds etc for most of the day....its like they dont know how to play

Thats the problem they dont know how to? They have probably never been encouraged to - its sad but unfortunetly getting more and more common

**xdirtydancerx** · 24-02-2011, 10:51 AM

Oh dear that must be very hard

My mindee (5) and DD (7) would just sit and play with cardboard boxes all day if I allowed it. They turn them into allsorts

**Ripeberry** · 24-02-2011, 11:30 AM

I'm quite lucky that my own kids love making things. My 6yr old will spend all day drawing, cutting out and making 'puppets' out of paper and staples.

Quite good models as well. She even made a dog bowl, lots of dog biscuits and a dog brush. All out of paper

Does make a big mess, but lots of imagination there

**The Juggler** · 24-02-2011, 11:56 AM

that is so sad. it's not their fault though - they just probably haven't had those sorts of toys OR they have them but have lots of electronic ones too and they have one out.

Could you introduce something ICT into the farm to play with in the farm, a tractor etc with noises buttons and encourage them into the imaginary world?

**manjay** · 24-02-2011, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by The Juggler

that is so sad. it's not their fault though - they just probably haven't had those sorts of toys OR they have them but have lots of electronic ones too and they have one out.

Could you introduce something ICT into the farm to play with in the farm, a tractor etc with noises buttons and encourage them into the imaginary world?

Exactly! it is not their fault. If they have never been given the opportunity to develop their own play they will have absolutely no idea what to do. What a shame for your ds though

.Trouble is once they get into the habit of having things and gadgets provided for them it is difficult to go back and get them interested in imaginary play. This is one of the reasons that I give when other miders feel guilty for not playing with the children every minute of every day. Children need to develop these skills to enable them to get through life!