What’s So Important About Play Stick-to-itiveness?

This post got a makeover! Dive in and discover all the helpful tips about play stick-to-itiveness!

Yesterday I shared a concrete example of how to teach your child to play independently.   But in writing the post, I realized that there is one more important detail to teaching a child to play independently.  It is what I call “stick-to-iveness.”

Stick-to-iveness is a real word.  In the dictionary, in fact.  It means “dogged perseverance, tenacity.”  What a great character trait for a child to have!

I often hear moms (and grandmas) say, “She won’t stay with one activity more than a couple of minutes.”  A child who hops from one activity to another often times leaves a tornado of toys in her path and an exhausted adult on the sidelines.  It is brutal to try and keep this child happy and content.

If your child is a kangaroo through his toys, I would suggest the same plan I shared yesterday to increase the child’s independent play.  Allow the child to pick the toy he wants to play with for five minutes.  Explain the rules and set the timer.  Once the timer goes off, the child can choose to continue to play with the same toy for an additional five minutes or change to another toy.  The adult may need to share some suggestions before beginning the second session to keep the child interested in the toy.

My goal as a parent is to mold a child who is focused on God and has developed the knowledge and work ethic to serve him.

In discussing this series on the ABC Jesus Loves Me Facebook Group, Heather shares a wonderful point.

It is all about finding balance and [determining] what you call “playing” with your kids.

While society may pressure us to be on the floor all day, playing with our child can be doing the dishes together, making a meal, dusting, putting on pajamas.  During this time, we are
spending quality time training, loving, and teaching a work ethic. And with a little creativity, laughing along the way.

Tomorrow:  Why I {Hate} the Word “Bored”