What does/did your 5yo ds play with? - Page 2

[Anastasiya]

Originally Posted by mamabella

He does like his marble run but he is afraid to change the design because he wants his to be just like the one on the box.

For this, maybe once a week encourage him to take it apart and think up something new, and then when he's got it down, he has the assurance that he can reassemble it to match the one on the box again.

I second the Leapster advice. I would not buy a Leapster for a child who doesn't know how to play. My kids DO have a Leapster and a Didj, but ONLY because they spend all day playing Playmobil and Legos, drawing, reading, etc. The gadgets are limited to 1/2 hour a weekday and no time on weekends.

I forgot to mention that he is OBSESSED with music (and movies - but mostly for the soundtracks) and he does have a cd player and a ton of cd's and likes to strum his guitar (a cheapy toysrus special) or play his bongos to those or sing and dance. He would probably love a keyboard (he plays with one incessantly at his friend's house) but my mom is a classical musician and I have resisted buying a keyboard until we can save up enough money for a piano.

Why do you need to wait to buy a "real" piano? If his interest is in music NOW, then I would jump at the opportunity to get the child a keyboard. Just because grandma is a classic pianist doesn't mean grandbaby will like that, you know? I'd get him a keyboard that had some interesting composing components, a recording option, a headset, etc and let him go to town with it.

I think that would be FANTASTIC.

[jtbuko]

Looks like you already got plenty of great advice, but here's my list:
Legos
Kapla blocks
Dollar store bugs & creatures
PVC with connectors to build in the back yard
pegboard with golf tees and rubber bands
pentominoes, pattern blocks, tangram sets
books on CD

[mamabella]

Well I could probably try to disassemble the marble run but last time I tried I broke a piece (its plastic) - but that is a good idea.

I looked at the Leapster at the store and I definitely don't think I will be buying it - my son is already obsessed with buttons and I agree with pp's about it not being very conducive to encouraging independent imaginative play. The Tag did look interesting though so I might have to think about that some more...

I did get him some legos and he has been going to town - I think the smaller projects are easier for him to build than those kits he got for his birthday. He still hasn't ventured into trying to make something outside of the directions but that's okay at least he is trying on his own.

And as far as the keyboard goes - if it is one that only plays music that is one thing but what he ends up doing is finding all the buttons that play the demo songs and turning them up all the way and just staring at the thing, not really playing it. It becomes more of a fascination with "well what does this button do?" - I guess that is only natural and I should just relax about it but its just a pet peeve of mine - like I would rather him learn to play an instrument for what it is before he becomes a dj/mix-master - I guess its all still music but it just doesn't feel the same to me when he is making the digital keyboard make retching noises in the middle of songs and giggling at what he just did - or with dvd's all he really wants to do is fast forward to the songs, sing them at the top of his lungs, and then flip through the bonus features....which is probably normal healthy 5 yr old boy behavior at some level...right?

On a lighter note....it sunny skies and warm days here for the next few days so at least he will get some outside time...