What do 6 and 7 year old boys do on their own?

[hergrace]

DS1 doesn't have many friends that he can see outside of school and he spends a lot of time just hanging out with the family at home. We really struggle with things he can do when I am busy and he doesn't want to play games with the 3 year olds.

He reads a lot, has poor fine motor control, and isn't careful enough to ride his bike on the street unless I can be out front with him. I could use any ideas to see what might strike his fancy.

TIA

[sweetcheeks]

My 7YO loves to do anything that involves building... Legos, Magnext and K'nex could keep him busy for hours. He also likes reading, riding his bike or scooter around the block, doing mazes and word finds and playing in the backyard.

Is there anyway you can arrange for a friend of his to come over each week for a play or have him go to a friend's to play? I know that helps around here... keeps the "I'm bored" whining at bay.

[AllisonR]

My DS is not quite 6. He likes playing with legos - mostly star wars. He loves being outside exploring nature - crushing wild nuts with a wooden beam, moving rocks to find worms, insects... even brought home a bird skeleton recently. He also likes being online - pbs, poisson rouge...

When I am busy with cooking, laundry... I often invite him to help. He usually says no and does his own thing, or plays with DD (3yo). But he has the option to join me, which I think is a good thing.

[LynnS6]

When ds was that age, he loved to act out imaginative scenes with his trucks and his stuffed animals. His fine motor skills are weak, and he's not a builder, so the legos go largely untouched at our house. OK, they go completely untouched. He also made boats and floated them in our wading pool, and roller bladed.

He also started playing computer games at that age (, Bookworm Adventures Deluxe; I was tired of him hanging on me asking me to play my version).

At 9, he's still into the stuffed animals, biking, making boats, roller blading. The trucks are history and he still hasn't picked up legos.

[34me]

Making rockets out of toilet paper tubes, drawing scenes from the books he's read along with the legos, kicking a ball around, lacrosse, etc

[rhianna813]

I have a 6.5 year old son who is an only child. And after having 1/2 day kindy all year he is bored then ever at home.

He is also really into legos and star wars, and can spend hours playing with them. But not always. I let him play in the back and front yard mostly unattended. But we have a slightly busy street with no sidewalks. He is not allowed to leave the yard.

When it's hot I turn on the hose and let him go crazy LOL He can spray my car, the windows, "water" the plants, bomb his legos, etc. Just no hosing people or animals. If you have hot wheel cars and tracks - it's even more fun!

Rhianna

[4evermom]

At that age (and his current one), ds liked to play online computer games, build with legos, make concoctions at the bathroom sink (baking soda and vinegar are fun), and use remote controlled cars. He would sometimes make "challenges" for the r/c cars, like ramps and mazes. The "Morphibian" r/c vehicles by KidGalaxy were great because they could run through puddles and not short out. They float and can be driven on top of water, as well.

[A&A]

My ds just turned 8, but he has the same interests he did at 7. Playing with legos (he still likes the big ones that are actually Duplos), playing with his dog, riding his scooter or his bike, coloring, painting, playing with play-dough, playing on the Wii, kicking a soccer ball around the backyard, helping us in the garden, reading, or practicing his guitar.

[shamesa]

You said he likes to read -- maybe he'd like to try writing? If drawing is tough because of fine motor, could he type up a story and illustrate it using a computer program?

My 7 yr old far prefers to play with other kids but when he can't, he likes imaginitive play (ranging from play kitchen to Star Wars), scooter/bike riding, drawing, and building. Maybe blocks would work better than Lego if fine motor is tough?

[northwoods1995]

My son recently got into Lego and now he is just obsessed! He also loves Star Wars and plays with his Star Wars action figures a lot. He looks at books (again Star Wars and science books mostly). He also pretends to be a meteorologist/storm chaser and plays with maps and runs around. He also likes puzzles. He also does a lot of biking and swimming.

[rhianna813]

He also might like a magic kit. DS got one for this year and really likes it. The booklet has written and illustrative instructions, so he was able to figure out 3-4 easier tricks on his own. If your son likes to read, even better!

Rhianna

[sept04mama]

My almost 6yo. really enjoys listening to books. He has gone through 6 or 7 of the Lemony Snicket books this month. He can do Legos and likes them, but mostly likes to "collect" them. My 4yo. is WAY better at independent play. I think sometimes first children don't learn that well and like to be constantly entertained or talking to adults.

I would try a few books on CD from your library and see- it's free! (oh yea, I have him use headphones so we don't ALL have to listen)

[Ornery]

At that age we made a mud pit (accidentally at first and then it was such a hit we kept it for quite awhile) and my ds played in it constantly.

We let him build things with wood and nails. At first we supervised closely but then let him go and he did fantastic things. In addition, deconstructing things (i.e., old radios, tvs, etc) was one of his favorite things to do.

[jillmamma]

My boy is 7.5 and is into Lego and Star Wars as well (seems to be pretty common for this age!). He also likes to read/be read to, play Wii (Star Wars Lego is is favorite ), do puzzles, watch Star Wars movies, playdoh, paint/draw pictures, play board/card games (Sorry!, Mouse Trap, and Uno are some of his favorites), swim at the pool, play outside and pull leaves off bushes to make a "building" or in the sandbox, occasionally still builds layouts with Thomas tracks or GeoTrax, oh, and make the droids from Star Wars Clone Wars destroy all the pony houses in Ponyville that belong to his younger sister.

[4Marmalade]

I have a 7.5 year old who struggles with playing on his own. He really enjoys adult conversation and company. He doesn't often play with toys but we have had luck with lego or other building sets. He has also just really started reading chapter books and that has been a saving grace in terms of him being on his own. He also has a circuit kit where he can build small radios, devices to make sound effects, etc... and he likes that.

My ds has a lot of success in doing "jobs". And not in terms of kids jobs. He stacks wood, clears trails, washes cars, etc... So, we try to keep him busy doing those sorts of things.

[RiverSky]

Action figures, trains, Lego, Lego and more Lego, crafty items like markers, coloured pencils, paint, paper, scissors, glue, stickers, playdoh, clay, wooden blocks, books, music (on CD/MP3/radio and musical instruments), toys, circuit kits, science-related kits, pets, sports equipment (scooter, basketball).

[NightOwlwithowlet]

When he was 7, he liked to read, look at books, play with his toys (action figures, cars, animals, pirates), build with tinker toys, and playing pretend. He has a very active imagination and makes up stories that involve dragons, lots of drama, swords, and he will recruit the dogs or imaginary friends to fill roles if needed. At 8, he still has imaginary friends.

He likes to play outside, looking for bugs, birds, and stuff. He keeps lists of different bugs and birds. Jumping on his mini trampoline and riding his scooter were big. Of course, he spends a lot of time asking to watch tv and go on the computer. He doesn't like legos, drawing, coloring, or building with blocks.