Ds plays so different from other tots...is it strange?

i think it's important to let him do what he wants and to be himself.
if his development is on track, i wouldn't worry about his preferences. what if he turns out to be a genius? will you still be sorry that he doesn't like to do what other people like to do?
i would just keep a close eye on his developmental milestones, social, physical, etc. if those are coming along normally (even if behind his age, if he is progressing reasonably), then i wouldn't worry about him being who he wants to be.

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Great post so I'll ditto the whole thing Not all kids like to run around and jump, some are more cautious. Maybe he'll be some great architect or something cool like that

As long as he's progressing normally I wouldn't worry.

My older son was the same at that age. We did Gymboree, where all the other kids would gleefully run and go through tunnels and do whatever physical tasks they were asked to do. My son was the only kid who didn't do this. He would watch the other kids (sometimes clapping for them), inspect the shapes on the stairs while kids were practically climbing over him and make me carry him around so he could study the pictures on the walls. He really stood out at 1 and 2, esp as a boy. He was very quiet, cautious and deliberate. My younger son is not like that at all.

FWIW, my older son became more physical as he got older. It's different for boys, because they get a testosterone surge around 4; that's when we noticed him becoming more of a physical, active person. He is still cautious and deliberate though. That's just his personality. It's still a 50/50 as to whether he'll feel like going down the slide at the park.

I know exactly what you describe about noticing how different your child is. I think it's harder when it's your first. I knew mine was different and it just really confused me and concerned me for a while. I ruled out other possible issues (e.g. Asperger's) and could only come up with, "It's just him." Enjoy your child; he sounds wonderful.

Thanks to the replies so far. It is nice to know that ds isn't so "odd" and other toddlers play like him too. I have yet to meet another toddler who can engage in such quiet, imaginative play (he already has an imaginary friend and pretends his food are diggers and trucks and dinosaurs before eating it) and not run and jump around so much. He is either right on target or "ahead" in his developement/milestones and is very good at interacting with people, so I am not concerned about that. I just worry sometimes because I am like that and I spent most of my childhood feeling odd and left out and sad. The snow is melting here, so yesterday we went to the park to go on the slide, swings, etc...and all he wanted to do was play with the gravel and sticks. I'm sure it was fun for him, but booooooooring for me. hahaha. I want to encourage him to be more physical because I have read that the more a child runs/jumps/climbs when they are young, the more agile they are when they are adults. I don't know if that is true or not. I am just happy to hear others with the same play habits as ds. Thanks.

Another one here with a ds with a quieter nature. Funnily enough I had a moment myself today when I thought 'he just doesn't seem like other babies' (he's 13 months but not walking so seems somewhere between baby and toddler at the moment!)

I was dancing around with him singing along to music. I was having a great time but he just wasn't entertained by it at all. When I try excitedly throwing him in the air a little he just gets a slightly shocked look but just doesn't enjoy that kind of play. What he really prefers is sitting down and taking blocks out of his wooden house and handing them to me, then putting them all back again!

My sister was concerned that I might think she doesn't give my ds enough 'baby type' interaction but she said that he's just not into it and he'd rather just crawl over, have a cuddle and 'chat' a little with her which is true. I guess some kids just do have these personalities but it is nice to hear about others.

OP-This is my DD to a T. She has always been like this. She is very sweet, shy, sensitive and would prefer to play by herself..She loves arranging and has been doing table puzzles since forever. I remember being so much like her when I was young.
I just say she is who she is

I haven't read what all the previous posters wrote, but here's my 2-cents.

I wouldn't worry about it either. As someone above mentioned, I'd keep an eye on the developmental milestones, but if he's capable of running, jumping, etc and perhaps prefers not to when in a huge group of kids, that's fine. Not all kids warm up to playtimes with huge groups of other kids. Some love to run and play with the others, some prefer to be quiet and hoard toys. My DS fluctuates between the two. Some days he is out there running and climbing with everyone else, and some days he brings me all the toys and just wants me to hold onto them. When he's with a very familiar group of kids in a familiar place, he's much more likely to run and play and interact, but when we're in a new place or somewhere that's really active and crowdded, he's much more likely to stay close to me and play quietly. But I'm the same way so I totally understand!

Keep going and before long he may open right up, or not, as long as he's having fun and it's not a terrible experience.


lizabird

My son was the type to like to play on his own that way too. He did it when in preschool from age 3-4. He was an only child still at that time so I think that had a lot to do with it, plus he has always been a very quiet and shy child. He still is now at 10 years old although he does know how to go out and talk to kids his age and play with them now. He started getting better about it when he turned school age.

I would just let your child be and let him do what he feels best doing. My second child has been more of the type to run and jump and join in with the others very quickly, total opposite of her big brother. She has a totally different personality.