[frakers]

My 2.5 y.o. likes to line things up when he plays with them. For instance, magnetic letters/numbers on the fridge and toys, especially anything with wheels. He doesn't get upset if things get moved around, nor does he line things up the same way each time. He doesn't do it with items that aren't playthings and he doesn't do it EVERY times he plays but he does do it quite often. For Background: He doesn't have any delays of any kind, in fact, he's rather ahead in most all areas...except potty-training! We know this because he was tested every 6 months for the first 2 years of his life since he was born 2 months pre-maturely.

We are wondering if this could be a sign/symptom of anything, or if it's normal 2 year old behavior that's just kinda quirky. Anyone else experience this?

 

[khrisday]

I think it's pretty normal. I know that kids with Autism like to line thigns up, but they do tend to do it the same way over and over and get upset if it's touched. My dd is 5, and I noticed her making a line of toys the other day. I think most kids do a little of it at some time or another.

 

[CarrieMF]

My 2.5yo does it. It made our appt with early intervention the other day alot longer because she would not do what the interventionist wanted until everything was lined up and then she would do it. she would ignore the interventionist until it was lined up then look at her like "okay I am ready now what do you want"

 

[EMZ]

At that age my daughter liked lining things up. In fact, when she potty trained at 2 1/2, one of her rewards for using the potty was that I'd give her 2 dalmation doggie re-usable wall stickers to put on her wall. With the pawprints, she put them in a straight line all the way down the wall.

 

[Nikki Christina]

yup.. my 3 1/2 year old has done it awhile & still does it.. in fact I have a line of puzzle pieces across my floor right now

 

[luckylady]

Yep, my dd is also 2-1/2 and loves to line things up - she also like to create patterns like circles and squares with things.

 

[emblmrgrl]

One of my 4 y/o sons lines everything up! He now has a group of stuff he keeps on his headboard that he calls his "collection" and if it gets moved he immediately knows it. He's pretty much always been very organized so that behavior sounds perfectly normal to me.

Of course my son does get upset if things are moved which happens to be a favorite thing for his twin brother to do!

 

[stafl]

My DD does that, too. And gets very upset if anyone messes with her "collections" of things, that she has to keep in a certain order... the magnets on the fridge, her rocks, her toys, etc.

 

[intensity_too]

My son did this too around that age. I have pictures to prove it. :LOL He's a little over 3 y/o now and it seems the lining things up phase has passed. My son never got upset when things got moved out of line. I personally wouldn't worry but, if it would make you feel better, you could call his ped/dr and see what they think.

 

[The Lucky One]

My ds1 loves to 'park' or line up his cars. He does this all the time in various spots all over the house. They aren't in any particular order, as far as I can tell, and he doesn't mind a bit if I come over and play with the cars and take them out of their parking spots. That's really the only thing I can think of that he has ever lined up like that, but I think it's perfectly normal.

 

[merpk]

Absolutely normal. DS#2 does it, and he's around 2.5 at the moment, too.

DD#1 did it, too.

BTW, not sure about nontoilet-trained kids at 2.5 being 'delayed' ... we have yet to successfully train anyone in this house before 4yo ... :LOL

 

[LunaMom]

Very normal behavior at this age!

My daughter used to line up her Thomas trains, or her dinosaurs, or her little farm animals. If you watch carefully, he may even be lining them up according to attributes - my daughter once arranged her dinosaurs in groups - standing on two legs, standing on four, long necks, horns, that sort of thing. It's really amazing.

Unless a child gets truly distressed - I mean REALLY upset - when someone interferes, this lining-up thing is not a problem!

 

[BusyBee]

Yes, lining things up is normal, in fact it usually starts around two. I heard that it was actually a pre-math skill (ie learning how to make order out of chaos) next comes lining things up in a sequence or some other some sort of grouping. Your child is right on developmentally.

 

[guerrillamama]

I do that sometimes.

: I'm 28, btw, and developmentally on schedule (in most areas).

 

[L.J.]

My oldest is 6 and he still is big on lining everything up. He makes lines out of everything. I always just figured that's part of his personality.

 

[yogamama]

My son used to line things up (especially match box cars) and I thought it was just him. Now I watch my daughter (18 months old) lining up things. Her thing is that she lines up little animal toys along the side of the bath tub - every bath she is there lining them up.

I guess it's a normal little kid thing - creating order in their world.

 

[skj474]

Got a liner-upper here too..lol Ds loves to line his toys up, especially his cars. He doesnt obsess with it or get mad if they gets out of line, unless his sister messes it up on purpose

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I have a frigde with letter magnets in 4 straight lines.... :LOL