Help. I don't want to play with Barbie or Paw Patrol

I once heard an interview with a toy retailer who said that a child's favourite toy is one that grownups play with with them: but an adults favourite is one that the child plays with on their own.

How about having a crafting playtime? Bits of coloured paper or fabric scraps with glue to create a picture? Yes it’s a bit messy but it would help her co-ordination, colour identification and shapes wouldn’t it? Same can be done with dry pasta too.

I guess those who say make the most of it did enjoy pretend games themselves
No Lathyrus I didn’t and never have enjoyed role play but
I d happily sacrifice my likes for what they were happy doing, cos I wanted them to have good memories of their times with Nan and I wanted to send them home happy at the end of the day, it was as simple as that

She’s not even 3 yet shes not really old enough to be playing on her own and why would she when there’s a Nan there

My oldest ds never wanted anyone to play with him. If they did, he’d surreptitiously disappear behind the sofa with a couple of toys and play happily on his own. He always wanted books read to him, though. He’s still the same today, perfectly happy with his own company, so long as he has a book.

One of my GC would want someone to play with him but you weren’t allowed to join in. He would give us a car or something similar to hold and then we had to sit there, toy in hand, doing nothing and staying silent while he played. Now that really was boring!

BlueBelle

*I guess those who say make the most of it did enjoy pretend games themselves*
No Lathyrus I didn’t and never have enjoyed role play but
I d happily sacrifice my likes for what they were happy doing, cos I wanted them to have good memories of their times with Nan and I wanted to send them home happy at the end of the day, it was as simple as that

I have to agree with you there, BlueBelle.

I feel for you IvyGeranium.

DGS with ASC was easier, but tiring.
Whatever he was focused on at the time had to be done exactly as he said. From a very young age, he did the organisation, ran the dialogues, directed the actions and I said the right words and I did as I was told.

Does your granddaughter like books? Mine DGC loved the “Thats not my . . . “ series. We read them so often that they could also “read” them to me.

There are a lot of assumptions here!

You can love rôle-play and hate Barbie/weapons. Do it with dress-up/ lego/ playmobile/the cutlery and pepperpot or just yourselves

You can send children home happy after encouraging them to try something new as well as playing more of the same. It needn't be a sacrifice!

You can "set everything aside" for your grandchildren and still both have choices.

I think the toy retailer is making terrible generalisations - who said that a child's favourite toy is one that grownups play with with them: but an adults favourite is one that the child plays with on their own.
...What is nicer than playing with your children/grandchildren using a mutually loved toy, board game, construction set?

To those grandparents who say "just do whatever they want" - maybe I could borrow you pleaae to chase my youngest grandchild through the woodlands "being a monster" for a day???

BlueBelle

She’s not even 3 yet shes not really old enough to be playing on her own and why would she when there’s a Nan there

Exactly!
Put up with it OP, your little DGD wants to play with you.An only child is sometimes a lonely child.
I have to play shops with my DGC it could go on all day but I usually allow an hour for it before we move on to Lego or something else.

Playing with a small child all day can be boring. My DGS likes cars and, boats and planes so my DH takes the lead there, my youngest DGD likes crafting which I quite enjoy. I can remember one DGD insisting on playing hospitals and I quite enjoyed being the patient and having a lie on the sofa.

DGD is also going through a ‘Paw Patrol’ phase, though does seem to be moving on to Spider-Man now. I’m quite glad as I don’t really know all the characters in PP, even now.

Each of her phases has lasted just a few months. I am happy to play along with her as directed but I do set the oven timer - when the buzzer goes it’s time for me to do something else. That way I can limit the game to half an hour or so I need to. Amazingly none of my GCn have ever queried the authority of the oven timer!

BlueBelle

*I guess those who say make the most of it did enjoy pretend games themselves*
No Lathyrus I didn’t and never have enjoyed role play but
I d happily sacrifice my likes for what they were happy doing, cos I wanted them to have good memories of their times with Nan and I wanted to send them home happy at the end of the day, it was as simple as that

Yes, I did exactly the same with my GS. To be perfectly honest, I find playing with children, especially young children, extremely trying and boring - but I put those feelings to one side and entered into the whole Paw Patrol/dinosaur/Lego play (whatever he was into at the time) with enthusiasm, because I wanted him to feel that I was interested and invested in him.
Now he's 8 and into video games and football - but only yesterday he was educating me (!) all about K Pop Demon Hunters!

Barbie and paw patrol puppies , might enjoy in the other activities too . So if she wants barbie and you want to bake suggest barbie wants to bake

I am on my final one of six grandchildren .
One day a week I throw myself enthusiastically into role play, Barbie, paw patrol, sylvanian families, Frozen, you name it, I’ve played it.
I admit my mind is prone to wander, and I don’t always get the right voice for the right character, I do sometimes also take a sneaky look at my phone.
But it makes her very happy, and it’s for such a short time, I feel sad when the older ones sit around on their tablets.
Not always easy I know, but just try and embrace these years.

I guess I was fortunate that my play duties pretty much aligned with my own inclinations- board games, construction, bash a car, and, well, just generally organising things into order and pattern😬🙄

I’ve only had to play “pretend” with great-nieces and assorted GC of friends, so I guess I didn’t have the grandmotherly devotion needed to alleviate the tedium😳

I used to throw myself enthusiastically into Duplo constructing, making track configurations Brio train set, Sylvanian families. Grandson had Paw Patrol, Granddaughter had Barbies, lots of Gruffalo, Stick Man, Room on the Broom, I miss those days, even if it was a challenge down on the floor.

Now there are requests for interminable games of Monopoly, I generally slide out of those and let other members of the family step in, my excuse, meltdowns even though the last one was around 60 years ago, one can never be sure if such emotions are just lying dormant ready to erupt at any time, it didn't take much, could even be triggered if I didn't get the dog before the game even began. I'm definitely not in a safe space when confronted with a Monopoly board.

I did enjoy the dinosaur phase both with children and grandchildren.

Did you all know that’s there’s quite a bit of money is some retro toys well worth looking some up

TerriBull I love playing board games with my grandchildren - and now the older ones are older we can play lots of l.o.n.g.e.r. games.
Risk, Ocean Trader etc.
This is a joy!

Board games aren’t really my thing, although I must have played hundreds of games of Frustration over the years, the older ones are into Cluedo, which I don’t mind, but I hate monopoly, and Trivial Pursuit.
We have spent many hilarious hours playing cheat.
I buy a lot of games which are played once and abandoned, so if anyone has any good suggestions for games for a very imaginative six year old, I would be happy to hear your recommendations

Outfoxed!:
This is a co-opetative "catch the pie thief" game. Along the lines of Cluedo but easier.

Catan: Junior:
There is a new version of this that can be played with 2 or 4. You are trying to control pirate hideouts

Ticket to Ride: First Journey;
This is a junior version of Ticket to Ride. I confess I've only seen - not played it - but the adult version is played by one of our 10 year olds very happily. If I was looking for a younger child I'd definitely look at this. My other 10 year old grandson would find the adult version too tricky.
If you look at this the USA version is likely to be easier than the European one.

My First Carcassonne:
This is an easy version.of the great "Carcassonne" game which you may have played. It's a tile-game that you build by adding on to an earlier tile.

Go with it and try to enjoy it. They are not little very long. I used to have my grandchildren before they started school and those days went so fast. We found some local national trust places that had dress up boxes that they loved.

Lathyrus3

I guess I was fortunate that my play duties pretty much aligned with my own inclinations- board games, construction, bash a car, and, well, just generally organising things into order and pattern😬🙄

I’ve only had to play “pretend” with great-nieces and assorted GC of friends, so I guess I didn’t have the grandmotherly devotion needed to alleviate the tedium😳

“Bash a car” ??
Sounds suspiciously like what I did in n MK station multi storey car park a couple of years ago when I was taking GS 1 to Sadlers Wells. He thought it hilarious and my car insurance premium has nearly doubled.
Desperate measures

Labyrinth:
This is a great game - maybe look for the junior version. If you buy the older version it's an easy game to tweak.

I do like board games at times, but they can run on and usually such requests come in the middle of meal preparation, hence my delegating to whoever else is around.

Also sweet memories of toddler years and the toy tea service, umpteen cups delivered, sometimes in the doddery style of Mrs Overall, always met with head back, imaginary tea poured down the hatch, whilst exclaiming, delicious! Enthusiastic tea server snatches cup back to deliver umpteen more.