Is my DS the only one ...

[ett]

who is not a big fan of playing on climbing structures? DS has never been a big fan of swing sets or climbing structures. He absolutely hates the swings and will start to whine if I put him in one. He will go on the slide but only for several times. There's an indoor playspace at a local mall with a bunch of the plastic Step 2/Little Tikes climbing structure that I take him to ocassionally. However, he will only play there for about half an hour before insisting that we leave. DS had his physical therapist session at the playspace today and he only lasted a little over half an hour there. (our sessions are usually 1 hour). He kept running to the door and wanting to leave so I could do nothing else but cut the session short.

However, if I take him to the library or bookstore, I practically have to drag him by the arms to leave the place. He could probably spend all day there if I let him.

So anyone elses DC prefer the library/bookstore to the playground/indoor playspace? I always see kids having so much fun at the playground and playspace and can't understand why DS wants to leave. And it's not that DS doesn't like to run around. He's very active and runs around the house all day and will happily run around the bookstore too. Do I just have a bookworm?

[brittone2]

If he's getting PT, he has some sort of gross motor delay I assume? He may just not feel secure with himself on that type of equipment, which is really just him trying to keep himself safe, kwim? Some kids are also sensitive to the sensory aspect of those things and don't like it at all, which could be the case as well. Is he sensory defensive about anything else?

Is he scared of steps at all?

Of course, I do think personality plays a large part in those types of things. My little guy is 23 months and only recently did he start to enjoy swinging (in the last 3-5 months) and he is slower to warm up to that type of equipment but does eventually enjoy it I think he'd prefer the libarary though ;)

I think some kids grow into it and some always just prefer being in their comfort zone, which may be curled up with a book rather than climbing on the playground.

[kelly ann]

DS was kind of like that. My friends used to talk about pushing their kids on the swings for 20 minutes when DS would last 2 minutes at most. Half the time he wouldn't go down the slides and when he did go down, we had to go down with him most of the time.

He is a lot better now, but he still will not climb inside this large slide/play structure at an indoor playground near us. For DS, I think it was definitely personality and possibly some sensory issues. I have come to realized he is a highly sensitive child (from a book I learned about on these boards).

He also loves the library and reading books. One physical activity that he has never been hesitant with is swimming. He could stay in the water for hours if we would let him. He is more likely to go down a water slide than a regular slide!