Independent play
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@Elizabeth This is really great advice. Thank you, will give it a try. X
My little girl will play alone sometimes but she loves to play with me. I can say to her that if I am busy ie cooking dinner then she needs to play alone so she will draw me a picture of something but sometimes she will do it in the same room.
Perhaps set up different activities for her
I think it's just good to remember that this is a skill they are developing. Some days they will be able to do it easier than others. Some days they will need more prompting. Just like some days they can do their shoes and others they need help. If they are full, slept well, not sick, have had a lot of attention and affection, that all contributes to their mental cup being full and more able to work on skills. If they are missing any categories, or have any small annoyances (tag in clothes are itchy, TV too loud, temperature too hot or cold), it might be harder. But with constant practice, it's a skill they can develop. It's a long term skill, not a short fix
I have no advice but just wanted to let you know I could have written this post so you are not alone!
@Charlotte That’s so good to know! X
@Joe I do this already
I think the best advice I've seen is to set yourself up doing something that doesn't involve screens but nearby. So sit down with a book or crochet or a puzzle or drawing. Try to be at the table or up on the couch or chair. Set up a couple toy options nearby on the floor that she can play with like Magna tiles or her own puzzle or dolls or cars. And then just let her know that you're doing your own thing and she's welcome to play there with her toys but you're not available to play with her right now. Set a physical timer if you can, and you can slowly stretch that time out. But what this does is it models you independently "playing" (and she can see you doing it as it's not on a screen), while also allowing for the side-by-side play which is developmentally appropriate.