I don’t remember when we first noticed it, but Kaitlyn likes to line things up. Like this:
Dado Cubes, lined up by size and color-
Duplos and plastic counting bears, by color-
Toy animals lined up around the corner of the coffee table-
My Little Ponies lined up in a row-
I didn’t get a picture of it, but the other day I noticed she had taken all the different dollhouse chairs and lined them up by size. Chris thinks it’s a touch of OCD, I think it’s just an almost-four year old imposing order on the things she can control. Or something.
Neither of the boys did this, so I can’t say well, it’s just something all kids do. Did your kids line things up or organize toys in a certain way?
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Twitter: misaacmom
says:
Very cute – She may be slightly OCD. I am and my littlest daughter is also. I just like things organized and clean. Nothing wrong with that. I think she did a Great Job!
She may do good also with puzzles, reading, etc. Anything analytical
Twitter: scentednights
says:
I don’t think it has anything to do with OCD. My son did this for years – lined all his matchbox cars up, all his plastic animals, etc. Just a normal part of growing up.
Twitter: bcmom
says:
She’s a smart girl! I think it shows she understands how things relate to each other, and I don’t really remember what my kids did.
My boys would, and still do line things up. At 6yo and 3.5yo. My 16mo girl, not so much. Although my boys aren’t exactly pros at doing the rainbow order thing – half the time the rainbows my 6yo draws are actually out of color order because “mommy, it’s prettier this way!” We did worry a little for a while there with our 3.5yo because he had slight autism signs like that, but meh. He’s perfectly fine and just slow to develop with some things.
But man, you move any of the cars or trains or bridges the kids have all lined up, whoo boy, look out, you’ve done committed a crime.
Twitter: homemom3
says:
my 2 year old is doing this. In fact I didn’t realize the other day and walked into the kitchen, almost landed on my behind because he had lined up every one of my potatoes I had in the bottom cabinet. He did this all along the floor. Not saying she has OCD but she could. Course if you find out let me know and I’ll keep an eye on him.
I don’t think this kind of thing is necessarily related to OCD. It’s simple pattern/relationship recognition. We (humans) are superb at pattern and relationship recognition. It’s part of why we (as a species) are so successful. We can make order out of the world around us, and organize it for our own use. I wouldn’t worry about it, unless it becomes an actually obsessive or compulsive behavior, which would be like feeling the intense need to arrange things in specific order. And I mean real need, as in they’ll cry or throw a tantrum if they’re not allowed to put things ‘right.’
I don’t think its a sign of OCD either. Rather just of having an ordered mind and a sense of wanting things “in their place”. I’ve seen our daughter line things up in size order or by colour too and just assumed that it’s her way of figuring out that certain things belong together or in a certain sequence.
I grew up for years lining everything I could find in size order! From crayons, to my dolls, to my moms shakers of seasonings! I didn’t grow up to have OCD. I’m now 22 years old and that little habit I had faded over the years.