To encourage a toddler to play by himself:

• Pick an isolated activity that you think your toddler will enjoy.
  
  An isolated play activity is an activity that is best performed by one person. For example, building Legos is something that children do well alone. Play with your child the whole time the first couple of times.
  
  
• Provide many "love pats" during the play activity.
  
  Keep your talking to a minimum.
  
  
• Begin to excuse yourself from the activity at times when your child is actively engaged.
  
  Leave the activity for a very brief period of time, perhaps only 5 seconds. For example, you might walk over to the kitchen counter and then go right back to the activity. After about 2 days of excusing yourself for only 5 seconds, plan to be gone 7 or 8 seconds. In this fashion gradually increase how long you are gone, based on your child continuing with his play while you are gone. What you are aiming for is to be able to leave the activity without interrupting what your toddler is doing.
  
  
• Over time, perhaps two or three months, gradually stay away from your toddler for longer periods of time.
  
  As you are able to excuse yourself for increasingly longer periods of time, don't forget to give your toddler periodic, brief, nonverbal, physical contact. In this way your toddler will have the enjoyment of playing alone and affection from you during the activity.
  
  With time and practice, your toddler will learn how to entertain himself without help from you. The more toddlers play alone, the more they can accomplish on their own and the greater sense of satisfaction they have in their play activities.
  

Written by E. Christophersen, Ph.D., author of "Beyond Discipline: Parenting That Lasts a Lifetime."