Feel like my son is being left out at nursery

[Laurajay84]

My son is 3 and has just started attending a small preschool where he is the youngest in the class (only one who joined this September). So far he has loved it apart from a few tears on drop off, but when I pick him up I can't help but feel sad that he isn't joining in activities.

Let me start by saying that I am a stay at home mother and he has never been in any nursery or organised class setting before. The staff tell me that he doesn't want to sit on the mat for storytime, he prefers to do sole playing and when we arrive and everyone is sitting doing a craft activity he just ignores it too. It seems like he just wants to do his own thing and the staff are letting him do so until he settles in a bit more.

The thing is I feel like he can do all of these things, so why isn't he doing them at nursery? He will sit for a good 20 mins reading a book with me or doing an activity. He loves when people come to the house and is very sociable and happy.

It makes me sad to see him on his own whilst all the other chidren are sat nicely on the mat for storytime. I feel like the nursery should be helping him to join in more. If he's not doing any nursery activities then what is the point of it all?

[HSMMaCM]

Often new children play alone while observing the other children. It helps them work out what the other children are like, what they can do, who they might like to be friends with, etc. The staff should help him integrate once he becomes more settled. As long as he's not unhappy I wouldn't worry.

[2016Hopeful]

I think it's early days still and you need to wait to see how it goes. He sounds like he is just sussing things out at the moment. I think the staff are right not to push him too much if he is happy. If this is still happening in a month I would say something.