5yr old ds not making friends

[badday1]

My dd started school 6 months ago but tells me no one plays with her. It makes me really sad when she tells me but, until today, she was always quite matter of fact about it so I thought I was just being over anxious and protective and it wasn't that bad. Tonight however she cried when she told me and said she didn't want to go to school tomorrow. I don't know what to do or how to help her.

We have recently moved a long way from home and so she has no exisiting friendships to fall back on and is really keen to make new friends at school.

To be honest I am not particularly socially able and struggle with self confidence so I am the last person to know how to advise someone - particularly a 5 yr old - how to make friends or turn this situation round.

I wondered if someone out there might have some ideas.

Tell you teacher your concerns and unfortuately, you will have to try and make friends in the playground with other parents - invite someone over to play/ have tea on Saturday afternoon- most parents are happy to have some time off

I have done the playground chat thing and had play dates but it doesn't seem to do a lot of good. The other kids have been happy to come around but they just don't seem to gel with my dd. They just play completely separately. I have tried being more involved in their play - getting them baking or painting etc. I help out in class every week so I can get to know the other kids and see if I can work out what the issues are. I think the other girls just don't like her. There is one girl who is quite bossy and spiteful and has been mean to my ds in the past but is also a bit of a queen bee among the other girls so she might be influencing things. Also, my dd is a bit different being english and we now live in New Zealand and she is a bit tubby which the whole class seem to point out to her every day so obviously a big deal to them. I just can't bring myself to believe that 5 year olds would exclude someone for being slightly different.