How can I help her to play with other children?

[olaybiscuitbarrel]

DD is 3.5. She has no siblings, and no cousins, and although we have friends with kids, we only see them every few weeks. She goes to playgroup a few hours a week and other childcare is provided by family members.

She plays happily and cooperatively one to one with children who are 'like' her, in a family setting ie. similar developmental stage, similar background, and while parents are around. Other children she treats rather like objects and plays alongside, or totally ignores (pretty much all of the time at playgroup from what I can gather). She is a very verbal child, and is very sociable with adults, but I don't think she knows how to play with other children really, and I'm worried and sad. In 7 months she'll be at school and I'm worried that if she doesn't have very good social skills by then she won't make friends and will be miserable.

Any ideas of how I can help her to learn to play with other children? Is is something that can be taught? Or am I worrying unnecessarily?

I think she'll be just fine. Our school nursery has always said children of nursery age tend to play alongside each other, not with each other. Perfectly normal stage of development. She'll soon learn how to play with other children once in the school environment. As always with life, she'll probably find the children who are more like her and suited to her 'tastes and needs'.

I also think you're worrying too much. 3 and a half is very young...real playing together comes more at school. She plays happily one to one which is a good indicator that when she's a bit older she'll be just fine.

My dc is like this (only child, no cousins). I would say only now 4.5 is he starting to play with others (interacts very well with adults). I am very interested in others views on this

I agree with frazzled. Mine have all followed that too at that age.

It's interesting. My 3.10 year old plays really well with other children she's familiar with. She will play for literally hours with a handful of them. I have no concerns at all about her social skills, she is very outgoing has been at nursery since 1, she often finds new friends when we go to get play etc. However if I take her to the play group up the road she never plays with anyone else and behaves exactly as you describe (unless one of her friends is there). Weird huh?