Nursery feedback - should I be worried?

[JohnLewisAddict]

My DS has had his first 'nursery report'. They said he likes to play independently most of the time. He's 16 months old and an only child. Should I be worried? I'm quite introverted and worry that I've passed this onto DS. I always wanted to have more confidence in social settings and wonder if there's anything I can do to encourage him to interact more. Or is he just too young and I should chill out for a bit?! Xx

I wouldnt worry tbh. Were they worried, the nursery staff? Or was it more like an interesting observation?

Play independently, as in not with the other children?

At 16 months, as far as I am aware, children aren't expected to play "with" each other. I think that only kicks in around the age of 2.5/3. Certainly both my children only seemed to develop that skill around that age. Before that they were more likely to play "beside" rather than with.

Even now at 3.5, DD2 often prefers to wander off by herself during free play time at pre-school. And she is anything but introverted.

in fact as an introvert myself I'd quite like it if my two extrovert children showed a few more introvert personality traits

That is normal at that age. www.district196.org/ec/TeacherCurriculum/KaySikichTheFourStagesofPlay.cfm

I think at that age they just play in parallel to one another rather than actually "playing together". My ds is 14 months and doesn't go to nursery, he's really quite good at playing on his own for a while and it worried me for a while. My friend who's a nursery nurse said it's perfectly normal. She said that it makes her laugh when she hears parents of 10 month olds talking about their babies "playing with their little friends" as until 2.5/3 their friends are almost totally interchangable with any of the rest of their toys!