Is this normal for a 5 year old?

[2021ishere2021]

My ds has just turned 5. He does a few things I have noticed are unusual to his peers. Is this shyness or deflection or something?

1. He doesn't partake in group activities eg yesterday there was a group of kids playing hide and seek I got chatting to one of the mums... I knew her years ago and although I didn't plan to meet her I was happy. She encouraged my sons to play hide and seek with her sons. One of my kids played but my 5 year old just wouldn't play, he kept scooting off really far so I would have to chase him. It wasn't like he wanted to escape.... then as soon as I drag the other guy away screaming he wants to play hide and seek just the three of us....

2. with people he knows better he will talk to them (it takes a long time)... someone might say "what did you get from Santa? " he will say "there might be merpups in that lake, can we look? He will then go into a detailed conversation about paw patrol.

3. his conversations are not always as abstract as 2. Eg we went down to his school to play hopscotch. We met another mum and he tells her a detailed story about finding a key for the door (imaginary story).

Is this normal? I don't see other people's kids doing this. At school they say he is reserved and well behaved.

I don't want to try and change his personality and I am definitely not embarrassed but I would hate it if he was really random and got bullied at school.

It could just be his personality and the fact that he is only 5 - or maybe he might have something like autism?

My son was diagnosed with autism at age 5. He has a very strong imagination and would often have unusual conversations with people!

Also, like the example you gave of hide and seek, my son never seemed to “stick” properly to a group of children playing. He would often play quite well with them for a time but then would drift off and be content doing his own thing.