4yo cannot (will not?) play alone

[ZimZamZoom]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience and/or advice please?
My 4yo daughter absolutely refuses to play alone.
She has a wonderful imagination and can stay in character for a long game but only if she has someone playing with her; preferably an adult, but she also plays nicely with her 6yo brother.

If I suggest "why don't you play vets with your cuddlies" etc, she whines and complains about it until she has worked herself up to being too upset to play at all.

I'm a bit worried about this seeming inability to have some independent play. Particularly as I clearly remember loving playing totally by myself at that age and older. I was an only child though, so perhaps this has some bearing on it all?
Does anyone have any insight? Am I missing something here?
Thanks for reading!

My 3YO is quite like this but getting better and will now play beautifully by herself for a bit with sylvanian families/soft toys/drawing etc. Have you tried starting off a game then 'needing the toilet' or something after she's fully engaged and just increase the time you're away? I would try and avoid actually telling her that she needs to play alone or giving her any inclination that she needs to play alone as she'll probably just resist this. Perhaps just be tough as well and give her no option. Set half an hour aside to do housework or something and allow her to be in your presence and suggest things she can do but don't cave and play with her. If she gets upset then comfort her of course but perhaps point out that the longer you take to do your housework the less time she'll have to play with you. It's hard I know x

Thank you @Jannt86 some good ideas here. I've escaped today (came to work for a break!) but I'll definitely try those suggestions.

Hello OP,

I’ve got a tip that I find really works with my DS, same age. Always be the one who instigates the play first before they start to pester ! So for example in the early mornings when he’s at home I have a rule that until 9am it’s mummy time and he has to amuse himself with toys. Then at about 9am I find him and other DC (2) and say ok let’s get dressed and do playing as enthusiastically as I can muster and just let him totally lead the play - normally imaginative role play stuff ... I found that after 45 mins or an hour of play they then naturally find something that they then want to do on their own as they’ve had enough of me being involved 😀.. I use lines like I need a cup of tea now to exit gently or say it’s snack time now. I actually got this tip from a book by Kate silverton 🤣.. I noticed it actually meant less hassling me to play during the day later and he accepts it more when I tell him I’m busy - good luck 😀