DD 6 is almost at the end of year 1.
She is a kind, thoughtful little girl on the whole.
She's generally liked but has no friends specifically. It's not uncommon for her to say she hasn't played with anyone today at school. She's not excluded but I get the feeling she's not included either.
For example walking to school today she meet up with a couple of little girls and they all run off down a 'secret passage'. At the end of the secret passage she was trailing behind with a scowl. I asked her what the matter was and she said that the other two had walked off and were talking without her. I said well go and join in and she said her leg hurt (she often uses things that hurts for not joining in when shes slowest, which if I'm honest is quiet often as she's just not the fastest). So we walked on and caught up and I tried to include her in the conversation - (I don't usually helicopter but just wanted to see what happened) and she just hung saying nothing. One of the other girls did try to include but the conversation naturally moved on and they walked off without her.
These situations seem to happen a lot and she's often at parties wondering on her own and groups form for example over the park she always starts playing but often ends up on her own.
Does anyone have any advice on how I can help her navigate and develop social skills - she's an only and I neither I or my husband are overly extrovert and find social situations difficult and I don't want to her to feel as uncomfortable as I do sometimes so I'm probably not best placed to help her.