Spoke to ds's keyworker today as he has been saying he is bored at nursery and doesn't know what to play with. He goes for four half days.
As a result, she observed him this morning and after offering him quite a lot of fun things to do,and him not being that interested in any of them, he just kind of sat and watched the other children, taking it all in.
He is the youngest in the class and she said she thinks he just needs to settle in and get used to everyone but he's been in that room for two months now.
He seems to much prefer the company of adults to children. He just looks like he is totally perplexed by children sometimes,especially if they are being boisterous. He copes with older children better and always seemed quite scared of toddlers when he was at the stage where they'd bash each other.
He does talk about a couple of the children at nursery 'fondly' (especially his 'girlfriend' lol) and says they are his friends but he is almost always hanging out with one of the staff when I pick him up. Maybe he doesn't really know how to talk to other kids yet or doesn't think they are very interesting?
If we have friends over to play he will only really play with them if I instigate some sort of game like hide and seek or suggest an activity but really is still more into parallel play. He'd rather hang out with me in a clingy way.
He is a thinker rather than a doer in my opinion - he likes taking everything in and is rarely boisterous or naughty (occasionally he is - I know how great this is and that I should count my blessings and do). In fact, even as a younger toddler he was always remarkably sensible - like a little adult in a child's body (I do encourage silliness and fun so please no one accuse me of encouraging this!)
He seems pretty bright - knew letters and colours before or around two, has an exceptionally good memory etc. Knows colours like turquiose and aubergine now, counts to 30 and can count up to about 15 items, starting to read a few words etc.
He is very sociable with adults he knows and does imaginative play a lot (especially one particular role play game he is really into which he has made up) so I'm not too worried about ASD etc.
I guess I'm just worried he's not going to have any friends at school and will be lonely (although part of me thinks he doesn't really care that much).
I try and have friends over who are more like him so he doesn't freak out at super-boisterous kids but maybe it should be the other way round to get used to them?
Does anyone have a similar sounding child? What can I do to help??