Nearly 2 years old - how many friends should she have?

[LeilaC]

I am worried that I do not give my DD enough opportunities to make friends her own age (nearly 2). We live out in the middle of nowhere, half an hour from a big town. She does see a fair number of adults, but not many of her own age children at all. She has just started nursery 2 afternoons a week because I was so worried. Is this normal? Should I make more of an effort for her to play with her own age children? Does anyone else have toddlers who do not see many other toddlers? Am I depriving her? THANK YOU!

I have a 2 year old and her friends are generally the younger siblings of my other children! We don't go to toddler groups very often, and I rarely organise 'play dates' just for her. I haven't really thought about it. Kids at that age pretty much interact on their own, or play beside others the same age. Is she a happy little girl? Do you like soft play/toddler groups? I wouldn't worry too much about it, she's v young to really have 'friends'

I have a 2 year old and her friends are generally the younger siblings of my other children! We don't go to toddler groups very often, and I rarely organise 'play dates' just for her. I haven't really thought about it. Kids at that age pretty much interact on their own, or play beside others the same age. Is she a happy little girl? Do you like soft play/toddler groups? I wouldn't worry too much about it, she's v young to really have 'friends'

I am sure that with her being at nursery she will be making friends - maybe invite a mum and child from nursery over to play.

2 is too young to have friends anyway. My DS is familiar with children of MY friends, but nursey twice a week should give ample opportunities imho.

I have a 2.6 year old and we go to some groups/classes sometimes. He enjoys playing with the other children, but we never see them outside the groups. All my friends with similar aged children live 100+ miles away so we don't see them.

So I would say currently, he had no "friends" but is happy to play with any child of any age whenever the opportunity arises. He really loves his baby sister so I just leave it at that until he goes to nursery school next year. He sees lots of adults and seems happy with that as well so I don't really think there is a problem. I wouldn't worry about it - she'll have friends at school.

I worry about this aswell- DS has about 5 playmates that he sees sporadically. My parents (teachers!) assure me that at his age its not a problem as they don't really play with others at this age but are learning more from you IFKWIM.

I find my local toddler groups are always on during his nap time which makes it really hard work as he gets so tired and grumpy. He's generally very happy tho and plays well with me and on his own so i've tried to stop worrying about it. He will do a few sessions at pre-school next year so hopefully he'll up his social life then!

Ds1 (2.5) plays regularly with a handful of roughly same age children, but there was only one that I'd consider to be his friend (and he moved away recently ). Both children asked for other one all the time and spoke on the phone (very cute to listen to). He enjoys playing with others, at their house, our house, mother & toddler groups etc, but wouldn't notice if he didn't see them again.

when I say sporadically- these are kids of my friends- many of whom work so visits are only once or twice a month at best. Sometimes its easier to do stuff on our own anyway.

In my (albeit limited) experience, ds1 didn't 'need' to play with other children until just past his second birthday. He didn't mind it, but was quite happy entertaining himself. But over the past few months he seems to crave the company of other children and goes a bit stir crazy if he doesn't. If I ask him in the morning what he'd like to do today he'll usually say 'play with x' or 'play with other childen'.

If we don't have anything specific planned with childen we know we go to the playground where he'll happily annoy join in playing with other children.

DS had "friends" under 2 because I needed freidns not becasue he did! They may have well been part of the furniture unless they played with his toys.

Between 2 and 3 I think it is better to get them socialising with other chidlren gradually by about 2.5 I would say he enjoyed playing around other children a bit more and now at nearly three he understands the concept of friends and will run around like a loon with them but not really "play" together IYSWIM.

Two afternoons a week at 2 sounds about right to me.

my ds2 will be two in a few months and i have been thinking about his birthday and wither there will be a 'party'. with ds1 i had a gang of friends with first dc all around the same age and we went to same playgroups and each others houses and it was natural that they came to his birthday party. this gang has splintered now with moving away/abroad and dc1 starting school.ds2 has only now started going to playgroups with me and i'm finding it difficult to bond with anyone in particular and for ds2 to play regularly with the same children.

the siblings of ds1 friends are all differing ages and i find if there are six months either side this makes a difference in their ability to play together..so should he have his own friends by now?? not sure!

Children rarely have 'friends' at such a young age. they should be happy to play alongside others, and will just be beginning to have imaginative role-play with others, but little more, unless 'forced' together ie playing with children of your friends who they see on a very regular basis. They will begin to make their own friends generally between 3 - 4 years, but this will depend on the child and the opportunities they are given.

Well, my DD had a handful of "friends" at this age - kids of my NCT mums etc. But tbh, the notion of friendship is a bit "fluid" at this age anyway. They don't really play together, more alongside each other. They dont' miss their "friends" when they're not around, so I wouldn't worry too much. My DD is 3 now and is only just starting to really be able to play with another child her age. She has one friend who she shared a nanny with from very little, who she really looks forward to seeing, and presumably will start to forge some more now she's in nursery 5 mornings a week.

Don't worry, I'm sure she's fine!

that's reassured me lots! thank you - she's a very happy, sociable, gorgeous little girl, but I just worry that she'll be less able to make friends when she gets to school age because she's so used to being around adults. time for another baby maybe!!!