Struggle to read toddler

[GR2529]

I have a very vocal 2 and a half year old DS. I'm struggling to get him involved in group situations. In front of all adults he is 'star of the show' talks non stop (too much actually), is confident and relaxed. He's the same with one or 2 children around. I have taken him to numerous groups that haven't worked out (singing and dancing isn't his thing at all), but we started a football club, which he was so excited about and loved week one, but the next week, the group was bigger, with about 10 children and he just melted. Crying, clinging, says he wants to go home. We tried three more times and the same kept happening.

He goes to nursery 3 full days a week, has a lot of cousins and lots of my friends have children who we regularly socialise with.

How can I get him over this because I know he would really enjoy that club and I don't want this to become an ongoing problem for him?

He is quite sensitive - if parents / grandparents tell him off, he couldn't care less. But if we are with other people and he sees other children he is with getting told off, his bottom lip is out, he cries and runs to me, even though he isn't being told off or involved in anything to do with the telling odd. He has recently seen an adult friend cry whilst we were in a restaurant and the same thing happened.

Part of me thinks it's good that he is able to recognise emotions of others, but the other part of me worries he gets way too invested.

Any advice?

Just realised what I called this post is a bit confusing.

When I say I struggle to read him - I mean I struggle to know how to gauge what he's feeling and what to do about it to help

I think he is telling you very clearly what he thinks about this club. His life will be complete without it.

You seem to think the fact that he does not like that set-up means there is something amiss with him - there isn't.

Yeah it sounds like he doesnt like it. I was going to say persevere in case it's just shyness (dd is usually like that on the first time of trying something but then warms up and is fine) but it just sounds like he doesnt like it if you've been 4-5 times.

And he sounds quite sensitive underneath it all, thats all. Just be aware of that and if you see something happening which may upset him give him a hug or a cuddle before it does.

Should've explained more clearly. This is all group things, not just the one club.
He was also asking to go to the club throughout the week without being prompted, saying he wanted to go. If we were early, he was fine and enjoying the class, then as more children turned up, that's when he would start to not enjoy it.

I was just looking at ways to encourage him to get involved when it's bigger groups of children he isn't familiar with

Not sure there is any need to try and encourage him to do it - he will get better at big groups as he grows. They all develop at different rates. No need to try and speed this up - just go at his pace.

He's not even 3 yet, he attends nursery, he socialises with cousins and friends? He's doing just fine. Maybe he's just not ready for these clubs yet and trying to push it before he's ready could do more harm than good. In your shoes I would leave it for a few months then revisit it when he's a bit older.

Maybe the groups are too structured or overwhelming.

He's only two. Let him go to playgroup a couple of mornings a week and let his confidence build up from there.
He may be asking but at two they can't imagine or see the full picture or understand how they feel about situations.
Also take him to soft play this will help him build up confidence in group situations as he will be able to remove himself and rejoin as he needs to.