Also posted this in behaviour/development.
My DS is 3.6 and needs some help with his social skills with his peers.
To give some context, he's been referred to a community paediatrician after some things that his playgroup flagged up (well I pushed the health visitors and they eventually referred him months later) - we haven't been given an impression of what the issue could be although I suspect it would be on the spectrum somewhere. However I go back and forth as to whether I think he is or isn't as he doesn't tick the majority of the boxes and doesn't actually seem to be struggling either, but we will wait and see what the paediatrician says. It's good that it's being looked at either way.
Regardless of any diagnosis he might eventually go on to receive, I want to be proactive in helping him with his social skills. He hasn't made any friends at playgroup that I can gather, although he's made one at his private nursery where he goes one day a week, but the child is a year older and kind of forced himself on my DS. I've seen him with them eg at the fair, and it's obvious he's unsure/doesn't know how to play with them. He was following one girl around for a bit and it took a while to get the hint she wasn't interested. I've seen him do this once or twice at the park as well with children. Ive also seen him copy another child as a way of getting their attention/engaging. Which it seems even 3 year olds know is annoying!
He doesn't get much practice at all. Until a few months ago he was an only child, and there are no other children in our family. My mum (my childcare when I'm at work) took him to a regular playgroup and it took a while for him to warm up to joining in the singing etc, and he would parallel play fine there, but not play with any children much really. We have very few play dates, but when we do he's generally fine on them and seems to play what I guess is appropriately (although I don't really know what that is for a 3 year old!).
He's starting school nursery in September and I want to help him have a bit more confidence in socialising before then. He's a cautious child, was late to walk (18 months) and isn't boisterous or rough.
Any suggestions/anyone experienced similar?