6 year old and friendships

[ihavechangedmyname54321]

My DC is 6, in year one, and has had the same close friend since the nursery class. He also has two other close friends that he made in reception, and in parents' evening when I asked about this, his teacher said he tends to only play with these three children (sometimes all at once but sometimes 1-2 at a time). One of the friends dips in and out a lot whereas DC and the other two are in a bit of a trio, which I know can be an issue (and his teacher did make this point - "three's a crowd").

My DC claims that he does play with other children at the same time as well as these three, but his teacher said not.

We discussed encouraging him to play with others as well, which I'm trying and agree with as it's a shame not too when the school has such a large pool of playmates (3 form entry) although it's tricky when DC tells me he is playing with others!

But I wanted to gauge from parents maybe with experience of this whether it is, in fact, a problem? My DC isn't the most socially confident child but if he sees a child he knows outside of these three close friends, whether it's another from his class or from one of the other classes (big school - 3 form entry) at the playground, or at a club, he is sociable/chatty enough. I don't worry about him being on his own as I can't imagine, if the three friends were off sick for example, that he would spend all playtimes on his own.

Teachers aren't normally in the playground (that's when they get a break) so I would take what she says with a pinch of salt. There's 100s of kids at playtime and year 1 aren't usually separated like reception kids.

What games does your son play? My sons liked playing chasing games like tag so the more the merrier and it's easy to ask to join as you don't need an even number like football. While every child who also played tag weren't best friends, it was a good way to get to know people.

That's exactly what my DC claims he plays with the other kids alongside his best 3, games like tag, hide and seek, hide and seek tag...you get the drift! I think Y1 might be kept separate at the moment, but it's still around 90 children on that part of the yard at once.

No she only does playground duty once (a week or once a day - don't know), and my DC did say to me "she's never there". Their TA is there a lot I think...

I suspect that she's playing with lots of kids then. Maybe the teacher sees her lining up and coming in with the same friends? Or picking the same people when they have to get into pairs for stuff.

Is it all that big of a deal to only have three people he wants to play with in Y1 though? I'm happy to encourage where I can but knowing that he's not someone who's completely at ease in big groups, it doesn't surprise me that he chooses his three close friends. I think I'd be more worried if it was only one friend!

I think 3 best friends are fine since of one is I'll or moves, he still has the others.

I listened carefully when my kids said that they didn't like someone though.You can't get along with everyone but it also leads to important conversations about more advanced social skills.

Thanks @cherryonthecakes. I don't think my DS dislikes (m)any of the children in his class/year at all, it's more that he's got tunnel vision for his three best mates and that's that.