Reception worries

[user1475505106]

Hi

So my son has started reception this year and he absolutely loves it. He's had no tears, he goes to after school club twice a week and he always comes home smiling.

He had a speech delay when he was 2 ans has now caught up. I've always been worried about him making friends with others. At his nursery they had to initiate a friendship group for him and then he was fine playing and leading play.

When I asked him who he played with, he either ignores me or goes quiet. I don't want him to be excluded or feel left out because his speech may have affected his confidence to communicate. The teacher says he plays alongside others (which apparently lots of others do) and the dinner lady I know says he plays with others in the playground.

I am not interested in him being Mr Popular I just don't want him to miss out on learning through play.

Can anyone advise on how friendships in reception work?

Thanks

Mostly children do play with whoever happens to be beside them at that activity, or at that time. there are always some dc who form a real 'magnet type' friendship, but it is really, really normal to just turn and talk to whoever is next to you in the playground or the classroom.

I’ve taught EYFS in the past. At this age children often play alongside each other rather than with another child. This is why we spend lots of time working on taking turns, sharing and building relationships to develop those key characteristics.

I think it all seems quite normal from what you describe. It's also common for children to clam up when asked to describe what they did at school. I think questions like 'who did you play with?' can be quite pressurised for them. It's even normal at reception age for kids to find it difficult to join in with other but it doesn't sound like your son has this issue as he finds people to play with at play time.

In my experience most friendships in YR were really friendships between parents with the kids tagging along. It wasn't until Y1-3 where genuine, longer lasting, friendships emerged between kids.