3 Ways To Find The Perfect Playmate From Your Child's Preschool
If you do not have many friends with children the same age as your child, you may be concerned that your toddler has few or no friends to play with outside of preschool. While young children tend to engage in parallel play, as opposed to directly interacting with each other, you may want to have some friends outside of school to invite to birthday parties or play with over school holidays. Even if you are a shy parent, there are several ways for you to figure out which children your child will likely get along with and which parents you will enjoy setting up play-dates with.
Ask Your Child's Teacher Who Your Child Plays With
The easiest way to figure out which children your child likes and regularly plays with is to ask your child. However, very young children may have difficulty pronouncing names or even remembering the names of their playmates. If this is the case with your child, you can simply ask their teacher who your child regularly plays with. If they do not know immediately, ask them to keep an eye out and within a week, you should have a list of a few children who would make good playmates for your child.
Volunteer at the Preschool
Most preschools welcome parent volunteers. If you are able to volunteer one or two days a month, you will have more time to meet all of the other parents as they drop off their children in the morning and pick them up at the end of the day. This will let you decide who you would like to spend time with, as play-dates for younger children will involve close contact between the parents. It also gives you an opportunity to meet with the children and see how your child interacts with them.
Arrange a Parent's Meeting
If your preschool does not have monthly parent meetings, ask your child's teacher if you can arrange one. Not only can you discuss any issues the preschool may be having, but you can also use the opportunity to meet other parents and set up multiple play groups for your child and other families that might be having the same issue as you.
As the parent of a young child, it is easy to feel isolated and like you are not providing enough social interaction for your child. It can be difficult to make friends with other parents of young children who also have busy lives. However, these three tips should help you get started.
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