Our 2 year old son does not have any friends. He plays with kids at school and that is it. My husband and I don't really know any people with kids our son's age and the meet-up groups I've checked into are usually meeting at very inconvenient times and days. My husband and I are only children, but we also had tons of friends to play with and "back in the day" it was easier to build friendships with neighborhood kids. I was told by his teacher that he plays well with other children, but he also plays well by himself many times. He only has grown-ups to interact with on the weekends and I sometimes feel he needs to little buddy to hang out with.
YES part of growing up is learning to be around others, and the excepted behavior. Learning to share. All these can be learned with other close to the same age.
I don't know, I think 2 years old is still pretty young to "need" friends. Mom and dad are really their complete world still and while I think its good for them to experience social settings with other children, which your son does at preschool, I don't think they need to have someone to play with consistently on weekends. We didn't have regular playdates until my son was 4.
Two year olds do not actually play "with" each other - they generally participate in "parallel" play so right now it isn't really an issue, but three year olds are social, so at that age you will want to start scheduling some out of school play dates with kids from pre-school or the neighborhood. To that end you may want to start building some relationships with other parents you find through school or church nursery or among your neighbors.
Sounds like he has the best of both worlds. He is around other kids at "school" and then he gets to learn to play alone. Which is an important skill. So many kids can not entertain themselves. When he is in real school say 5 or 6 you can set up play dates by letting him invite his favorite friend from his class over one afternoon a week. My mom used to do that for me and I traded back and forth with my best friend. One week at my house, the next week at hers. Works out great.
My son is 2 years old as well and only gets to play with other children when at school although he plays very well by himself at home. When I have put him in situations around other kids outside of school, for example at the park he doesn't play with them, he'll watch them for a second and then he runs off and does his own thing. At this point it's not important to him so I don't worry about it but as he gets older, I plan to schedule more play dates for him so he can learn to make friends and play with other children.
So is he also an only child? I wouldn't say a 2 year old has to have another 2 year old to play with if there are opportunities during the week to play with other children. The most important person he can interact with is you. Mothers are primary language givers, and help little ones know right from wrong, and provide emotional nurturing for the child. Next/equally important is relationship with Dad and siblings. If you have him in a school setting, I wouldn't feel the need to put him in more activities or play dates. If you have a group of friends whom you enjoy, and they have children, perhaps you could meet with them and let the children (regardless of age) play. You might find this kind of arrangement encouraging to both of you.
Two, 2yr. olds being expected to play together may not exactly work like you think it might, there is a lot of parallel play at this age. Cooperative play develops as they grow older. Hang out at parks and see if you can strike up friendships (but if not, no worries, your son is going to be just fine with the circumstances he has)
I'd keep my eyes open for playgroups, and make a point of getting him out to where kids are playing, like parks, pools, the zoo, children's museums, and organized recreational opportunities.
But my grandson is an only, and thrives on lots of interaction with the adults in his life. At 4.5, he loves playing with other kids, but doesn't seem to notice when they're absent. I recall my only daughter having a similar experience, and both have been well-balanced, mature, creative and playful.
my son is 2 1/2 and his best friend is a 7 yr old girl. he has loved her since day one. Lucky for us it is our neighbor. You can invite some kids from his school to come play for a few hours in the evening. Pick up your son and another kid once in a while and let the mom/dad have an extra hour to run around and get some errans done. But since he is getting hours of interaction with other kids durring the day. I would think that would be enough social play.
Here are some ideas on "friends" and socialization with a link with more info:
http://blogs.goddardsystems.com/Cedar-Park-TX/2009/08/06/...
Dr. Pruett points out that play helps children learn to solve problems, promotes flexibility and motivation, teaches regulation of emotions and builds resilience and confidence. Play is also essential to the development of the child’s brain, triggering trillions of neural connections that form the basis of healthy cognitive function and mastery of the child’s physical world.
Playing alone and with others not only builds brain development, it also helps children develop social skills and a sense of ethics. The most effective play is free of evaluation and correction (after all, throwing a ball shouldn’t be “right” or “wrong”), while promoting autonomy.
I wouldn't say a 2 year old "needs" friends. He is in a day care situation, so he is getting interaction with other children his age. Maybe he enjoys playing on his own. When he is home by himself, do you constantly have to "entertain" him, or does he play by himself? If you are having to entertain, then I would say yes something is missing. Does he look around for other children his age?
My son, even from when he was just a baby would look around on the weekends like he was looking for the kids he was used to seeing at his day care. He is a very social, outgoing child (8 now).
My son is an only child, except for a 1/2 sister who is 21. Even though he is very outgoing and loves to play with other children, he also plays very well by himself. He has a very vivid imagination and is constantly making up stories in his head and playing with his toys.
All children are different. If he seems to do well on his own, then don't change the atmosphere. You don't have to have an organized play group for him to attend. If you feel he must have others to play with take him to a park or another social setting where children are and let him go.
Nope. At 2 his is still in the parallel play developmental stage. Once he turns 3 or 4 and enters into the dramatic play, then he will want friends to help him act out his fantasies :)
I believe I read on babycenter.com that at 2 years, children are still prone to "parallel playing" - that is they play next to each other more so than "with" each other. My DD (2 1/2) plays well at school with the other children and by herself. She also "plays" well with her cousin who is 5 months older than her but they don't really "play" together rather they kind of do the same things at the same time =)
My son is just like yours. He played with kids from day care and school. There was no one his age in our neighborhood. We've moved, and there still is no one here his age. We have nice neighbors, but the kids are all teenagers, and my son is now 11. We play with the neighbors dog, and we've helped feed another neighbors chickens. I'm a little worried about him just playing outside on his own due to snakes in our area (a number of them are poisonous). We have him in taekwondo summer day camp, and he plays all day there. We make a point of playing outside with him when the weather is nice kicking or throwing a ball around, and we fly kites together at the beach. Not every neighborhood is a great one for friends, but the kids turn out fine anyway.
The fact that he's getting socialization at "school" is a huge thing. I don't know if it's necessary for him to have friends outside of school. Both of my kids because we were fortunate to have friends with kids the same age and a ton of kids on our street.
Perhaps not right now, but as he gets older it will be more important.
Do you belong to a church that he could get to know other kids through?
We have a neighbor who has an only child. There are 4 4-year-olds on our street, and she's constantly seeking a playmate at her age.
I'd ask your pediatrician the next time you're there to see how much interaction they recommend beyond his exposure at school.
I was just thinking this same thing over the weekend! We were at a street fest that had kid rides and all the cars had two kids who were related or knew eachother and then my son was the only lonely. I felt so bad and started freaking out but like your son my son plays at school a few days a week and we do get out with a moms group a few days a week too. Honestly, most of the kids in the moms group my son just doesn't click with so I don't worry about it. But there are a few kids at school who he seems to be interested in playing with so I make it a point to talk to those moms and try to set up playdates. Maybe there are a few kids at your sons school who you could do the same? I don't think they need to have friends at this age but it's nice to have another kid to entertain each other for a few hours and you can meet new parents! Also, from every thing I've read kids don't start interactive play with eachother until between two and three years so if he's playing on his own a lot that is fine. My sons teacher told me 2nd children will be more interactive earlier because they have older siblings while 1st borns tend to take longer to "get it".
