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Helping your Toddler make New Friends

For your toddler, learning how to make friends is a lot like learning how to walk. At first, she will be awkward and will need a lot of support from you. Later, she will become more confident and able to manage just fine on her own. Listed below are some simple things you can do to help support and nurture your toddler’s early friendships


	Try to arrange for your toddler to play with her peers several times each week. This will give her the opportunity to interact with other children who are also at the same developmental stage.


	Many communities offer organized playgroups for toddlers. These groups can be a wonderful way for your toddler to interact with her peers, learn to feel comfortable in a new environment, and be exposed to different games and activities. As an added bonus, you can talk with other parents who have toddlers the same age as your own while your children are playing.

	When your toddler has a play date with other children, try to keep it fairly short. An hour is probably plenty of time for a play date. Playing can be tiring for your toddler, and it is far better to stop while everyone is happy instead of waiting until their energy and patience are in short supply.

	Many toddlers like to watch and observe before they feel comfortable joining a game or other activity. If your toddler is hesitant to join in on the fun, simply let her take her time. She’ll quickly figure out that participating is much more fun than standing on the sidelines.

	Let your toddler see you interacting and enjoying time spent with your friends. As she sees you bond with other people, she will hopefully be inspired to make friendships of her own.

As with all other skills, it takes practice and patience for toddlers to learn the fine art of making friends. If you take the time to gently encourage your toddler and give her plenty of opportunities to be around other children her age, you will be putting her on the path toward a bright future filled with many cherished friends!