Salus Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Hi all, There is a preschool boy who I've observed to play on his own quite a lot . He will sit and join for group time but be very quiet. I often see him playing alone with small world figures in the home corner, with the doll house or with small cars around the room, indoors and outdoors. Is this something to be worried about? Will it be something that ofsted could ask about it if they notice it too? What could we do for him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trekker Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Hi all, There is a preschool boy who I've observed to play on his own quite a lot . He will sit and join for group time but be very quiet. I often see him playing alone with small world figures in the home corner, with the doll house or with small cars around the room, indoors and outdoors. Is this something to be worried about? Will it be something that ofsted could ask about it if they notice it too? What could we do for him? In my experience yes they could ask about him and any children who are not seen to be interacting...they have queried the experiences of quiet children, new children and EAL children for exactly this reason. they'd want to know that your aware..that staff are aware, parents too and whatever conclusions you've come to about why he's not joining in are sound. They'll ask what you've done so far, how you plan to encourage / support every day and so on... Being quiet is not necessarily a concern...it may simply be that this little boy is naturally an introvert (not necessarily shy or anxious - see google - there is now loads of info on introversion to explore! ) and just needs more regular alone time than others especially if they spend long periods of time in the company of others in nurseries...but it could also be that he is anxious, unable to connect...or is there a speech issue? Check with parents what he's like at home or when visiting cousins etc. Do some sampling obs - track him every five to 10 mins for several sessions to see if he is actually interacting and you're just not noticing it...eye contact, playing alongside, smiles etc..all count. This will help you decide if theres anything to be worried about and what the next steps are. an adult buddy who plays with / alongside the child will help attract others to them...and the adult can gently support interactions to occur to build the child's confidence...modelling phrases / strategies to use to join others play ... set up paired activities - pulling each other in a trolley or turn taking with a football...all worked for me to build social skills and just start making connections if the child is struggling. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Hello there! Sound advice from trekker, there. Also, you don't say how old your little boy is or how long he has been with you? These may well have a bearing here. Sue :1b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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