I’m the eldest child with two younger brothers who aren’t likely to have any children soon. I unfortunately have no friends with kids, much less kids my daughter’s age. My cousins are all 15 years old and younger, and therefore, are also not likely to have kids soon. Seeing my daughter watching other kids warily out in public has prompted me to the fact that I need to socialize her with other kids, and I didn’t want to wait for preschool.

What I’ve done:

• I’ve signed her up for at least one class that runs a month or so geared to her age. You can sign up for Gymboree or similar types. I opted to scour our more affordable Community Recreation class offered by the city. These range from $35-100 a class for 6 to 10 week classes.
• I take her frequently to the local mall’s play area or the playground, where I encourage her to wave hi to the kids. Since she’s not yet old enough to do active play with other children, this is our first step for now.
• I have signed up for a Mom’s Meet-up group. Granted I don’t go that much what with my busy student schedule, I have access to a calendar that gives me great ideas on where to take her. Often they’re free: library events, fairs, etc. Try going to Meetup.com where you can search for your local playgroup.

What about you? How do you socialize your only child?