Set up a play date for your child outside of the school environment. If your child has trouble speaking and making friends in class, you may need to step in and help your child socialize with other children. Play dates are a good way for your child to interact with children of both genders while you and the other parents socialize and monitor the children. Coordinate play dates with classmates, so your child can become more familiar with school friends and break out of his protective shell.
Talk about your child's school friends. Conversing with your child about classmates can create a sense of familiarity and connection between your child and her peers. Say things like "I heard Abby was sick today, I hope she feels better next week" or "I saw Sarah with her new pigtails today."
Work on lowering your child's anxiety by assessing his environment and social settings. If your child won't speak in school, find out why. According to child psychologist Keath Low, writing on the Pregnancy Today website, some children suffer from parallel play, during which the child will play alongside other classmates but will not interact with them. If you can pinpoint the reason, you can speak with the teacher and devise a plan to stimulate interaction in the classroom and, as a result, encourage interaction on the playground.
Attend parent-visitation periods. Many preschools hold parent visit times. Similar to arranging a play date, you can join your child during recess and guide your child into playing with others. For example, gather a group of classmates with your child and hold a sandcastle-building contest. This creates an environment for interaction and can make your child more comfortable around her peers. As the security with his surroundings increase, speaking and playing with her peers will become more of a natural process.