DD is 6 and is very SOCIAL. Her Dad and I are more introverted. I put her in gymnastics, but that was too rigid and she wasn't able to socialize. I am looking into girl scouts, but am seeking other ideas about after school activities where she can get a chance to free play/dramatic play/socialize with a variety of kids and age groups. She tends to get along with older kids, but some of them seem to not be as interested in her types of imaginative play. We have kids in the neighborhood, but I disagree with some of the parenting styles and choices, so I'm trying to expand her playmates. Any ideas or suggestions?

A theatre group? Or acting classes?

Your DD sounds a lot like my DD8. Girl Scouts and drama class are working very well for her social needs.

Also, we disagree with all of the parents nearby, but the kids play together anyways, because it's not about the parents.

Does your school have before or after school care? I signed DS6 up for both because of my work schedule but it is a great time to socialize.

It is just free playtime either inside or outside depending on the weather.

Most days I am actually done with work but I just delay picking him up because I know he is playing with other kids and having fun.

I learned my lesson quickly when I arrived one day and he and his friends were headed out to find bugs outside and I was greeted with "Ugh! Mom, we are going to collect specimens for the classrooms. Can't you go run some errands or something and come back later?"

what about trying to encourage friendships with families that include kids in a range of ages? that way, your social butterfly can enjoy an atmosphere that might be more flexible. older kids to chat with, and younger ones for the imaginative play - and sometimes they all play together and find some common ground.

i'll also second the after care, if that's an option - last year, a couple of older kids that she met in after care probably kept my DD hanging on when she most needed it. all the best!

What about Destination ImagiNation? If your school doesn't participate, or doesn't have a team for her age, you can do it yourself -- and you could make a team of kids of different ages. DS was on a 2nd-5th grade team when he was in 2nd grade.

Thanks for the ideas. We're going to try Girl Scouts. We live in a smallish town so there's some, but not a lot of choices.. The drama and theater don't start until 10 and that's too much of an age difference to make me uncomfortable, but something to keep in mind for later. We can't afford after school, but maybe occasional hourly care might work. Never heard of destination imagination so ill look into that. Thanks for the support!