How can a parent handle a child who is taller than average children?

Question

My two year old niece has a hard time playing with children her age because she's a lot taller than them. She's about three feet tall with a size 10 shoe, and is very slender.

This seems to be affecting her communication skills because when we try to get her to play with other kids, they would ignore her assuming that she's older. Seeing this, she would shy away and try to find something that she can play with by herself. It saddens me because she is just a child and I don't want her to be alone or treated that way. It also doesn't help that we don't have many friends with children her age or around the age of two.

I'm hoping to find classes or anything of that sort where she can communicate with other kids and begin to socialize more. If anyone could point me in the right direction I will appreciate it greatly.

Answer 1

This is so my daughter!  She's 2.5 years old and 39+ inches tall with a size 9 shoe.  She's always been very tall for her age, so people are always surprised when they find out how young she is.  She has friends who are a full year older that are shorter than she is.  Sometimes older kids try to play with her and she can't do what they can do and they get annoyed.  She's also slender, which makes her look even taller.  

I don't really have any advice for you, other than just keep trying with other kids.  I enrolled my daughter into a school for 2 hours 3 days a week and it's been wonderful for her.  She has friends and has become a lot more social and verbal.  Check out your local Montessori school to see if it's a good fit.  

Answer 2

um i'd def get her evaluated, kids normaly at that age has not learned prejustices...so it may be something else that make kids shy away

Answer 3

My nephew is also a big kid-he turned two last week and is almost as tall as my four year old girl!  My sister-in-law is always surprising people at the park when they ask how old he is, since they always assume he is at least three.  Children at that age tend not to play together anyway, they may play close to each other, but the interactions are fairly limited.  And if you're talking about even younger children who ignore her, that's also pretty normal, and doesn't really have anything to do with her appearance.  Do you have a Gymboree where  you are?  I'm just trying to think about different kinds of classes where she could meet other children, and so many of them with the park district have the age of three for the minimum.  The YMCA may offer mommy and me classes, either swim or play classes, young gymnastics, that kind of thing that would get her busy with other kids.

Answer 4

When I lived in Louisville Kentucky, they called it Basketball  

Answer 5

That is great that you care so much for her, so what I would do is walk her up to greet the kids and then ask how old the other kids are and then you could say "oh just like _____" Then start to find something the other children and your niece have in common and send her off, things will naturaly work out!

Answer 6

let her have a play date...maybe invete a buddy over or go to the show with them

Answer 7

Buy her a pair of flip-flops. Or...you could let her know, several times a day that tall people rock! Build up her self-esteem, as little kids are suffering from low-self esteem as well