1 Year Old Cries During Play Group

I suggest trying some smaller playgroups. Perhaps just ask one or two moms at a time to get together with you and your baby. Too many kids at once may be intimidating her. Then slowly ease back into larger groups. My son is pretty quiet, and doesn't always do well in huge groups either, so I often try to schedule smaller playdates for him here and there too. I do think large groups are beneficial, especially at the preschool years so as to prepare kids for school settings, but at this young age, smaller might be better. Plus, you can actually have converstations with the other mommys too, which is near impossible with big gatherings!

It sounds like she's just highly sensitive to sound. My guess is that she doesn't like the vacuum cleaner or the hair dryer either. ??? My son, when he was about this age and slightly older, ran every time I would turn on the hair dryer and the vacuum. Oh, and those hand dryers in some public bathrooms -- those used to scare him too. but just to the point of him covering his ears and running off -- sometimes he'd whine - but not cry. Screaming didn't throw him off though, and he was fine with lots of other loud noises too (applause, singing, train whistles). He grew out of it though at about 3-4 yr old. He's fine with any noise now.

I think at this stage you could try to distract her when the screaming starts -- just take her to the kitchen and give her some treats (have some special ones saved for this moment)... you need to reinforce that the screaming is fun - playful screaming - nothing to be scared of. So give her some special snacks then. Keep saying "it's ok. It's fun screaming." maybe practice some playful screams with her at home... and at that moment say "you try it. Mommy will yell - now it's your turn. silly!"
Just to help her get past this -- turn it into a fun game.

If it stays with her longer and becomes more serious - there is auditory therapy at some outpatient rehab clinics (Our Children's House at Baylor). They help children who are highly sensitive to loud noises/singing/applause, etc.

All the children may overwhelm her if they scream etc. Is there any other mothers you could have a play day (only and hour not an afternoon) that would just be one other child, then you could still get some adult friendship time while they played, and a different mother some other week, then when they are a little older and past the screaming stage, you could go back to group. Id on't blame her at her age for being scared of a bunch of screaming kids. ha

Stop going to "play group." Play groups are a newer thing and from what I have seen are, like you say, are more for the mothers to visit than for the babies to play. So really, is it for her benefit or yours? Get into a Bunco group, women's bible study, maybe start your own brunch group and take her to a family member for an hour or two a week. There is nothing wrong with you wanting adult interaction, but she obviously isn't flourishing with the current situation. I mean, let's face it, have you ever seen anyone experience social delay as a result of not attending play group? I have heard other moms talk about bad habits, like screaming and biting, learned at play group. Go with your mama instinct, it's always right.

I don't know if this will help, but my 16 month old went through a phase where loud sneezing or coughing (really loud - not normal volume stuff) startled him and made him cry. One of my Kid shuttle passengers had a cough for a couple of weeks - freaked my little guy out a bit! Just for fun I started pretending to cough for him, and tried go be as loud as I could. He laughed when I did it, and next time we were in the coughing situation he cried a bit, and I did the pretend cough and he relaxed a little. After 2 days, the coughing didn't startle him anymore. Maybe you can try something like that - "practice" the situation so she's not as startled. Good luck!

Hello A.,

Maybe she needs a break from the group for a few days. and stick to smaller groups for now.

Good luck!
~C.~

Hi A.
I have been in a playgroup since my little one was 5 months old and he is now 2.
I had a similar situation with my son. He started getting very scared of all the other kids b/c of noise or just that they were a little more aggressive than he was. We had meltdowns almost every week and it was embarassing.
I continued to take him and still do b/c I needed that time too and I felt like he would gte through this "stage".
To this day, he prefers one child at a time and is really ok with playing by himself.
After talking to my husband's mom and finding out that my husband was that way as a child and so was my mom, it all makes so much more sense!
I've always been way social and so I couldn't understand, but now I'm ok with it. I still put him in social situations, but am ok if he just wants to come sit and play by me or if he is off playing by himself.
Sometimes it's a stage, but a lot of times it's their personality.
(My 10 month old little girl seems to be all social just like her mommy :)~.

I hope this helps.