By 3 years, some children have a clear idea of who their friends are and can name them. They might look for their friends when they arrive at preschool or playgroup and play just with them. They might even want to have playdates with friends. Other children at this age might not have friends they can name, but they might be keen on making friends. By 4 years, most children will be able to tell the difference between ‘my friend’ and other children they know. Some children seem to make friends easily and get energy from being around a lot of other people. Others can find this tiring and overwhelming. Some children might be slower to warm up and need time to watch what happens before joining in with a group.