Toddler really clingy and shy

Flowerbud

My 2.5 year old daughter is really clingy to me any time we go out to mother and toddler group or birthday party's etc. She has been well used to going to places like this from a young age but for some reason she always wants to be right beside me. I see the other kids running off on their own but she won't play with any toys or anything without me beside her and playing along with her. What could i do to get her more out of her shell??

Flowerbud

Moonbeam

Does she go to creche or play school or anything with out you?

Flowerbud

She was quite good, going to a creche when i went to an aerobics class, but then she started telling me that she didn't want to go. So i switched to another class that had a free creche attached to it also, but she didn't like going there either. She had been going to music tots and mother and toddler group from very young but i was there all the time with her. I hope to send her to playschool 2 days a week in january, i don't know how that will go. I feel really sorry for her, its breaking my heart looking at her hanging out of my leg and not going off and playing without me.
Thanks

Moonbeam

Giving in to her probably didn't help.
Maybe it is a case that she is never with out you so hasn't learned to be on her own.
Play school might help the situation as she will be on her own with other kids.