Advice? My preschool-aged daughter is lonely after the big move

We just moved to Newcastle one month ago and my three-year-old is missing her friends and having a difficult time making new ones.  We have attended playgroups but the kids seem apprehensive of the American kid who talks funny. Any advice on finding playmates?

We moved over last fall when DD was just over 3 and DS was 1 1/2.  Luckily DD is outgoing and makes friends pretty easy but I did notice she was getting restless home with me.  We went to every playgroup and sure start centre that had something going.  I found the routine helped and also we'd run into the same kids every so often.  Also she was still didn't play much with other kids but I think she was still doing the "side by side play" some.  She did have trouble sometimes understanding what people were talking to her about and also I had to sort of "translate" to the other kids for her.  Even though she qualified for her free 15 hours we thought she wasn't going to be able to start that till the next term and were looking at paying for her to go to a nursery 1 or 2 days a week just for some stimulation other than myself but just after we called around the preschool we had signed up for called and had an opening for her right away.  I also tried to talk to as many other moms as possible and be friendly.  You might see them around town and say hello again and that might open the door for the playmates.

Although some of the playgroups will be closed for summer I'm pretty sure the Sure Start Centres stay open so that may help.  We also spend a lot of time at parks.

Keep at it. Go to as many playgroups and sure start centre groups as you can.  Try contacting the local NCT branch - they may have groups or activities going on in the summer.  http://www.nct.org.uk/branches

The first summer we were here we were at the playground for a picnic nearly every day. On rainy days we went to the indoor play centres/jumpy places. And every single play group (no matter which church or centre). I did a lot of playing with our little one (who was a bit younger - 2.5) instead of watching her play, but found that I really had to take the lead and introduce her to other kids, and ask their names. I did get lucky and met a mom who had moved to the are five years prior, so knew what we were going through, and was very helpful in pointing things out. It did take that whole summer and fall, until she started nursery in January, but we got through it. Good luck!