It is a sign of normal development for a child to become "shy" around the 18 month mark, and shows he has a healthy attachment to you. There is no reason for you to suddenly thrust him into nursery before he is ready, in an effort to force him to be more social. It would be far healthier if you could gently introduce him to the group environment by taking him to "mummy and me" type activities; playgroups, music classes etc, where he could learn to be with other kids and adults while still being reassured that you are there for him when he needs you. It is normal that he needs interactive play from you at this stage, and is how he learns, so its actually very important that he not be left to play on his own all the time.
Perhaps you could plan for him to begin nursery part-time when he is 2 or later and spend the next 4 months getting him ready for it?
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