3.3: Types of Play
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Mildred Parten (1932) observed two to five year-old children and noted six types of play. Three types she labeled as non-social (unoccupied, solitary, and onlooker) and three types were categorized as social play (parallel, associative, and cooperative). The table below describes each type of play. Younger children engage in non-social play more than those older; by age five associative and cooperative play are the most common forms of play (Dyer & Moneta, 2006). [1]
|
Category |
Description |
|
Unoccupied Play |
Children’s behavior seems more random and without a specific goal. This is the least common form of play. |
|
Solitary Play |
Children play by themselves, do not interact with others, nor are they engaging in similar activities as the children around them. |
|
Onlooker Play |
Children are observing other children playing. They may comment on the activities and even make suggestions, but will not directly join the play. |
|
Parallel Play |
Children play alongside each other, using similar toys, but do not directly interact with each other. |
|
Associative Play |
Children will interact with each other and share toys, but are not working toward a common goal. |
|
Cooperative Play |
Children are interacting to achieve a common goal. Children may take on different tasks to reach that goal. |
[1] Lifespan Development - Module 5: Early Childhood by Lumen Learning references Psyc 200 Lifespan Psychology by Laura Overstreet, licensed under CC BY 4.0
[2] Lifespan Development - Module 5: Early Childhood by Lumen Learning references Psyc 200 Lifespan Psychology by Laura Overstreet, licensed under CC BY 4.0