Stages of Play in Early Childhood - by Casey Nathan

Young children progress through distinct stages of play as their social and emotional skills improve. While the stages of play are somewhat sequential, I tend to think of the stages as styles of play. As children mature they will use the different styles of play that they've mastered in appropriate moments and as they are ready.

Solitary Play

Solitary play is common for children under the age of two or among children who are still developing the social skills needed for successful peer interactions. Some children may need adult guidance to help them learn how to engage appropriately with peers.

Parallel Play

Children engaged in parallel play will work beside one another but will each focus on their own task. They interact very little with one another during this time.

Associative Play

Children who are developing interest in peer relationships may observe the actions of another child and decide to join in. Children engaged in associative play are utilizing the same material, and typically manifesting the skills that adults refer to as "sharing." They may interact with one another some, but the children are executing independent ideas with the same activity.

Cooperative Play

Cooperative play requires that children work together to plan an activity and to negotiate the roles that each participant will have. Cooperative play is most commonly seen among 4- and 5-year-old children. At Abintra we place emphasis on fostering cooperative skills in all students within the early childhood program, and these skills can often be observed relatively early.

When observing your child at school, home, and play, take note of the style of play your child is employing. The timeline of progression through these stages varies with children for a variety of reasons.