Mildred Parten (1932) observed two to five-year-old children and noted six types of play. She labeled three types 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]
Table 3.2: Parten’s Classification of Types of Play[2]
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Category
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Description
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Unoccupied Play
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Children’s behavior seems more random and without a specific goal. This is the least common form of play.
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Solitary Play
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Children play by themselves, do not interact with others, nor do they engage in similar activities as the children around them.
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Onlooker Play
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Children are observing other children playing. They may comment on the activities and even make suggestions, but they will not directly join the play.
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Parallel Play
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Children play alongside each other, using similar toys, but do not directly interact with each other.
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Associative Play
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Children will interact with each other and share toys, but they are not working toward a common goal.
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Cooperative Play
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Children are interacting to achieve a common goal. Children may take on different tasks to reach that goal.
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References
[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
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