{"id":54,"date":"2023-11-13T16:09:04","date_gmt":"2023-11-13T16:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accintroductiontoece\/chapter\/types-of-play\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T17:10:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T17:10:48","slug":"types-of-play","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accintroductiontoece\/chapter\/types-of-play\/","title":{"raw":"3.3: Types of Play","rendered":"3.3: Types of Play"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n\r\nMildred 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]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Table 3.2: Parten\u2019s Classification of Types of Play[2]<\/b><\/caption>\r\n
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Category<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Description<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n

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Unoccupied Play<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Children\u2019s behavior seems more random and without a specific goal. This is the least common form of play.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

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Solitary Play<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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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.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

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Onlooker Play<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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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.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

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Parallel Play<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Children play alongside each other, using similar toys, but do not directly interact with each other.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

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Associative Play<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Children will interact with each other and share toys, but they are not working toward a common goal.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

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Cooperative Play<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Children are interacting to achieve a common goal. Children may take on different tasks to reach that goal.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

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Watch this!<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\nMildred Parten developed a theory in 1932 which categorized Six Stages of Play (Mildred Parten) - Explained!<\/strong> (3:50 minutes) based on their social interaction and cognitive complexity. These stages illustrate the evolution of a child's social development within play contexts: In this video, we\u2019ll look at each stage of play, the age range in which it emerges, and what types of play occur in each stage.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n[embed]https:\/\/youtu.be\/8ZXsyu4P84E?si=ugGO34hiMN9n6csK[\/embed]\r\n
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Check your knowledge<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\nDrag Words into Blanks<\/strong>\r\n