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11 Types of Play for Child Development

The document describes 11 different types of play that are important for children's development from birth through childhood. It discusses types including unoccupied play, solitary play, onlooker play, parallel play, associative play, and cooperative play. Play allows children to learn and practice social, thinking, physical, and emotional skills in developmentally progressive ways.

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Shubham Vishwakarma
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246 views14 pages

11 Types of Play for Child Development

The document describes 11 different types of play that are important for children's development from birth through childhood. It discusses types including unoccupied play, solitary play, onlooker play, parallel play, associative play, and cooperative play. Play allows children to learn and practice social, thinking, physical, and emotional skills in developmentally progressive ways.

Uploaded by

Shubham Vishwakarma
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

10/29/22, 10:41 PM 11 Different Types of Play for Growing Children

RAISING KIDS

ACTIVITIES

11 Important Types of Play for


Growing Children
Play offers children the opportunity to learn and
practice new skills
By
Amanda Rock
Updated on September 30, 2022


Medically reviewed
by
Ann-Louise T. Lockhart, PsyD, ABPP

Verywell / Joshua Seong

Children love to play because it's fun—but it's also vital to healthy
development. During different types of play, children learn and practice
key social, thinking, physical, and emotional skills, including creativity,
imagination, and problem-solving. [1] The benefits of play are progressive,
meaning that the skills kids develop during their fun and games build
upon each other.
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Play activities like rolling a ball back and forth with a sibling or putting on
a costume help little ones learn to take turns, build fine motor skills and
proprioception (awareness of the body in space), and practice getting
along with others.

Influential sociologist Mildred Parten was an early advocate for the


benefits of play. Her work described six essential types of play that kids
take part in, depending on their age, mood, and social setting, and what
children learn from them. [2]

Every child develops at their own pace and may engage in these types
of play earlier or later. And while these stages are progressive, they
often occur simultaneously. A child may not leave one type of play
behind when they move on to the next one.

Types of Play
Unoccupied play
Independent play
Onlooker play
Parallel play
Associative play
Cooperative play
Competitive play
Constructive play
Dramatic play
Physical play
Symbolic play

Unoccupied Play
The first stage of play is unoccupied play. primarily from birth to three
months. This type of play likely doesn't look like play at all. However,
when babies observe their surroundings or make random movements that
don't seem to have an objective, this is actually unoccupied play. It sets
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j ,11 Different Types of Playy for Growing Children
p p y
the stage for future play exploration.

Parents don't need to do anything special to foster this type of play. Babies
do it instinctively. However, it's important to allow babies to explore, even
if it's just wiggling their hands and feet in the air. Your baby might enjoy
a play mat or activity gym, but these aren't essential.

Solitary (Independent) Play


Solitary play is just what it sounds like—your child playing alone. This
type of play teaches children how to keep themselves entertained, one of
the steps on the path to being self-sufficient. [3] Once your baby can
interact with toys, such as by grasping a rattle, they are starting to move
into the independent play stage.

Toys for independent play can be anything that babies, toddlers, or


preschoolers can play with on their own, such as stuffed animals, blocks,
toy figures, dress-up costumes, musical instruments, play tools, dolls,
push toys, and books.

Any child can play independently, but this type of play is most common in
children between two and three years old. At that age, children are still
pretty self-focused and lack good communication and sharing skills. If a
child is on the shy side and doesn't know their playmates well, they may
prefer this type of play at older ages as well.

Preschoolers and older kids may continue to choose independent play


even after learning to play well with others as it provides unique
opportunities to explore their own interests on their own terms.

Onlooker Play
In onlooker play, a child simply observes other children playing and
doesn't partake in the action. They may watch what you or other adults
are doing as well. Onlooker play is typical for children between two and
three years old and is especially common for younger children whose
b l i d l i [4]
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vocabulary is developing. [4]

Don't dismiss the importance of this type of play. It's a healthy form of
learning and part of your child's play journey. It could be that the child
feels tentative, needs to learn the rules, or just prefers to watch before
joining in play with others. Watching helps kids gain confidence and
prepare for future stages of play.

During onlooker play, by observing and possibly mimicking the play


of others, your child is building their own skills.

Your child may be using their own toys while engaging in onlooker play,
but this type of play is about observing rather than playing alongside
others, which is called parallel play. However, children in onlooker play
may comment on what they're seeing. They are learning about how other
kids play and interact.

Related:
Build Your Child's Vocabulary

Parallel Play
Put two three-year-olds in a room together and you are likely to see them
having fun, playing side by side in their own little worlds. It doesn't mean
that they don't like one another; they are just engaging in parallel play.
This type of play begins around age two and differs from playing together
in that neither child tries to influence the play of the other.

Despite having little overt contact with each other, children in parallel
play learn quite a bit from one another. [5] Even though it appears that
they aren't paying attention to each other, they truly are and often mimic
their playmate's behavior.

Like each of the other stages, this type of play is a bridge to the later
stages of play. Many types of activities, from drawing to playing with toy
cars, can occur during parallel play.

Related:
How to Host a Toddler Play Date
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y

Associative Play
Associative play commonly begins around age three or four. Like parallel
play, it features children playing separately. But in this type of play,
children are involved with what others are doing.

Think of a small group of kids building a city with blocks. As they build
their individual buildings, they talk to one another, but they primarily
work on their own.

This stage of play helps little ones develop a whole host of skills, such as
socialization (what should we build now?), taking turns (can I have the
blue one now?), problem-solving (how can we make this city bigger?),
cooperation, and language development. [6]

Associative play is how many children begin to make real friendships.


Typically, this form of play phases out by age five.

Cooperative Play
Cooperative play is where all the stages come together and children truly
start playing together. Typically starting between four and five years of
age, this is the predominant type of play in groups of kids this age and up,
or in younger preschoolers who have older siblings or have been around a
lot of children.

Cooperative play uses all of the social skills your child has been
working on and puts them into action. [7]

This stage of play can encompass many different types of play activities.
Whether they are building a puzzle together, playing a board game, or
enjoying an outdoor group activity, cooperative play sets the stage for
future interactions as your child matures. However, kids will still return to
the earlier stages of play from time to time as well.

R l t d F P l f
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Related:
Fun Puzzles for Preschoolers

Competitive Play
The stages of play are vital to your child's social development. Once a child
reaches the cooperative play stage, you may see them trying out other
types of play. These also contribute to development of social, thinking,
and physical skills.

When your child is playing Chutes and Ladders or joins a sports team, they
are engaging in competitive play. This helps them learn about rules, turn-
taking, functioning as part of a team, and the realities of winning and
losing.

Competitive play can also help kids develop motional regulation,


sportsmanship, and the ability to cope with defeat.

Constructive Play
Constructive play teaches kids about manipulation, building, and fitting
things together. [8] Examples include building with blocks, Legos, or
magnetic tiles, making a road for toy cars, or constructing a fort out of
couch pillows.

During constructive play, kids use cognitive skills to figure out how to
make something work, whether it is a block tower that won't stand up or a
sandcastle that keeps collapsing. This type of play also teaches the power
of trying again.

Dramatic Play
When your child plays dress-up, school, or restaurant, it's dramatic or
fantasy play. Through this type of play, your child's imagination gets a
workout. Plus they learn how to take turns, cooperate, and share, and they
work on language development.

Role play also helps teach kids about functioning in the greater
it
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community.

Physical Play
Physical play includes activities such as throwing a ball, climbing a play
structure, riding a bike, or playing a game like tag. This type of play builds
gross and fine motor skills. Physical play encourages kids to develop
fitness skills and to enjoy physical activity, which provides lifelong
benefits.

Symbolic Play
This type of play can include vocal activities (singing, jokes, or rhymes),
graphic arts (drawing, coloring, or working with clay), counting, or
making music. Symbolic play helps children learn to express themselves
and explore and process their experiences, ideas, and emotions.

A Word From Verywell


Play is a tremendously important part of child development. While parents
and caregivers should encourage and support opportunities for play,
remember that children need their own time and space to learn these
skills, which will come independently.

Parents don't need to actively teach the lessons kids learn from play. The
beauty is that children discover concepts and skills as they play their
games, all in good fun.

Read Next:
Your Child at Every Age and Stage

8 Sources

By Amanda Rock

Amanda Rock, mom of three, has spent more than a decade of her professional
career writing and editing for parents and children.

See O r Editorial Process


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Common questions

Powered by AI

Parallel play and associative play differ in their levels of social interaction and cognitive engagement. In parallel play, children play side by side without interacting directly, primarily focusing on their activities. This stage allows them to gain comfort with proximity to peers and to develop observational learning skills. Associative play involves more social interaction, where children play independently but share space and ideas with others. This phase enhances communication skills, language development, and the ability to form friendships through shared interests .

Children transition through different stages of play progressively, often experiencing overlaps as they develop. Each stage lays a foundation for the next, starting with solitary and parallel play, which build foundational social awareness and self-guided exploration. As children move to associative and cooperative play, they begin to establish peer relationships, share ideas, and negotiate rules, enhancing their social and linguistic skills. These transitions enhance cognitive development by fostering increasingly complex thought processes, problem-solving abilities, and emotional intelligence, preparing children for more structured social interactions and collaborative tasks as they grow .

Dramatic play offers numerous developmental benefits, including enhancements in creativity, emotional understanding, and language skills. By engaging in role playing scenarios such as dress-up or pretend school, children explore various societal roles, which helps them understand functioning within larger community structures. This type of play encourages empathy and socially responsible behavior as children assume different perspectives and practice emotional responses .

Play is crucial for the development of social skills as it provides a framework for children to learn and practice interacting with others. Associative play and cooperative play are particularly important for developing these skills. Associative play involves children interacting while playing separately, fostering social conversation and turn-taking. Cooperative play, which involves children playing together towards a common goal, requires and solidifies social skills such as teamwork, negotiation, and collaboration .

Physical play significantly contributes to a child's physical fitness and motor skill development by enhancing both gross and fine motor skills. Activities like climbing, ball games, and bike riding not only improve coordination and balance but also instill a lifelong appreciation for physical fitness. Engaging in such play activities supports muscle development, cardiovascular health, and cognitive functions related to strategic movement and planning .

Competitive play aids a child's emotional regulation by teaching them about managing emotions in the context of winning and losing. Through games like sports or board games, children experience the natural highs and lows of competition, learning to cope with both victory and defeat. This helps build resilience as they come to understand that not all challenges result in success and that failure is a part of life that can be overcome with practice and perseverance .

Solitary play fosters self-sufficiency by teaching children to entertain themselves without relying on others, thus building independence. It is most common in children between the ages of two and three, as they are still developing social skills and often find comfort in engaging with their toys and environment on their own terms .

Unoccupied play, typically observed from birth to three months, is significant because it lays the foundational groundwork for future play. Although it might seem like random movements, this phase involves infants observing their surroundings and making voluntary movements. These early activities foster basic sensory-motor skills and set the stage for more complex play interactions as the child's developmental frameworks start to form .

Symbolic play plays a significant role in cognitive and emotional development. It helps children express themselves and process emotions, experiences, and ideas. It involves activities such as singing, drawing, or creating music, which enable children to explore their thoughts and feelings creatively. As they engage in symbolic play, children also develop an understanding of symbols and abstract concepts, which are crucial for later academic learning .

Constructive play is essential for problem-solving skills as it involves tasks where children manipulate or assemble objects, requiring them to navigate challenges and think critically to achieve a desired outcome. Activities like building with blocks, creating with Legos, or assembling puzzles encourage children to experiment with solutions, refine their approaches, and persist until the tasks are completed successfully .

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