At Seattle Learning Center we recognize and understand that children can participate in all kinds of play. When observing children and how they play it is important to know what types of play children engage in so we can create activities and an environment that is developmentally appropriate. Understanding types of play can also help parents and educators have a deeper understanding of a child’s social and emotional development. It can answer questions about a child’s behavior and even help ease some worries we may have, as parents, about our children in social settings.

Independent play

Independent play is just as it sounds, when a child plays independently or alone. This type of play is important because it can help with a child’s attention span, how to successfully keep oneself entertained, encourages creativity and imagination, and how to be a self-initiator. This is a type of play we see most often in younger children, partly because they have not yet developed the skills for more advanced types of play.

Sometimes it can feel challenging as a parent to encourage independent play. Here is a great article from Parents that gives guidance for teaching your child how to play independently.

Parallel play

Parallel play is when children sit next to each other and are playing side by side. This is a type of play that can often look as though children are playing together, but they actually are not. Often times children are in their own world during this type of play but this play is an important building block in play development. This not only builds creativity and imagination but also exposes children to new words and teaches them social skills. There may be opportunities for some problem solving if a friend is in their space or maybe they are interested in a toy a friend has which presents an opportunity to learn sharing and turn taking. Here is an article about the benefits of parallel play.

Collaborative play

When children are learning and making their way through different stages of play, collaborative play is what they are working towards. Collaborative play is when children are working together through sharing, taking turns, cooperation, and sharing ideas. This is where you will see children building and creating with one another, using their imaginations for pretend games, or problem solving together with toys like puzzles. This is the type of play that will teach children important skills to carry into adulthood. Problem solving, teamwork, listening skills, setting boundaries, and empathy are just a few skills that children will get to practice during collaborative play. Collaborative play is an important milestone in child development. Read about ways to introduce collaborative play here.

Play is necessary for children to gain skills to become life-long learners, problem solvers, self-initiators, and creators, to name just a few. Being able to have long stretches of uninterrupted play will allow children to practice important social and emotional skills as well as gross and fine motor skills. Understanding the different stages of play will help parents and educators to set the stage for significant growth in all of these areas.

“Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.” O. Fred Donaldson