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Side-by-Side in the Sandbox
The Importance of Parallel Play in Toddlers
By Renee Roberson
To the parents of a toddler, playgroups and activity classes may sometimes seem fruitless when the children show little interest in each other and engage in parallel play – playing beside each other instead of interacting – instead. But don't be too quick to dismiss the importance of interaction with other children your child's age, because early education experts believe that parallel play, a term coined by child psychologist Mildred Parten in 1932, is an integral part of a child's development.
"The togetherness of playing beside each other is what draws children together," says Alice Sterling Honig, professor emerita of child development at Syracuse University. "If two young children are playing beside each other in a sandbox, they may seem like they aren't paying attention to each other. But if one gets up and leaves, the other one will be upset that their playmate has left."
- Unoccupied – Not engaged in any type of play.
- Solitary (Independent) – Children play separately from others, with no interest in what other children around them are doing.
- Onlooker – Watching others play without engaging. Conversation about the play may be involved at this stage without actually joining in on the activity.
- Parallel – Playing with similar objects, beside or next to other children.
- Associative – Playing with others without organization of activity. Initiating or responding to interaction with peers.
