Question

Types of play and social development?

Answer 1

1) Different types of play and social development during early childhood are :-

• Unoccupied play : birth to 3 months of age.
• Solitary play : birth to 2 years of age.
• Onlooker or spectator stage : at 2 years of age.
• Parallel play : 2 to 3 years of age.
• Associate play : 3 to 4 years of age.
• Cooperative play : 4 years and above.

2) The four categories of play from least social to most social are :-

• Solitary play : This is the least social type of play. In this stage child plays alone and are not interested in playing with others. Child does not notice other children while playing alone.
• Parallel play : In this stage, child plays near others but still he does not play with them. The awareness of the child towards other people just begin to appear.
• Associate play : In this stage, child begins to show some interaction with others but it is not large enough.
• Cooperative play : This is the most social type of play. In this stage, the child shows large amount of interaction with others. Child plays together with others.

​​​​​​​3) At ages 4 to 5 yrs, Cooperative play appears in the child.

Skills needed to participate are awareness of the child towards other children, interest in playing with others, friendship skills, communication with others, compromise skills, awareness of rules and other social skills.