what is parallel play

Parallel play is a form of play in which children play adjacent to each other, but do not try to influence one anothers behavior; it typically begins around 24–30 months. It is one of Partens stages of play, following onlooker play and preceding interactive play. In education, parallel play also describes activities where students are divided into pairs or small groups and work on the same activity simultaneously. This gives all students equal opportunity for active involvement and reduces exposure – since all students are playing, none are watching. Children can observe one another and learn to use new skills from playing alongside others. Eventually, it will lead to social development where the child will form relationships with others during play. Parallel play can be useful in encouraging expression of a childs feelings through their own individualized play. The child will increasingly learn to share and become aware of others feelings. Parallel play is also an opportunity to build social skills by observing a peer, using new words and building on language development, seeing new vocabulary in action, exploring different scenarios, exploring social behavior, even at a young age.