parallel play

Parallel play is a form of play in which children engage in recreational activities adjacent to each other, without trying to influence one another's behavior. It typically begins around 24–30 months, and tapers off within childhood. It is one of Parten's stages of play, following onlooker play and preceding associative play. An observer will notice that the children occasionally see what the others are doing and then modify their play accordingly. The older the children are, the less frequently they engage in this type of play. However, even older preschool children engage in parallel play, an enduring and frequent activity over the preschool years. The image of parallel play is two children playing side by side in a sandbox, each absorbed in their own game, not interacting with the other. "This is considered an early stage in child development, characterized by egocentric behavior and the inability to decenter and coordinate with the activities of a 'playmate'". 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. This stage ends when a child develops the ability to engage in interactive play behavior and symbolic communication.…

Parallel play is a form of play in which children engage in recreational activities adjacent to each other, without trying to influence one another's behavior. It typically begins around 24–30 months, and tapers off within childhood. It is one of Parten's stages of play, following onlooker play and preceding associative play. An observer will notice that the children occasionally see what the others are doing and then modify their play accordingly. The older the children are, the less frequently they engage in this type of play. However, even older preschool children engage in parallel play, an enduring and frequent activity over the preschool years. The image of parallel play is two children playing side by side in a sandbox, each absorbed in their own game, not interacting with the other. "This is considered an early stage in child development, characterized by egocentric behavior and the inability to decenter and coordinate with the activities of a 'playmate'". 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. This stage ends when a child develops the ability to engage in interactive play behavior and symbolic communication. Parallel play in adults is under-researched; RMIT University psychology lecturer Dr James Collett has suggested this may be because of cultural stereotypes that adults should be autonomous and self-sufficient, and because 'spending time together' in adult social and romantic relationships is idealised narrowly in terms of mutual attention and interaction. Independent coworking, also called body doubling, is the work equivalent of parallel play. For adults, parallel play can also be a peaceful and low-pressure way to socialise; between family members and romantic partners it can indicate a healthy form of attachment. Autistic people often engage in parallel play into adulthood, with other autistic people, caregivers and others. Relatedly, body doubling has been popularised as an adaptive productivity strategy for people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373835632 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.