In this stage, children are not really engaging in a social exchange. For example, two children may drive cars on the carpet next to each other, but their play does not actually overlap. This occurs when children play next to each other, but are not really interacting together. They learn about the social rules of play and relationships, they explore different ways of playing or using materials and they learn about the world in general. Just as adults “people watch” at the coffee shop, children learn a lot by watching others. Sometimes it’s easy to think children engaged in onlooker play might be lonely or scared to engage with other children, when in fact it is a very normal part of play development. The active part of their play is watching others. Children who sit back and engagingly watch other children playing, but do not join in are onlookers. When children engage in solitary play, they are able to explore freely, master new personal skills like new motor or cognitive skills, and prepare themselves to play with others. Adults might worry about children playing alone, but actually solitary play is very normal. Children in solitary play may not notice or acknowledge other children. This type of play occurs when children entertain themselves without any other social involvement. This stage allows children to practice manipulating materials, mastering their self-control and learning about how the world works. Unoccupied play looks like babies or young children exploring materials around them without any sort of organization. This type of play builds the foundation for the other five stages of play. Children are relatively still and their play appears scattered. It’s important to note that each child develops at his or her own pace, so children of the same age may not show exactly the same types of play. Researcher Mildred Parten identified these six stages of play that children progress through. Through play, children learn where they fit in in the world. Maybe most importantly, they learn about themselves – they get to know their personalities including their likes and dislikes, strengths and interests. They learn social skills like effective communication, conflict resolution, problem solving and cooperation. Through play, children learn academic skills like math, science, reading, language and literacy. While play is often seen as something frivolous that children do to pass the time, play is an incredibly important part of a child’s healthy development.
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