02/17/2026
You are probably familiar with the term parallel play, but did you know that a child playing alongside another is part of a sequence of development? And that sometimes parallel play stalls?
Parallel play occurs when children play in groups, in preschool classrooms, day care centers, playdates, or in small groups, including alongside siblings. Playmates that play beside one another may be using the same toys or playthings or they may be using different toys.
It’s 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.
Parallel play is a process in social emotional learning and social emotional development, and includes practice in the social development that might not happen in stages of play prior to parallel play (unoccupied play, solitary play, and onlooker play).
Because parallel play requires proximity to other children, it’s a great way to practice the skills needed for play stages after parallel play as well, leading to a healthy development of social awareness.
There are six stages of play in early childhood including:
🧸Unoccupied play
🤸♀️Solitary play
🪀Onlooker play
🧩Parallel play
🛒Associative play
🏸Cooperative play
Read here for more information on this stage of play development, and how to support the child in this stage: https://www.theottoolbox.com/support-social-skills-through-parallel-play/
