“Play is the work of the child” – you may be familiar with this famous quote by child psychologist Jean Piaget. From Montessori classrooms to parenting blogs, we commonly use it to reiterate how essential play is for young children.
In the 1900s, another childhood development researcher, Mildred Parten proposed that just like work, there are different levels and types of play too. She observed that children engage in six types of play depending on their age, skills, and interests.
Today, learning experts have taken her work further and divided play into 11 different types. Read on to find out where your child may be at and how you can help them grow through play!
The 11 types of play in Children
Play evolves as your child grows, with each form of play offering unique opportunities for learning and growth. Let’s explore the 11 types of play in children and discover how they shape your child’s development.
1. Unoccupied Play (Birth To 3 Months)
What is it: Unoccupied play is the earliest form of play. This type of play typically happens from the time a child is born until they are about three months old. You may not even clock it as ‘play’ as unoccupied play is mostly about babies looking at everything, taking in the world, and moving their arms and legs with no major purpose.
What do children like to play with: At this stage, your baby does not need too many toys to play with. A play gym or a couple of cute rattles will go a long way in sparking their curiosity and keeping them happily engaged.
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2. Independent Play (3 Months To 2 Years)
What is it: Independent play, also known as solitary play is a form of play that promotes self-awareness. In this type of play, your child plays by themselves. Between one to three, children develop awareness of themselves and enjoy exploring it through play. They are also just beginning to talk and communicate, so engaging with others will be a challenge at this stage.
However, children of all ages can play independently every now and then. If your child is a little shy or enjoys quiet play, this might even be what they prefer, and that’s completely alright!
What do children like to play with: For infants, baby teething toys and crinkle toys are ideal for stimulating their senses while offering comfort during teething. For toddlers who are learning to play with toys, soothing rattles, sensory toys and stackers are great choices. For preschoolers, you could try out soft toys and lacing toys.
3. Onlooker play (2 To 3 Years)
What is it: When we think of playing, we think of a child doing something active. But one of the most powerful types of play for toddlers is onlooker play. Onlooker play is a unique form of play where observation skills are involved. In this type of play, children simply observe their siblings, peers, or parents as they play or go about doing other activities. This helps them learn about social cues, get comfortable before inserting themselves in unfamiliar spaces, and teaches them how to do new things.
What do children like to play with: Although onlooker play is more about observation, children may occasionally want to try recreating what they see. Kids return gifts, such as small puzzles, art kits, or toy vehicles, can also encourage them to transition from watching to trying things out on their own.
4. Parallel Play (2.5 To 4 years)
What is it: Watching parallel play at first can feel confusing – it’s two children sitting side by side, each completely immersed in their own little worlds! But fear not, this is one of the foundational play types where children learn to play beside each other before they can start playing with each other. This type of play builds confidence and communication skills.
What do children like to play with: Pretend play toys, arts and crafts activities for kids, and DIY sets are parallel play favourites. Some basic stationery also goes a long way in having fun at this stage!
5. Associative Play (3 To 4.5 Years)
What is it: At around three or four years, you will notice something fascinating happen when kids of the same age get together. They won’t be playing with each other but will be involved in each other’s play. This type of play is called associative play. It is an engaging form of play for collaborative learning.
Here, kids may use the same set of blocks to make their own structures or may decide on a common theme and draw their interpretations of it. This hones several skills such as communication, active listening, and problem-solving.
What do children like to play with: Unlike independent play or even pretend play, children who are engaged in associative play typically play in the ‘same world’. Games here could involve blocks, DIY building sets, skipping ropes, and pretend play toys.
6. Cooperative Play (4 Years And Up)
What is it: At four or five years, your child will start to make use of those social skills they've been honing and play with others. This type of play is called cooperative play and helps further their communication skills and emotional intelligence. It is one of the most advanced play types where children work towards shared goals.
What do children like to play with: The best part of cooperative play is that the real enjoyment isn’t in a game or toy, it's all about the company! Depending on your child’s interests, they may want to work on puzzles with a friend, play board games with siblings, or go on swings and slides in the playground.
7. Constructive Play (3 Years And Up)
What is it: At this stage, your child will enjoy building things. Here, they learn to manipulate different objects and the simple science behind making things work. As you can tell, this type of play also falls under many others like parallel play, independent play, and associative play.
What do children like to play with: Blocks, arches, magnetic toys, and doll-houses are all excellent at this stage. For constructive play, your child may also love building sand castles or playing DIY at-home games! Home-school toys that focus on skills like math, reading, or science can further enhance their learning while keeping the play fun and interactive.
8. Competitive Play
What is it: Once your child has learnt cooperative play, competing through play isn’t far behind! This type of play is a crucial stage in your child’s journey as while playing against someone, they learn sportsmanship, taking turns, teamwork, and how to win and lose gracefully.
What do children like to play with: From team sports to obstacle courses to board games, there are endless ways to engage in competitive play. Your child will certainly come up with tons of ideas to ‘see who wins’ at simple things – all part of the fun!
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9. Physical Play (3 Years And Up)
What is it: Once they are toddlers, most kids begin to run around and explore their world. Among all types of play in children, this type of play hones fine and gross motor skills that your child will need to move confidently, hold a pencil, and eat on their own.
What do children like to play with: Montessori toys like Pikler or activities like riding a bike will be instant hits with children who enjoy physical play. A balance board, skipping rope, or even playing tag might be equally exciting!
10. Dramatic Play (3 To 7 Years)
What is it: Dramatic play, better known as fantasy or pretend play, begins at about three or four years and is about the make-believe. This type of play is a great way to exercise the imagination, makes way for creative thinking, improves social skills, betters vocabulary, and hones emotional intelligence.
What do children like to play with: Every child’s toy box needs a few great pretend play sets! But kids could have just as much fun playing dress up with mom’s dupattas, stealing a few ingredients from the kitchen to make their own dishes, or re-enacting their favourite children’s show episodes!
11. Symbolic Play (2 Years And Up)
What is it: Symbolic play is all about self-expression! Be it through rhymes, making music, or creating art, at this stage, your child’s play world will be all about exploring their thoughts and feelings in creative ways. This type of play helps them build a sense of self, understand their emotions better, and feel confident in their ability to express their needs and desires.
What do children like to play with: Musical instruments, drawing boards, colouring books, or playdough are great ideas for symbolic play. Kids looking to express themselves will find a way with very little – a piece of paper and a crayon, making music with pots and pans, or squishing atta are all excellent at-home alternatives.
A Note On Different Types of Play in Children
Now that you are familiar with each play stage, it’s time to help your child lean into where they are! Don’t forget that these stages don’t necessarily occur one after the other. They may happen in any order, or even together. In fact, your child may return to previous stages at a later point too.
All of this is completely alright. Trust your child to know exactly what they need, and join in the fun as they play, learn, and grow! Each child’s journey is unique.
If you want to support your child's play and development, explore our carefully curated selection of toys for kids designed to enhance each play stage. Join in on the fun and help nurture your child's growth!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is play important to children
Play is essential for children's development, as it helps them build motor skills, cognitive abilities, and social-emotional intelligence. Through play, children learn problem-solving, creativity, and how to interact with others.
Who identified 6 types of play
Mildred Parten, a childhood development researcher, identified 6 types of play in children in the 1900s, outlining how children's play evolves based on age, social skills, and interests.
What are examples of unoccupied play activities?
Unoccupied play includes activities where children are simply observing or exploring their environment, such as watching others play or moving around without a particular focus, like waving their hands or examining an object.
What is the difference between parallel play and solitary play?
In solitary play, a child plays alone, focused on their own activity, while in parallel play, children play side by side but don't interact directly with each other, often using similar toys.
What are Piaget's stages of play?
Jean Piaget identified stages of play that are linked to cognitive development, including sensorimotor play (learning through senses), symbolic play (imaginative play), and games with rules (cooperative play involving shared rules). Each stage reflects a child's growing ability to think and interact with the world around them.