Types of play

** Need short body of text – no more than 100 words – about PV’s beliefs on the importance of play/values and beliefs about certain types of play… an example: Play builds your child’s creativity and imagination as well as other skills. Does all play look the same to you? Sociologist Mildred Parten describes six types of play that a child will take part in, depending on their age, mood, and social setting…. (this text has been pulled from another source as an example only and needs to be rewritten by PV)

Unoccupied

**need to rewrite into to reflect our own beliefs… Here, your baby or toddler creatively moves their body with no purpose other than it feels good and interesting. It’s the most basic type of play: Your child is completely free to think, move, and imagine. The entire world is new, so when you’re thinking about playtime, don’t worry about organizing anything.

Independent or solitary

**need to rewrite into to reflect our own beliefs… This is when your child plays alone, with little to no reference to what other kids or adults are doing

Onlooker

**need to rewrite into to reflect our own beliefs… This is when your child observes the play of other children, while not actually playing themselves. So much of this play stage is inactive, but it’s still significant. The ability to play with other kids is crucial to getting along in school and beyond. This is your baby’s first stop in learning how.

Parallel

**need to rewrite into to reflect our own beliefs… Though they may use the same toys, your child plays beside, rather than with, other children. Remember, learning to play is learning how to relate to others. In that sense, parallel play is that final stage before your child connects with another.

Associative

**need to rewrite into to reflect our own beliefs… Here, your child plays with other children, but the kids do not organize their play toward a common goal.

Cooperative

**need to rewrite into to reflect our own beliefs… Here you can see the beginning of teamwork. Your kid plays with others for a common purpose. In terms of play goals, this is the final developmental stage, because it’s the same basic principle whether you’re doing a school project, putting on a play, or playing a sport. A child you can engage in cooperative play can handle a classroom. Interacting, socializing, and communicating sets the stage for social success throughout life.