Play is how children explore the world, learn new skills, and build relationships. The stages of play provide a clear developmental path that reflects a child’s social and emotional growth. Sociologist Mildred Parten identified six key stages of play in early childhood, each one offering unique benefits and milestones in child development.

Whether you’re a parent watching your toddler play alone or a teacher noticing how children begin to collaborate, understanding these developmental stages of play can offer helpful insight into where a child is developmentally and how to support them as they grow.

Unoccupied Play (Birth to 3 Months)

At this stage, babies aren’t actively “playing” in the traditional sense. Instead, they’re discovering how their bodies move and how the world responds. This might look like random arm or leg movements, staring at their surroundings, or tracking a sound. These early actions lay the foundation for future development through play and exploration.

Solitary Play (Around 0–2 Years)

Solitary play happens when a child plays alone, completely focused on their own activity. This stage is essential for developing independence, attention span, and creativity. You might see a toddler stacking blocks, flipping through a book, or making up a game without any need for interaction with others. This is a key stage of play where children learn to enjoy their own company and build confidence.

Onlooker Play (Around 2 Years)

Children at this stage are interested in what others are doing, but they’re not quite ready to join in. They might watch other kids build with blocks or run around a playground, quietly observing and taking it all in. While it may seem passive, onlooker play is full of learning. Kids are gathering social cues, studying behaviors, and beginning to understand the rules of play. This stage of play supports growing social awareness.

Parallel Play (Around 2–3 Years)

In parallel play, children play side-by-side with similar toys or materials but don’t directly interact. Each child may be engaged in their own activity, but they’re aware of one another and often mirror each other’s actions. This developmental stage of play serves as a stepping stone from independent play to more social interaction.

Associative Play (Around 3–4 Years)

Now, play becomes more interactive. Children begin to talk to one another and share toys, even though their play isn’t yet fully organized or working toward a common goal. They might be playing with the same set of blocks and talking about what they’re doing, but not building something together. Associative play helps develop communication skills, cooperation, and social confidence, which are key elements in child development through play.

Cooperative Play (Around 4+ Years)

This is when true group play emerges. Children start playing together with shared goals, taking on roles, creating rules, and collaborating on outcomes. Whether they’re building a fort, putting on a pretend show, or playing a structured game, they’re learning teamwork, problem-solving, and how to navigate group dynamics. This stage of play is often seen in preschool or kindergarten settings and reflects important social-emotional milestones.

Each stage of play builds on the one before it. Children don’t skip steps, and they may move back and forth between stages depending on the situation, their comfort level, or who they’re with. Recognizing these stages of play in child development can help parents and educators create supportive play environments that meet kids where they are.

By offering the right types of materials and open-ended opportunities for play, we can help children grow socially, emotionally, and cognitively while having fun.

Ginsburg, K. R. (2007). The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182–191. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-2697
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Play and Children’s Learning. Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/play
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Promoting Healthy Development. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/index.html