>> Female Narrator: Between the ages of two and five, children's social interactions
become increasingly reciprocal and coordinated, which is reflected in their play.
Children's play can be divided into four categories, ranging from least to most socially
complex. Non-social activity, parallel play, associative play, and cooperative play.
>> Male Narrator: Non-social activity includes both solitary play and onlooker behavior
in which a child plays alone, or simply watches another child play without participating.
Parallel play is not interactive. Children play side-by-side in close proximity to each
other but are focused on their own, rather than the others', activities. In associative play,
children will share materials, and they may even organize their play around a common
theme, such as cooking in the kitchen. But there is no coordinated purpose or goal.
Cooperative play, by contrast, is goal-focused. It is organized group activity, both
interactive and reciprocal. Children plan and assigned roles, and work together to
achieve a common purpose. [ Children playing ]
>> Teacher: Altogether right. Ready right?
>> Female Narrator: Around the age of four or five, there is a developmental shift in the
type of play in which children engage. Four and five-year-olds begin to demonstrate
constructive play, drawing pictures or working on puzzles in pairs or groups.
Purposefully creating and constructing something together. In dramatic play, children
experiment with new roles and possible situations. Acting out both everyday and
imaginary roles. This type of play involves advances in cognition, perspective-taking,
and communication skills. [ Children playing ]
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