Play is a child’s work. Every time a child plays, they are busy learning. Often, at our Forty Carrots Partners in Play® groups, caregivers ask how they can help their child with development. The answer is; by simply attending one of our Parenting Education groups, they are helping with their development! Research shows that 80 percent of brain development occurs by age two. Play stimulates the brain through the formation of connections between nerve cells. This process helps with the development of fine and gross motor skills, develops language and socialization skills and helps children learn to communicate emotions, use critical thinking, engage their creativity and problem solve.

As children grow and change, as does their play. Although all types of play can occur at any age, there are specific types of play associated with certain age groups. Since play is how children interact and explore their world, different types of play are necessary in order to fully engage a child’s social, physical, and intellectual development. Here are the six different types of play by age: 

Types of Play

• Unoccupied play: In the early months of infancy, from birth to about three months, your child is busy in unoccupied play. Children seem to be making random movements with no clear purpose, but this is the initial form of playing.
• Solitary play: From three to 18 months, babies will spend much of their time playing on their own. During solitary play, children are very busy with play and they may not seem to notice other children sitting or playing nearby. 
• Parallel play: From the age of 18 months to two years, children begin to play alongside other children without any interaction. Parallel play provides your toddler with opportunities for role-playing such as dressing up and pretending. It also helps children gain the understanding of the idea of property right such as “mine.” They begin to show their desire to be with other children their own age. 
• Associative play: When your child is around three to four years of age, they become more interested in other children than the toys. Your child has started to socialize with other children. Associative play helps your preschooler learn the do’s and don’ts of getting along with others. Associative play teaches the art of sharing, encourages language development, problem-solving skills and cooperation. They do not set rules, although they all want to be playing with the same types of toys and may even trade toys. There is no formal organization.
• Social play: Children around the age of three are beginning to socialize with other children. By interacting with other children in play settings, your child learns social rules such as give and take and cooperation. Children will begin to share toys and ideas. They are beginning to learn to use moral reasoning to develop a sense of values. 
• Cooperative play: Cooperative play begins in the late preschool period. The play is organized by group goals. There is at least one leader, and children are in or out of the group. When children move from a self-centered world to an understanding of the importance of social contracts and rules, they begin to play games with rules. Part of this development occurs when they learn games such as Follow the Leader, Simon Says, and team sports. Games with rules teach children the concept that life has rules that everyone is expected to follow.

With all the benefits of play, remember that the most important thing about it is the bond it creates between you and your child. Try to spend a little time each day delighting in your child’s play and appreciating the uniqueness of who they are. Playing with your child can also be a stress reliever for you; laughing, playing and relaxing are an important factor for your own emotional well-being.