Parallel (play) Intersections

Parallel play is a vital stage of toddler development. Emerging between two an three years, parallel play involves toddlers “playing alone, together.” When two children sit at the same table and build their own block towers, that’s parallel play. Children learn a lot from parallel play. While they aren’t directly communicating, they are stealing glances at the work of others. These glances help young children develop ideas for their own play. Eventually, children will develop enough and move towards combined and cooperative play. Parents can help encourage this development by playing board games with their children, because many games designed for young children sit at a nexus of parallel and combined play.

Most children’s games have little to no player interaction. The classic Candy Land is often derided because it’s so basic. Draw a card, move to the color shown on the card. It’s a mechanic also common in more modern kids’ games like Hoot Owl Hoot. Other games like Pete the Cat: Groovy Buttons Game replace colors with counting but are equally as basic. Players do not need to play together to play these games. For all intents and purposes, draw-and-move or roll-and-move board games are basically parallel play.

However, unlike parallel play, these games enforce a physical limit on the play area. A child parallel playing with cars or blocks may take their toys and move to a different area of the room or table while still observing the others. Board games are similar to play kitchens; they force the children to stay at the location in order to stay in the game. This is a simple and important first step towards combined play. Children playing board games, even parallel playing, learn to be aware of others’ space and pieces on the board. Children might not be truly playing together, but they are more together than in traditional parallel play.

Parents of only children or children with large age gaps might be concerned over their child’s social development. They might worry that the child is not getting enough social time at home. A board game can be one activity that helps build the social skills. Children feel comfortable playing with their parents, and they get to practice the social skills they’re developing at kindergarten and preschool.