What type of play involves children playing side by side but not in collaboration?

Parallel play is characterized by children engaging in similar activities alongside one another without direct interaction or collaboration. This type of play typically occurs in preschool-aged children, where they may engage in similar games or activities but do so independently. For example, two children might be playing with blocks next to each other, building their own structures without influencing each other's designs or tasks.

In contrast to parallel play, associative play involves children playing together while sharing materials and interacting more, but they are still not fully collaborating on a common goal. Cooperative play involves children working together towards a shared objective, fostering teamwork, and joint problem-solving, which is distinct from the nature of parallel play. Solitary play, on the other hand, refers to children playing alone, without any interaction with others, reflecting a completely independent play style. Thus, parallel play specifically describes the scenario where children are engaged in side-by-side activities without direct collaboration.