What Is Associative Play?

Associative play is a social play that involves two or more people engaging in parallel or quasi-parallel activities that share a theme, props, and/or language but require minimal joint attention. It commonly occurs in children aged two to three years old.

Here are some characteristics of associative play:

- It involves at least two children playing alongside each other.

- The children may share a common theme, props, or language, but they do not need to be directly interacting with each other.

- The children's activities may be similar, but they do not need to be perfectly synchronized.

- Associative play provides opportunities for children to learn how to interact with peers, share ideas, and negotiate roles.

- It also helps children develop their language skills and imagination.

What Is Solitary Play? What Is Solitary Play?