The next stage was parallel play in which children copy one another or play with the same toy but without necessarily playing together.
Older children in this same age group tended to exhibit associative play in which they interacted actively with other children and cooperative play in which they collaborated in games or in taking on roles with respect to others in the group.
Dramatic Play and Characteristic Gender-Based Differences in Play
Dramatic play provides children with the opportunity to experiment with various identities with which they are familiar and to develop valuable social skills by practicing social interactions and roles. Some of the most important elements of dramatic play involve practicing the behavioral roles and norms associated with gender differences. Typically, boys play actively, physically, and with gross...
Boys are also more likely to pursue competitive games whereas girls are more frequently involved in collaborative activities that emphasize mutual cooperation.
During play, children begin to emulate the behavioral roles generally associated with gender differences in adults and they practice fulfilling the responsibilities of adult men and women (or mommies and daddies). Already during this stage of social development, the two genders tend to exhibit characteristic differences such as a preference for quiet group activities that emphasize communication about people among girls, and a preference for physically robust, one-on-one games and conversations and activities that emphasize things of common interest among boys.
