What It Means
Cooperative play is play in which children coordinate what they're doing and work toward one shared goal, often with each child taking a role: one builds, one fetches, one is the dragon. It's the last of the six stages of social play described by the researcher Mildred Parten, after parallel play (playing side by side) and associative play (playing with others, but without a shared plan). Children usually start to show it from about age 4, and it keeps growing through the preschool years.
Try It: Spot Parallel, Associative or Cooperative Play
Read each scene and pick the kind of play. The scenes are examples.
Right. Near each other, each with their own play.
Not quite. They play near each other but not together, which is parallel play.
Right. They interact, but nobody is organizing a shared plan.
Not quite. They talk and trade, with no shared goal, which is associative play.
Right. Shared goal, different roles: cooperative play.
Not quite. One plan and a role for each child makes it cooperative play.
How Parents Say It
- "They spent an hour building a fort together."
- "She's finally playing with the other kids, not just next to them."
- "They made up a whole game with rules."
The Breakdown
Where cooperative play fits, from Parten's stages
| Stage | What it looks like | Usually described from |
|---|---|---|
| Parallel play | Playing separately but near others, sometimes copying them | About 2 years |
| Associative play | Playing with others and interacting, without an organized plan | About 3 to 4 years |
| Cooperative play | Coordinating with others toward a shared goal, with roles | About 4 years |
The ages come from how the stages are summarized in research on Parten's work, and they overlap: a 5-year-old still plays alone or side by side some of the time. CDC's milestone checklistDevelopmental milestonesSkills most children can do by a certain age, like rolling over or waving bye-bye. CDC places each at the age 75% or more of children reach it. See more for 5 years includes taking turns, or sticking to the rules, in games with other children.
What it can look like at home. Building one tower together, playing store with a cashier and a shopper, acting out a storyUser storyA short description of something a product should do, written from the point of view of the person who needs it, often in the form "As a, I want, so that." See more where each child has a part, or a simple board game played through to the end.
When to talk to the doctor. If your child rarely plays with other children by the preschool years, or you have any concern about how they get along with others, bring the CDC checklist for their age to the next checkup and ask.
Where It Comes From
Mildred Parten described the stages of social play after watching young children at the nursery school of the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Welfare. Her six categories run from unoccupied and solitary play, through onlooker, parallel and associative play, to cooperative play.
Good to Know
Cooperative play takes skills that are still new at 4 and 5: waiting, sharing, agreeing on a plan and handling the moment when someone else's idea wins. Short playdates with one or two friends, and simple turn-taking games at home, give children a chance to practice. Children develop at different speeds, so a child who prefers one friend or a quieter game isn't a cause for worry on its own.
FAQ
What's the difference between associative and cooperative play?
In associative play children interact, talk and share toys, but nobody organizes a shared plan. In cooperative play they coordinate toward one goal, often with each child taking a role.
At what age does cooperative play start?
Summaries of Parten's stages usually place it from about age 4. CDC lists taking turns in games with other children among the milestones most children reach by 5.
What are examples of cooperative play?
Building one fort or tower together, a pretend store with a shopper and a cashier, acting out a story with parts, or playing a board game by its rules.
Do It in Buhata
Calendar
Put playdates with your child's friends on the Calendar in your Household Space in Buhata so every adult at home knows who's coming and when.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Pretend play
Play in which a child acts out something that isn't real, like feeding a doll, using a block as a phone, or being a superhero.
- Social-emotional development
How a child learns to understand their own feelings, read other people's, and build relationships, from early smiles to taking turns in games.
- Friendship skills
The abilities that help a child make and keep friends, such as sharing, taking turns, joining in, handling disagreements and caring how a friend feels.
Sources
"Development of a Social Play Evaluation Tool for Preschool Children" (PubMed Central); CDC, "Milestones by 5 Years"
Last updated .