The Strategic Use of Parallel Play: A Sequential Analysis

BAKEMAN, ROGER, and BROWNLEE, JOHN R. The Strategic Use of Parallel Play: A Sequential Analysis. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1980, 51, 873-878. Parallel play is often viewed as characteristic of a developmental stage through which children pass as they develop from solitary to social players. Here we examine parallel play, not as the hallmark of a given age but as it occurs sequentially in the stream of children's play behavior. 41 children, ranging from 32 to 42 months, were observed during indoor free play, videotapes were encoded using a Partenlike scheme (Unoccupied, Solitary, Together, Parallel, and Group), and the data were examined using sequential analysis. Transitions into Group play (Parten's Associative and Cooperative) from Parallel play were observed at greater than chance levels, and each of the children was observed to make this transition at least twice. We conclude that the movement from Parallel play to Group play may be more a matter of minutes than months, and that for the 32-42month-old children observed here Parallel play often functions in the stream of activities as a bridge to Group play.