What is the term for a type of play where children play side by side without interacting?

Parallel play is characterized by children playing adjacent to each other while engaging in their activities independently, without direct interaction. This form of play typically occurs in early childhood development, where children might share the same space and similar toys but do not collaborate or communicate with one another.

It is important for developmental stages; parallel play allows children to explore their environments, observe peers, and develop social skills at their own pace before moving into more interactive forms of play, such as associative or cooperative play. This independence helps foster individual creativity and comfort within a social setting, setting the groundwork for later stages of social interaction.