Conklin, A. (2021, December 14). Parallel play and the six stages of play development.  https://study.com/learn/lesson/parallel-play.html

Eyc, K. (2016, April 1). The importance of parallel play on speech development. https://www.earlyyearscareers.com/eyc/learning-and-development/importance-parallel-play-speech-development/

Prager, S. (2021, July 8). Why parallel play is important for your toddler’s development. https://www.newfolks.com/inspiration/parallel-play-toddlers/ 

References for "Benefits of parallel play"

Elbeltagi, R., Al-Beltagi, M., Saeed, N. K., & Alhawamdeh, R. (2023). Play therapy in children with autism: Its role, implications, and limitations. World journal of clinical pediatrics, 12(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.5409/wjcp.v12.i1.1

Reference for "Parallel play and the autistic community"

* References for "Benefits of parallel play"
* References for "Parallel play and the autistic community"

Grinnell College

* What is parallel play?
* Benefits of parallel play
* Parallel play and the autistic community
* References

Parallel Play

Parallel play is a form of play where children learn to play alongside each other without direct interaction. Communication is uncommon in parallel play; instead, socialization and familiarity is created by sharing space.

What is Parallel Play?

By engaging in parallel play, children learn to socialize and cooperate with peers without conflict. It also aids in a child's emotional development and their ability to express their needs to others.

Benefits of parallel play

Parallel Play: References

For those in the autistic community, play tends to be impaired, with autistic individuals primarily engaging in solitary play and/or atypical play behaviors. Additionally, autistic individuals may hyperfocus on certain activities or heavily adhere to a game's rules, causing conflict with neurotypical peers due to a lack of shared understanding. Play therapy is often used to help autistic individuals, with emphasis being put on parallel play in order to build social skills without infringing upon the individual's fun from play activities.

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