Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
4-25-2025
Keywords
activity, ages 2 to 4.5, associative play, children, cooperative play, early childhood, group types, Mildred Parten, observation methods, onlooker play, parallel play, play, play behaviors, preschool setting, social development, solitary play
Disciplines
Developmental Psychology
Abstract
Mildred Parten (1902-1970) observed 34 children playing in a preschool setting (Parten, 1933). The children's ages ranged from 2 to 4.5 years old. Parten observed the children for one minute each day to develop a greater understanding of play behaviors. The observations focused on type of group, activity, and play. The types of play were solitary, onlooker, parallel, associative, and cooperative.
Recommended Citation
Yuen, C. Nathalie and Santo, Jonathan B., "Parten's Play Experiment" (2025). Essays in Developmental Psychology. 150.
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/edp/150