Parallel Play and its Benefits

Have you witnessed how some children tend to sit together but are immersed in their own activities without interacting with each other? This is recognized as parallel play and it can function as a transition to more collaborative forms of playing among children. While parallel play is often associated with children, adults can also benefit from it at professional and social settings. For example, individuals who work alongside their colleagues without direct collaboration can feel the impact of shared interest and motivation without the necessity to engage with each other. 

Origin

Mildred Parten, an American Sociologist developed the Stages of Play theory which recognized 6 different ways children tend to play. In these stages, parallel play was observed as a transitionary phase from solitary playing to social playing. Parallel play was also called as adjacent play or social coaction. During the adjacent play stage, children aged around 2 or 3 years immerse themselves in playing next to their peers without any interaction. 

Parallel Play for adults

Parallel play for adults refers to any situation where two or more people engage in different activities without interaction or communication, but share the same space (can be either physical or digital). Here are the reasons why parallel play happens:

• Comfort: Adults might enjoy others’ company but still want to have the comfort of being able to focus on their own tasks or have the time to think about something without the need for constant engagement. 
• Similar Interests: During some activities like gaming, reading, exercising and working, people are sharing similar interests or doing similar activities but don’t feel the need to mingle.
• Boundaries: Some adults may prefer being around others while maintaining personal space and without direct engagement.

Benefits of Parallel Play 

Parallel play is a fun incentive mainly for people who want to enjoy the benefits of both socializing and relaxation. Here are some significant advantages of parallel play for adults:

1. Better Social Interactions
   • Parallel play lets people to be around others without the expectations or constant pressure of communication. For those who find socializing to be particularly draining, this can be a boon.
   • It encourages social interaction at a person’s own pace, thereby reducing discomfort or social anxiety.
   • It can also reduce the intensity of loneliness and build a sense of belonging without disregarding anyone’s personal boundaries. 
2. Space for Reflection 
   • In some environments like libraries, cafes and working spaces, people can engross themselves in their own tasks while being in the company of others. This provides them a space for quiet reflection and they can focus on private activities such as reading, writing, etc.
   • Parallel play can offer an unobtrusive space for alone time and to practice mindfulness which promotes motivation, clarity, creativity and a sense of calm. Without any external disturbances, adults can concentrate on their own thoughts or actions. 
3. Productivity and Motivation 
   • In co-working spaces, individuals are present in an atmosphere that can lead to better motivation and enhanced productivity, as they observe other people occupied with their work and are bound to complete theirs. 
   • Parallel play helps them to stay motivated with minimum interruptions and aids in efficient time management.
4. Sense of belonging
   • Even when not directly involved with each other, people can feel a sense of solidarity or belongingness when they engage in their tasks separately while in the same room.  
   • For those who live alone or feel lonely often, the essential human need for connection is satisfied while working or playing or studying near their peers.
5. Sense of Autonomy
   • Adults who aren’t keen on continuous social interaction can utilize parallel play to have healthier social dynamics by balancing their need for privacy with their need for bonding with others.
   • Parallel play boosts an individual’s sense of worth and self-reliance by the ability to entertain themselves and promotes a sense of independence in social settings without compromising their social needs.  
6. Creative breakthroughs
   • Engaging in individual artistic activities such as painting while being in the presence of others can build a sense of community and support.
   • Individuals who work autonomously on their own projects but share the work space can benefit from the collaborative and inspiring energy in the community.
   • The passive collaboration that happens while being in the presence of others working on their tasks nearby can inspire us to have innovative and creative breakthroughs.
7. Inclusion
   • Introverts feeling drained in the presence of other people will thrive during parallel play as it combines personal fulfillment with connection to a group or activity without engaging or conversing with the others.
   • They are able to develop relationships at their own pace in a non-intrusive way. For example, while their group is playing games and having trivial conversations, an introvert can play their favorite single-player game and contribute to the conversations at their own comfort level. 

Parallel Play and Neurodivergence 

For people with neurodivergence due to cognitive or developmental variances, parallel play promotes a supportive and safe environment to connect with others at their personal levels of comfort and control. 

Read More: Parenting with Neurodiversity: Nurturing Diverse Minds

1. Social Anxiety
   • The comfort of shared spaces can be favorable for people with high anxiety or stress. 
   • Observing others in a shared environment can help people with social anxiety to build their confidence and model their behavior for group interactions.
   • Parallel play can provide a practice environment to help desensitize individuals to being around others in a controlled space. For example, playing games side by side or gardening in a group.
2. ADHD
   • As overstimulation is a common symptom of ADHD, individuals having it can participate in environments that foster comfort, creativity and support for any tasks or activities they engage in. 
   • When engaged in task-based parallel play, individuals with ADHD can practice their organization and planning skills. This will reduce symptoms of executive dysfunction and channel their hyperactivity in a productive manner. For example, studying in a library or making art in a group setting.
3. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
   • For people with autism, verbal communication can be quite challenging. Engaging in parallel activities will let them observe peers to learn social cues and behavior dynamics. For example, they might pick up on the concept of sharing by observing others sharing their food or toys.
   • While present in a shared environment, sensory overload can be reduced for children or adults with autism as they gain a better understanding and awareness of the subtleties in the group. 

Applications of Parallel Play

Parallel play can be suitable in fostering social development and enhancing mental health in various contexts and settings:

1. Art & Therapy Sessions

In group art therapy sessions, it can be a safe environment to support creativity, self-expression and emotional healing. Watching others express themselves through their art can encourage experimentation with new ideas, materials or techniques without the need for the therapist to give any instructions. Therapy with parallel activities can offers a safe space to process emotion, thoughts and memories non-verbally for people with a history of trauma. People with Dementia involved in activities like knitting, reading, etc. in shared spaces will be able to stimulate their cognitive and motor skills. 

2. Educational Settings

• Provides a conducive environment to learn and observe peers in a classroom or study room. It can inspire innovative or adaptive ways of learning and solving problems.
• Teachers can aid in students’ behavior management by providing distinct and structured tasks for groups of students.
• In educational institutions, parallel play can be a valuable tool to dismantle the stigma around neurodivergence by creating mutually inclusive spaces for individuals to coexist without following the conventional social norms. 
• It can nurture mutual respect, understanding, and association, which will shift societal perceptions and support neurodiversity in shared spaces.

3. Online Environments

• In online spaces, parallel play happens when people do similar activities, like playing video games, watching some form of media online, etc. but do not interact collaboratively. For example: Two friends playing separate games on an online interface and conversing occasionally on a video call app.
• In a virtual classroom, students can engage in their specified activities like studying or doing assignments while being a part of a common online space. A sense of community and camaraderie is adopted among students when they are involved in structured and independent tasks.

Conclusion

Parallel play combines the satisfying feeling of doing our own activities with the ease of low-pressure socialization. Individuals who incorporate it in their life can develop social skills, enhance their social connections, and learn to regulate themselves, at a comfortable pace. The concept of parallel play is pertinent today to understand early child development and has applications across education, therapy, art and recreation for both adults and children. 

FAQs

1 What is parallel play? 

It is the act of engaging in independent activities while sharing space with another person or a group.

2. How do you do it?

If you have any hobbies/activities/tasks you engage in while your friends/partner/family members/group members you spend time with don’t join in, but are near you or in a shared room or a digital space, doing their own activity or task, you might be doing parallel play.

3. What are common examples of parallel play?

• Reading a book in the same room as your friend and they are doing their school/work assignments. 
• Cooking in the kitchen while your child is in the same room making art and having a conversation with you.
• Your partner is practicing martial arts while you lift weights in the same room.