Through interacting with other children and adults, they find out about themselves and their relationship to others. Through play, children imitate adults and experiment with what it means to be a caregiver, a fisher, a firefighter, a doctor and so on. Through play, they learn how to solve problems and work cooperatively with others. Children engage in different types of play depending upon circumstances and particular needs. Types of play range from inactive observation to participation in group play requiring planning and cooperation.
Kindergartens encourage several types of play.
Associative play, occurs when children play with each other, sharing similar materials and activities in an unorganized way. Cooperative play requires organization for a purpose. In solitary play, children play alone and independently, following their own interest without reference to others. Children who watch other children playing, ask questions and make suggestions, but do not enter into the play are said to be engaging in onlooker play. Children who simply play beside each other with similar materials are engaged in parallel play.