Cooperative Play. Cooperative play takes place between two or more children
as they develop socially and emotionally. In cooperative play, children exchange
ideas about the game or the toy they are playing with at that moment in time.
Rules still tend to be very loosely constructed, but children know who is playing
which role in their game. Play may last only a few minutes or it may stretch out
for longer periods of time. Gradually children learn to respect the property and
rights of others. This is a clue that they are gaining social skills such as
cooperation and negotiation. At this same time they begin to understand that they
need permission to play with certain materials and certain people. Children are
also more willing to share their toys for the sake of the game. Communication
amongst children about the ‘rules’ of play is a crucial aspect of cooperative play.
It is important to note that children differ widely according to age within their own
families. Boys and girls develop in different areas at different stages, so there is
never complete adherence to any of these exact ages. Not all children move
through the stages at the same rate. Children who have more life experiences
tend to emerge as leaders or organisers at younger ages. Confidence, shyness
and other personality traits factor into the various stages of play.