Mildred Parten (1932) conducted what has become a classic study of play among one- to five-year-olds. Describe Parten's levels of play and identify the age range associated with each level

What will be an ideal response?

Parten conducted an extensive study of one- to five-year-olds involved in social play. Based on her observations,
she described six levels of social play among these children. The first level, unoccupied behavior, rarely occurred.
When it was observed, it was always seen in children who were one to two years of age. These children stood or
sat, not playing and not watching other children play. Onlooking, the second level identified by Parten, was usually
observed in one- and two-year-olds who watched other children play. These children might ask questions, but
they don't engage in play with others. Solitary play, the third level, was also seen mostly in the younger-aged
group. During solitary play, children will play alone with no apparent connection to the activities of other children
in the area. Parallel play was the most common type of play behavior overall. It was usually seen in three-, four-,
and five-year-olds. In parallel play, children sometimes play with toys similar to those of other children nearby, but
they don't play with the children themselves. Associative play and cooperative play, levels five and six respectively,
were usually observed in the three-, four-, and five-year-old children, too. In associative play, children use the
same toys as the other children, and they may talk with those children sitting nearby. Their main interest is in
associating with others and not in the coordination of play. In cooperative play, the final level, children work
together to create a product, act out a situation, or play a formal game. Children three to five years of age also
engage in cooperative play, in which the child plays with other children and the play is integrated or coordinated
with other children's play.