Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Early Childhood Practice Exam

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What type of play is most beneficial for social skills development in early childhood?

Solitary play
Parallel play
Cooperative play
Structured play

The correct answer is: Cooperative play

Cooperative play is highly beneficial for social skills development in early childhood because it involves children working together towards a common goal. During cooperative play, children must communicate, negotiate, and collaborate with their peers, which fosters essential skills such as sharing, empathy, and problem-solving. This type of interaction encourages them to express their thoughts and feelings, take turns, and build relationships with others. In contrast, solitary play occurs when children play alone without interaction with others, which does not provide opportunities to practice social skills. Parallel play, where children play side by side but do not interact, allows for limited social engagement but does not develop deeper social competencies. Structured play typically involves directed activities or games with specific rules, which may limit creative interaction and spontaneous social exchanges. Therefore, cooperative play stands out as the most effective type of play for nurturing social skill development during early childhood.