When children are between 24 and 30 months old, what is their most common type of play?

At 24 to 30 months old, children are typically engaged in solitary play, which is characterized by playing alone without any significant interaction with others. At this age, children are still developing their social skills and tend to focus on individual exploration and manipulation of toys rather than collaborative or cooperative play with peers. This solitary engagement allows them to develop their interests and cognitive skills independently.

While children may occasionally play side by side with others, known as parallel play, the focus during this period remains largely on individual activities. They are also beginning to recognize other children and may interact more with familiar figures, such as siblings, but their primary mode of engaging with their surroundings remains solitary. This stage is crucial for developing autonomy and personal interests as they prepare for more social interactions in later developmental phases.