Type of play in which children play

alongside other children but not

with them.

The answer is parallel play.

From the age of two to about three, children move to playing alongside other children without much interaction with each other. They may be engaged in similar activities or totally different activities but they like being around others their own age. Even though it may appear that they don't care about the presence of the other children, just try separating them and you will see this contact from a far is very important to them.