Which scenario best illustrates parallel play?

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Parallel play happens when children are near each other and using similar toys, but each child plays independently and doesn’t try to change or coordinate the other’s actions. In this scenario, the children are side-by-side with similar toys and yet do not interact, which is a classic example of parallel play.

The other situations don’t fit parallel play: watching others play without joining isn’t active play at all, but simply observing; collaborating to build a tower shows interactive, cooperative activity toward a shared goal; and a child playing alone with a ball indicates solitary play away from peers.