Playing with others
Playing together
Playing together with another child, like taking turns or copying each other's games, grows a lot between about 1½ and 2½ years.
We haven't yet found studies that measured the age when most children start. The sections below say what is known.
How sure are we?
Not sure yet. Only one small study has been read so far. How we know this
What it’s a sign of
Your child is learning to share a game with another child.
Toddlers often coordinate their play by copying what the other child does.
We haven't yet read studies with the age by which most children play together.
A main source for the ages
Toddlers' Emerging Ways of Achieving Social Coordinations with a Peer
Carol O. Eckerman, Cláudia Davis, Sharon M. Didow · 1989 · Child Development
- Children
- About 14 pairs of children
- Where
- Not given in the summary we read
- Ages
- 16 to 32 months
- How
- Researchers filmed the same pairs of children as they grew
- What it found
- Playing together in a coordinated way rose clearly between 16 and 32 months, mostly through copying each other.
- Limits
- We have only read the summary. A small group.
If you’re worried about your child, talk to your child and family health nurse or GP.
Last checked 2 November 2026