A new study has uncovered the ways different types of play are linked to children's social abilities and brain activity.
The research, conducted by researchers at King's College London and Cardiff University, has uncovered how children's play styles differ depending on whether they are playing alone or with someone else, and how these differences relate to their social skills and brain activity.
Dr Sarah Gerson, Cardiff University School of Psychology, said: "Play is a major part of children's lives that takes many different forms and presents differently within and between children. However, little research has compared individual differences in children's play in joint play versus solo play, and how these are related to children's social behaviours and the underlying brain mechanisms."
Our study aimed to expand our understanding of children's play in different social contexts and associated neural activity.
In the study, 57 children aged 4 to 8 years old were given three sets of Barbie dolls and accessories and were allowed to play on their own and with an experimenter.
The researchers looked at whether children engaged in pretend play (such as acting out stories with the dolls) or set-up play (arranging or organising toys without storytelling). They also analysed the children's use of internal state language (ISL) - words about feelings, thoughts, and desires. During the sessions of play, the children wore neuroimaging equipment to measure activity in brain regions linked to social understanding and self-control.
Parents were also asked to provide detailed reports on the children's social behaviour.
The researchers found that children spent more time setting up than pretending. Across both solo and joint sessions, children devoted most of their play to arranging and preparing toys rather than acting out stories.
Pretend play was found to be boosted in joint play, as the children pretended more when playing with a partner than when playing alone. This joint pretend play was linked to better social abilities - children with fewer peer problems and more prosocial behaviours (such as sharing and helping) were more likely to engage in it.
The study revealed that toy choice reflected children's social skills. In joint play, children tended to focus on the dolls themselves, whereas in solo play, they spent more time with accessories. Children with stronger prosocial skills played more with dolls overall, particularly when playing alone, while those with more peer difficulties preferred non-doll objects.
The brain imaging showed that children's overall play style was not directly linked to neural activity. But children who used more language about other people's thoughts and feelings showed greater activity in brain regions associated with perspective-taking and executive functions - the posterior superior temporal sulcus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
Children's play is not just a pastime - it reflects the ways they understand and connect with other people. Our findings show that pretend play with others, in particular, may provide a window into social skills and challenges.
The study highlights that while children may spend a lot of time setting up their toys, it is the quality of their pretend play and their use of language about emotions and thoughts that may be especially important for social development.
The brain imaging results also suggest that when children reflect on others' feelings during play, they engage neural systems involved in perspective-taking and regulation, supporting the link between play and broader social-cognitive growth.
By looking at both behaviour and brain activity, our study provides a richer picture of how play connects to social development. It also points to the potential value of designing interventions around play, especially for children who struggle socially.
The research was carried out at Cardiff University's Schools of Psychology and Social Sciences, the Cardiff University Centre for Human Developmental Science, and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London.
The research, Does children's play and associated neural activity differ according to individual differences in social skills, social understanding, and social contexts? , was published in Cognitive Development. This research was sponsored by Mattel.
