Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

At what age do children typically start developing social skills to play cooperatively with other children?

1. 1 to 2 years

2. 2 to 3 years

3. 3 to 4 years

4. 4 to 5 years

The correct answer is: 3 to 4 years

Children typically begin to develop the social skills necessary for cooperative play around the ages of 3 to 4 years. During this stage of development, children start to engage more with peers, expressing their desires and emotions and learning to share and take turns. This is the time when they can participate in group activities and games, beginning to understand the concept of teamwork and collaboration. At this age, children also begin to exhibit more complex social interactions, such as negotiating roles in play scenarios and forming friendships based on mutual interests. This developmental milestone is crucial as it lays the foundation for more advanced social skills that will continue to evolve in later childhood. In contrast, younger children, specifically those aged 1 to 2 years, are typically engaged in parallel play where they play alongside other children but do not interact directly. By ages 2 to 3 years, they may show some early signs of cooperative play, but these interactions tend to be less structured and more about parallel play rather than true cooperation. At ages 4 to 5, children are generally more adept at cooperative play, but the primary focus for this question is on the 3 to 4-year age range when these skills significantly develop.