We’ve all heard it: “Get your toddler around other kids as much as possible!” But here’s the truth — before age 3, kids aren’t really playing with other kids. They’re doing something called parallel play — playing next to other kids, not with them. And that’s totally normal!

Real social skills — like making friends, sharing, and playing together — don’t really develop until around age 3 and up. That’s when kids start making real connections.

Fun fact: Parallel play actually helps build important skills like observation, self-regulation, and independence — even though it looks like they’re just doing their own thing!

So if your little one isn’t having constant playdates, don’t stress. They’re learning and growing just fine. There’s plenty of time for all the social stuff later!