Ranjitha | Montessori | Nurturing young minds on Instagram: "✨ Parallel Play – A Big Step in Little Lives ✨ Before 3 years, children often play side by side without directly interacting – this is called parallel play. 🌱 It may look like they’re “just playing alone,” but it’s actually an important stage in their social development. 💡 Why it matters: 👶 Builds comfort around peers 🧩 Helps observe & learn from others 💬 Prepares for future cooperative play 🌸 Encourages independence + confidence