Social play with peers is particularly important because, unlike play with a parent, in which there is an implicit power structure, peer interactions have a more even distribution of power. Peer play places children in control, providing opportunities for self-directed learning and learning through shared experiences.
In particular, social play lets children explore ways to use symbols, gestures, and language, challenging and exercising their developing linguistic abilities. In pretend play, children often enact narratives, in which they collaborate to develop or recreate a story . . .