Plays cooperatively as part of a group to develop and act out a narrative.
Observe whether the child: plays cooperatively as part of a group to develop and act out a narrative.
What it looks like
Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.
Emerging
Just starting
The child joins group pretend play briefly but needs adult support to share roles, follow the group's narrative, or manage disagreement. The story is short and may collapse when roles or turns are challenged.
What you might see
When peers begin a shared pretend scenario, the child insists on their own unrelated idea or leaves immediately.
In group pretend play, repeatedly grabs key props or refuses turns, causing the narrative to stop.
Accepts an assigned role only with adult help and drops out when the adult steps away.
Argues over roles ('I will be the only doctor') and cannot continue the story without adult mediation.
Expected
On track
The child participates in a shared pretend narrative with peers, taking a role and contributing ideas with some negotiation. They can stay on theme for a while but may need reminders to listen, take turns, or resolve conflict.
What you might see
Takes a role (for example 'shopkeeper') and responds to peers' actions, but needs reminders to share props or wait for turns.
Contributes a simple next event ('then we go to the hospital') but may drift off narrative without prompts.
Exceeding
Going further
The child cooperatively develops and acts out a narrative with peers, negotiating roles and sequence of events, listening to others' ideas, and sustaining the story over time. They manage small disagreements with minimal adult help.
What you might see
Negotiates roles with peers ('you be the driver, I'll be the customer') and stays in character while the story unfolds.
Builds on others' ideas to extend the plot (for example adding a problem and solution) without adult prompting.
Helps organise the group's story ('first we set up, then the customers come, then we close') and keeps peers aligned.
When disagreement happens, offers a compromise (for example rotating roles, adding a new role) and returns to the narrative.
Try this at home
Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.
During a playdate, suggest a simple shared theme (restaurant, vet, airport) and notice whether your child negotiates roles and stays with the group's story without you directing every step.
After reading a familiar story, invite two or more children to act it out and watch whether your child cooperates to keep a shared sequence of events.
In outdoor play, provide open-ended props (blankets, boxes) and observe whether your child collaborates to develop a shared narrative (not just side-by-side building).
During a transition (tidying before dinner), invite a short pretend scenario ('we are a cleanup team') and notice whether your child coordinates with others to complete the shared story.
Connected behaviours
Behaviours that scaffold, follow, or co-emerge with this one.
The framework source and supporting developmental research.
Framework source
Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (2012), Expressive Arts and Design: Being imaginative (40–60+ months).
The construct is framework-native and defined as an observable behaviour within Development Matters for this age band.
Developmental research
Smilansky, S. (1968). The Effects of Sociodramatic Play on Disadvantaged Preschool Children. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Sociodramatic play research supports the developmental importance of cooperative role-play with shared narratives and roles.
Five-level rubric (detailed)ShowHide
The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.
Not Yet
The child does not coordinate play with peers around a shared narrative, tending to play alone, in parallel, or in conflict with others' ideas. Shared pretend episodes break down quickly or do not begin.
When peers begin a shared pretend scenario, the child insists on their own unrelated idea or leaves immediately.
In group pretend play, repeatedly grabs key props or refuses turns, causing the narrative to stop.
Emerging
The child joins group pretend play briefly but needs adult support to share roles, follow the group's narrative, or manage disagreement. The story is short and may collapse when roles or turns are challenged.
Accepts an assigned role only with adult help and drops out when the adult steps away.
Argues over roles ('I will be the only doctor') and cannot continue the story without adult mediation.
Developing
The child participates in a shared pretend narrative with peers, taking a role and contributing ideas with some negotiation. They can stay on theme for a while but may need reminders to listen, take turns, or resolve conflict.
Takes a role (for example 'shopkeeper') and responds to peers' actions, but needs reminders to share props or wait for turns.
Contributes a simple next event ('then we go to the hospital') but may drift off narrative without prompts.
Secure
The child cooperatively develops and acts out a narrative with peers, negotiating roles and sequence of events, listening to others' ideas, and sustaining the story over time. They manage small disagreements with minimal adult help.
Negotiates roles with peers ('you be the driver, I'll be the customer') and stays in character while the story unfolds.
Builds on others' ideas to extend the plot (for example adding a problem and solution) without adult prompting.
Reflexive
The child helps the group shape a richer narrative (problem, plan, resolution), includes others, adapts the plot when new ideas arise, and can mediate conflicts to keep cooperative play moving.
Helps organise the group's story ('first we set up, then the customers come, then we close') and keeps peers aligned.
When disagreement happens, offers a compromise (for example rotating roles, adding a new role) and returns to the narrative.
