Which behavior is typically expected in a 2-year-old child?

At the age of two, children typically engage in parallel play, which is a stage of play where they play alongside other children but do not directly interact or play together. This behavior is characteristic of toddlers as they are beginning to develop social skills, but they are not yet ready for cooperative play. During parallel play, children may mimic each other’s actions and behaviors but will independently engage with their own toys or activities.

As children continue to grow and develop, they will gradually move towards more interactive forms of play, such as associative play and cooperative play. The other options reflect developmental milestones that occur later; for instance, independent play for long periods may be more common in older children, participation in organized sports typically begins in preschool years, and having conversations with peers usually develops after age three or four when language skills are more advanced.