According to Parten, what category of play involves functional, constructive, and dramatic levels without games with rules?

The correct answer is associative play, which is a stage characterized by children engaging in play activities that involve interaction with others but do not follow formal rules or structured games. During associative play, children may use similar materials or engage in similar activities, while interacting and sharing ideas, collaborating, and sometimes building on each other's work, but there is no set organization or predetermined outcome, which differentiates it from cooperative play.

In associative play, children might create shared experiences that include elements of functional play, such as using objects for their intended purpose, constructive play, where they build or create something, and dramatic play, where they engage in role-playing scenarios. This type of play encourages social interactions and helps develop communication skills, as children negotiate roles, share ideas, and contribute to a common narrative without adhering to structured rules.

The other types of play listed in the options represent different stages or forms of interaction. Cooperative play involves organized activities with established rules and common goals, while parallel play describes children playing independently alongside each other, and solitary play refers to children playing alone without interest in others. Associative play sits uniquely in the spectrum as a more social form where interaction occurs, but lacks the structure found in cooperative play.