At 17 months your toddler is starting to show more critical thinking during play. You will notice her solving more complex problems.
She is engaging in functional play, using toys in the manner which they are intended (pretending to feed dolls and “cooking” with play pots and pans). She is also using symbolic play more and more. Symbolic play enables children to create a link between a toy or item and what it represents. Through symbolic play, your 17-month-old continues to use areas of his cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for higher-level thinking. This symbolic play lays the foundation for problem solving, making associations, and higher level language and communication skills later on.
He is still engaging in parallel play (playing by himself beside another child), but taking more interest in other children around him. You may notice that he is showing more interest in other near-by children, watching them play, and even imitating them more. This is important in building the foundation for your child’s interactive play.
Keep providing opportunities to play with (or beside) other children. If possible, keep it to only one or two children so your toddler does not become overwhelmed.
Because children at this age are exploring with their hands, provide opportunities for sensory play as much as possible. Think water tables, rice bins, and bathtub finger paint.
References:
Zero to Three, 2018
The American Academy of Pediatrics