Toddlers aged 13 and 14 months old play alongside each other in parallel play, but are not yet capable of forming complex friendships due to their current stage of social development.
A researcher observing two toddlers, aged 13 and 14 months old, would likely conclude that these young children demonstrate limited abilities in regards to friendship. At this developmental stage, toddlers engage in parallel play rather than interactive play, meaning they may play alongside each other but do not actually play together or form complex social bonds that would signify a friendship.
They lack the developed social cognition skills necessary for the interactive play and shared emotional experiences that characterize true friendships. It is not until they are older, around the age of three, that they begin to engage more with their peers and form actual friendships.