Final answer:
The phase in which children around three years of age prefer playing with other children to playing with toys is called social play.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phase in which children around three years of age prefer playing with other children to playing with toys is called social play.
Social play is a type of play that occurs without any set rules. During this phase, children engage in activities together and interact with each other, developing social skills and learning how to cooperate with others.