Final answer:
Children's play reflects their culture's practices and values, and is an essential part of both learning and socializing. Choices in play and toys can promote traditional gender roles or encourage physical activity and cooperation, depending on cultural norms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct statement is C) Children's play reflects their culture's practices and values. While it's true that parents around the world may regularly play with their children, the activities involved in play can differ substantially, reflecting the cultural practices, values, beliefs, and attitudes prevalent in their society. This difference is evident in everything from the choice of toys that encourage certain gender roles to a family's participation in activities aligned with their cultural heritage. Moreover, play is a critical aspect of child development, serving as a primary avenue for learning, socialization, and physical activity. Parallel play in North American children is a typical stage of development, not a sign of developmental delay, and refers to children playing alongside each other but not directly with each other.