Play has been studied since the turn of the early 1900s, but has yielded very little concrete evidence for its function in juvenile human and non-human animal development. This thesis attempts to extend the understanding of human play behavior from a multi-ethnic perspective. To determine if and how membership in different cultural variants shapes the frequency and style of the juvenile play. Observations were made of both male and female children (n = 69), ages 3-6, of the Sukuma and Pimbwe ethnicities in Kibaoni, Western Tanzania. Results suggest that childrens’ play is influenced by their membership in a specific ethnicity. The context where the play bout took place (e.g., public or private), was most influential in determining what behaviors children engaged in during play. The conclusions drawn from this research can be compared to results from western preschool settings, where play is most commonly studied, to gain perspective on possible universal similarities in childhood behavior.