When play fluidly becomes work: How Yurakaré children embed the culture together through play

Abstract This article examines the play activities of Yurakaré children in Bolivia. Using an ethnographic methodology of systematic observation, participant observation, and field notes, the study shows that children aged 2 to 7 most frequently engage in manipulative play, followed by gross motor play and imaginative play. Children typically play with peers or alone and rarely with adults. Their daily activities are characterized by a high degree of autonomy. Their play repertoire gradually transforms into subsistence‐oriented activities as children in their late childhood engage in practices such as fishing on their own initiative and within peer groups. This article describes one such case. The findings highlight how children autonomously and playfully align themselves with culturally contributive activities, while also demonstrating their agency to modify routine practices within the village.