This article describes how American and Japanese kindergartners see play and what teachers can learn from them. The authors share their findings from analyzing photos and interviews from 44 American children in the southeastern United States and 55 Japanese children in the main island of Japan, all aged five to six years. In the study, children photographed what they perceived as meaningful and preferable as play. Children's notions of play are associated with interacting with others, being in self-selected environments, and engaging with favorite toys/ props. Play is related to joyful interaction with friends where children are often outdoors, thus, educators need to pay closer attention to the importance of outdoor activities with others. Also, some children have a preference for play environments in nature; therefore, educators should offer nature-related environments. Favorite toys/props also enhance play, so by asking children about their preferences for these items, educators might be able to augment their play more meaningfully.