This paper discusses the importance of children's play in the development of oral language. It is the unfolding of a research whose aim was to assess language acquisition by 2 to 6 year-old children enrolled at an early childhood education institution. This case study uses participant observation as a data collection method. It concludes that, while playing, children recreate the situations they experience in the diverse spheres of human communication in which they take part and, therefore, their playing activities are cultural in nature. It further stresses the importance of collaborative work in child development
verbal communication; children's games; culture