We present the preliminary results of an ongoing ethnographic research on child rearing practices and child development among two rural Argentinean populations: an indigenous population (Mbya Guarani) located in Misiones Province (northeast rainforest) and a creole population (Molinos) located in the highlands and semiarid areas in the northwest (Salta Province). From a methodological point of view we use different observation techniques and photographs and videotapes as complementary recording devices. We also interview caregivers about local ethnoteories related to child rearing, growth and development.We are working on a model for observation and recording information about child rearing practices at the domestic level that includes a section on play and games. The used method facilitates the recognition of ecological factors characterizing children´s play and also the comparison of both communities. In relation to the theme of this panel we will try to point out how this research can contribute to an interdisciplinary study of play and to some sub-disciplines in anthropology and ethnology.