Contrary to previous studies, the present qualitative ethnographic study focuses on free play during primary school recess with an emphasis on the significance of the interaction between play and the socio-cultural environment and the active role of the children in their play. The aim of the study was to investigate children's perspectives about play during school recess. The study took place in a primary school in Athens, Greece and the participants were 300 children and 21 educators. The data were collected through participant observation and informal interviews with the pupils at the school yard during a seven-month period. Data analysis showed that the necessary and desired conditions for satisfaction during primary school recess play included four contexts: (1) the human, (2) the moral, (3) the institutional, and (4) the material context. These findings provide a useful framework for recess play to contribute to the children's development and education at school.