There are many different types of children’s play which vary according to age, gender and setting. Most analyses ignore some of the most common forms of play, such as physical activity play, especially during middle childhood and adolescence. The aim of this study was to identify the specific forms of physical activity play that children and young people (8 – 16 years) engage in across differing spaces in urban and rural settings in Ireland using an ethnographic approach. Physical activity play is a major contributor to children’s overall physical activity. This is important in the context of the progressive trends towards sedentary lifestyles, physical inactivity and childhood obesity, and the myriad health risks associated with these conditions. Fieldwork was conducted over a twelve-month period across four co-educational schools; a primary and a secondary school from both an urban and rural setting. Child-centred participatory, as well as quantitative methods, have been employed including child-based photography, child-directed walking interviews and anthropometry. Participatory methods empowered children as social actors and facilitated deep insights into a significant aspect of children’s lives. There is a complex interplay of factors shaping children’s physical activity play. The findings describe children’s perspectives on play and recreation in a variety of spaces including the home, school, neighbourhoods and the wider built environment. The study identifies ‘traditional’ forms of physical activity play that are continuously modified and influenced by the social context and the physical features of play space. Findings also relate to the wider socio-cultural processes that impact children’s physical activity play including age, gender, seasonality and geographic location. Recommendations have been put forward in relation to how physical activity play can be used to reduce sedentary behaviour, and in the prevention and treatment of childhood overweight and obesity. A recalibration of attitudes and policies is required to enhance children’s opportunities for physical activity play in all settings