Winnie, PuiPuiWinnieZhang HeyiDing MingCai E. Zhong2026-02-062026-02-062020-06https://dspace.usj.edu.mo/handle/123456789/701110.1163/25902539-00202007Play is an important vehicle for developing literacy, cognition, and social competence in early years settings. In this paper, a qualitative case study in a private kindergarten in China indicated how children could learn and appreciate their own culture in a thoughtfully designed play-based setting. Thirty kindergarten teachers from 15 classes consisting of 431 children in total participated in this study. Based on field notes, audio and video recordings, and teachers’ self-reflective notes, the study explored the play-based setting within a curriculum framework, i.e. the Early-years Whole-person Global-mindset Curriculum Framework (ewgc). The results showed that the play-based setting supported young children to form their own cultural identities and enhanced children's development in general.enjournal-article