The importance of play for child development has long been recognized. Children, through engaging in traditional games of their region, acquire values that accompany them throughout their lives. They become acquainted with the culture of their homeland while also developing their abilities. The first part of the paper discusses the context of the culture and tradition of Istria, including economy, language, and customs. The second part is dedicated to play as a phenomenon, its history, classification, structure, and its role in the development of preschool children and educators in that process. Afterward, the focus shifts to traditional games of central Istria, their history, characteristics, and the impact of modernization on them. Particularly, the implementation of traditional games in the curriculum of Istrian preschools is explored. Through the main part, research on the prevalence of traditional games in the educational practices of central Istrian educators analyzes their importance and application in practice, examines the attitudes of educators, and summarizes the most prominent games.