In this paper we reporta qualitative study based on the constantcomparative method to initiate the systematic study of forms of vitalityplay. This is an unnoticed non-figurativeplay frame linked to early social play and temporal arts in which child and adult elaborate the dynamics of their own movementsand sounds in a repetition-variation form. In the introduction we present thetheoretical underpinnings and the sporadic observations we have done inprevious studies. Then, by the iterative observations of the recorded materialof a longitudinal case study on play during the third year of life, we generatedthe general category of forms of vitality play and four subcategories of display modes of forms of vitality play (improvised forms ofvitality play, ritualized forms of vitality play, forms of vitality playcombined with pretend play, and forms of vitality play combined with roleplaying) which are illustrated with descriptive narratives. We discuss the properties of the developed categories,the limits of the present study, and the need to continue systematizing theresearch on this playful activity.