This paper examines play plans as a new type of cultural tool that enables preschool children to take control of their play and develop mature make-believe play within the Vygotskian framework. Drawing on cultural-historical theory, the paper traces the evolution of non-linguistic cultural tools in early childhood education from Venger’s models of schematic representation to their contemporary use in Tools of the Mind classrooms. In this context, play plans, which are children’s visual and verbal representations of their intended play, function as tools for planning, communication, and self-regulation. The paper describes how play plans help children move from teacher-regulated to self-regulated behavior, mediate conflicts, and scaffold play toward higher levels of complexity and imagination. The use of play plans is discussed in relation to current challenges in U.S. early childhood classrooms, where academic pressures have led to the erosion of child-initiated play. By integrating the development of planning, representation, and pretend play, Tools of the Mind reintroduces play as a leading activity that fosters symbolic thinking, self-regulation, and cognitive growth. Play plans emerge as culturally adapted tools suited to the new social situation of development, helping preserve play’s essential developmental role in early childhood.