This paper discusses self-efficacy as a key factor for the coping of the transition into primary school which grants admission to formal education and further learning processes. The underlying qualitative, longitudinal interview study submits results regarding the perspective of interviewed preschool and primary school children on their self-efficacy experiences which permit reference to the support of the development of self-efficacy within pedagogical practice based on mastery-climate. In this context, play situations that adults are not involved in turn out to have a main impact on the development of a child’s self-efficacy. Furthermore, the study provides reflective potential of the concept of generational order in childhood studies.