The experience of an urban waterfront setting can enhance sociocultural education for children, facilitate development of mental and physiological skills, and can function as a playground. The designs of waterfront environments should therefore consider children's needs and enhance both the interaction of children with their environment and learning from this interaction. This study explored the visual attributes associated with children's preferences for waterfront environments. An exploratory study was conducted with 21 five- to six-year-olds at a child care center at Ohio State University. Children were shown photographs of a variety of waterfront settings and asked to select and then rank order the five scenes they liked best. Results showed that children tended to express more preference for constructed surfaces, changes in level of constructed surfaces or water, and a lighter environment in waterfront settings. Children also expressed greater preference for places of social activity or places in which they could perform activities on their own. The study also concluded that children preferred natural settings slightly less than settings with constructed features. However, "water" appeared as an important environmental component of children's preferences. These visual attributes may be associated with a child's need for freedom, stimulation, imagination, exploration, observation, and manipulation. (Contains 23 references.) (Author/SD)