The incorporation of Game-Based Learning has been promoted as a cornerstone of pedagogical innovation, yet important gaps persist regarding how teachers, especially in rural areas, understand and appropriate this strategy under conditions of scarcity. Guided by this overarching question, the study sought to understand, both theoretically and practically, how primary-school teachers at IE 70022-Collana (Puno - Peru) appropriate the strategy, using a qualitative phenomenological–interpretive approach. Five in-depth interviews were conducted with teachers who had more than twenty-five years of service, and a thematic analysis supported by qualitative coding was applied. Findings reveal: 1) a strong conviction that play is a prerequisite for meaningful learning and a cultural bond; 2) structural constraints (scarce materials, lack of time and weak institutional support) that compel creativ...