Entry of children to primary schools in India marks a sudden shift in the pedagogical approach as play-based pedagogy gives way to formal instruction. This paper argues that children’s play motives do not subside when they enter school, rather play takes a more mature form and represents a strong linkage between their thought and reality. The recently introduced National Education Policy 2020 in India mandates a large-scale achievement survey at the age of 8, the fear is that this will lead to formalisation and academisation of early schooling. The paper presents a case study of a school in rural India that follows a play-based pedagogy in the primary years. The study uses dialectical-interactive approach for data collection and analysis. The analysis shows that play creates a pedagogic opportunity for the teacher and children to engage with each other’s motives thus creating a shared ‘object of activity’ that ensures children’s motivated engagement in their learning.