Age Play

Age Play: What is it?

Age play is role play in which adults deliberately take on the roles of people of a different age; it can be a child, a teenager, an elderly person or a character with any other age characteristics. This practice helps participants try new things in relationships or just have fun.

These games can be very different. For some, they are light and fun situations, such as children's pranks or family relationships; while for others, they are more serious and deeper scenarios that may include sexual applications of these games. It all depends on the arrangements and the comfort of the participants.

Primary roles in ageplay

Adults - participants playing the role of adults often act as caring or dominant partners. They may portray parents, such as mum or dad, and take responsibility for the care and protection of the ‘child’. Essentially, adult scripts can range from gentle and caring to more strict and demanding.

Children - The roles of children are most often played by those who want to display the naivety, playfulness, and dependence characteristic of childhood. Such participants interact with ‘parents’ and engage in ‘childlike’ activities such as watching cartoons, reading fairy tales or playing.

Guardians - Sometimes age-appropriate play involves the involvement of carers - those who portray older people or take on the role of a caring adult. Carers may mediate conflicts, give advice or help with daily tasks; as they also provide emotional support for both ‘adults’ and ‘children.’ This format can be serious or more humorous.

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Why do people prefer to play age?

Age-appropriate play is based on giving and receiving care, making it both touching, playful and deeply emotional; as it incorporates elements of attention, discipline and behaviour management, and provides ample opportunity to explore a variety of kinky practices. These can include spankings, a system of rewards and punishments, praise, gentle humiliation and more.

For submissives

The desire to take on the role of a junior or to be in a certain ‘age range’ does not mean a desire to literally be a child or infant. Rather, it is a desire to immerse oneself in an atmosphere of carefree innocence and comfort where care comes from someone else. For these participants, ageplay can be a form of escapism, allowing a temporary return to a simpler and safer stage of life.

For dominants

Participants who choose to take on the role of ‘elder’ - Mum, Dad, Guardian or Mentor - often find emotional release in this practice. Caring for a ‘younger’ person within the role play allows for the expression of dominance, gentleness, and responsibility, creating a deep connection with a partner. Many report that this process is satisfying and a sense of fulfilling an important role.

Boundaries, stop words and support: the basics of safe play compliance

• Respecting personal boundaries is one of the key principles of any role play practice. In this sense, each participant should be able to clearly state their limits, whether it be refraining from certain actions, body areas or the use of certain objects. Therefore, boundaries should be discussed in advance and strictly enforced.

• A stop word is an important tool to stop play at any time if something becomes uncomfortable or triggers disturbing feelings. Age play can be emotionally intense, so it is important to agree on a neutral, easy-to-remember word that signals the need to stop the interaction. In this sense, if the chosen stop word is spoken, play should stop immediately.

• Aftercare is essential for emotional recovery, especially if the game is intense. Age-appropriate play can evoke a variety of emotions, including feelings of embarrassment or doubt; therefore, spending time together, discussing the experience, hugging or just having a quiet conversation can help to release tension and create a positive perception of the experience.