/tl:dr - Below are three concepts. Child developmental play, types of play, and adults and play. Beyond that I discuss how to implement these play types into your life, with examples !
This is a more in-depth guide based on this reblog I did a while back. I am not a professional and I do not consider myself an authority figure so take what resonates and leave what doesn't. All that said, onward !
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Firstly, we have childhood developmental play. This is specific to how biological children develop and how to gauge that development through how they play. This can be helpful if you know or want to know your regression age(s). Pathways.org | How Kids Learn to Play: 6 Stages of Play Development
Unoccupied Play (sometimes known as observational play) is for babies getting used to their bodies and surroundings, Solitary Play is playing alone, Onlooker Play is watching someone else play, Parallel Play is playing alongside someone but doing separate things, Associate Play is play involving toys that represent different things (also sometimes considered imaginative), and Cooperative Play is playing fully with another child.
Next, types of play ! These are specific to different ways people can play. 10 Essential Types of Play for Childhood Development
Independent is playing alone, Group is playing in groups of 2 or more, Structured is playing with rules or guides, Unstructured is playing without rules or guides, Physical is playing things like tag, Sensory is play involving the senses, Constructive is building and constructing different things, Creative is being artistic, Fantasy is imaginative play, and Competitive is play with other people but working against them.
Finally, adults and play ! This is specific to adult play personalities, which often correlate to their actual personality and is known to develop during teenage years. Play Personalities - National Institute for Play
Collector is collecting certain interests, Competitor is playing against someone, Creator is being artistic, Director is controlling the things around you and heavily structured, Explorer is living life with a sense of discovery, Joker is working to make others laugh, Kinesthete is an athletic type of play, and Storyteller are those that create stories and have a very active imagination.
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Now, how do we relearn how to play ?
Identify what types of play you fall under and even use child development studies to discover your regression age or habits. This can make it easier to figure out how you want to play. Trying different play types if you are unsure is very helpful.
Using child development studies can help you discover your regression age or even just give you an idea of how much you interact with your surroundings. Using types of play can help you discover your comforts and how you like to play. Using types of play for adults can help you discover what may be fun for you as an individual, outside of regression. This can also be helpful during regression block.
2. Decide what you are comfortable with. It is up to you to find out what you prefer. I can only offer examples; I cannot tell you what works for you.
Some people don't want to participate in playtime and instead they may just want to watch. Rather than being the doctor they may want to be the patient, rather than the chef they may want to be a patron, and so on.
Other people may want to be more active during playtime. Some people may feel lonely playing alone while others feel anxious if anyone else is around.
Play may also look different for everyone. I've mentioned quite a few and it doesn't even scratch the surface considering that all children are different and can find even the strangest things fascinating, and that goes for adults too ! However, most play types will fall under any of the above categories.
For example, staging toys would fall under solitary, constructive, and collector play types.
3. Start small ! Don't throw yourself headfirst into slaying the dragon, you have to know if they breathe fire first. Know your limits, interests, and consider asking other regressors what they do.
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So, how do we implement our play types into our regression ?
Discover and list your interests. Any interest you have can be incorporated into your play style, but you will have to think about it. Also, in many cases, you will have to step up and be 'the first'.
For example, if you like a form of media that does not have figurines, toys, coloring books, fan fictions, or virtually anything else, do it yourself. It doesn't have to be for anyone's eyes except your own, so if it looks weird or inaccurate...IT DOESN'T MATTER ! Make a basic paper doll and style them. Make a paper room for them. Use video games like MakeRoom, Tiny Glade, Dystopika, or picrews. Write that story, be the one that shows off indie media.
Mimic the way you played as a child, the way children play, or the way you dream of playing. If you have aspirations to engage in a specific type of game, then begin by simply trying.
If your dream is not necessarily possible for you to act out there are work arounds. For example, if you want to engage in imaginative play but are unable to visualize or get into a mindset that allows that, begin by copying shows or recreating your day.
Some desires cannot be met. If you desire playmates and closeness with other regressors IN PERSON, but do not have the resources to do so, it isn't really possible to meet that desire.
In these cases, I recommend settling for shows/videos. Watch shows like Doc McStuffins when you are playing doctor. Make videos for yourself or use ASMR roleplaying videos. It's not the same, but compromise is often necessary.
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How do we implement our play types into our adult life ?
Playing while big is just as important as playing when regressed, in my opinion. Using the adult play personalities, discover what you fall under and feed into that.
If you fall under the director personality, playing games like the sims, virtual family, simulator games, or writing stories can help. Also hosting themed parties and having themed meals.
Play is important for relaxation, compartmentalization, and coping. Not to mention the possible benefits some games offer such as memory improvement, positive health benefits, and positive personality developments.
Separating normal life stressors from play time, often allows for decompression and can allow us to organize our emotions. This is compartmentalization. This can also help develop our personalities. For instance, those with anger issues can utilize play to aid in managing those emotions by using a controlled environment and their play style as a form of exposure therapy. They are safe to react and reflect without judgment.
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TIPS AND TRICKS
Learn to manage your time and dedicate a certain amount of time to playing (regressed or not)
Keep your games/toys/items organized and easily accessible
Think about how you want to play and allow yourself to see no limits
Ensure there are guidelines for when you should and shouldn't play
Change the game every once and a while
Video Resources
Lia - How to PLAY (regression specific)
Lia - Scenarios for play (regression specific)
Soul Ride - Way to Play as an Adult
Rachelle and Theory - Finding Your Play Personality
🐕 when did you regress for the first time? or was there not really a first time but small little moments?
🍓 a drink or snack you connect with regression
🧦 if you could spend your dream little day, what would it look like? money, time, location etc don't matter, it's your absolute perfect day!!
🐚 what's something you wish you could tell your regressed self / what's something you need to hear about regression?
🌾 your favourite place and time to regress (if you do it voluntarily)
🐛 a piece of media (book, song, movie...) you connect with regression
🌷 what would you tell someone who's new to regression?
🍊 do you prefer regressing alone or with others? can you do both or does only one work for you?
🦔 what does regression feel or look like to you personally?
💫 in what way has regression made your life better?
🦢 do you struggle with embarrassment or shame about regression? what do you think could help people who do?
🧃do you have any gear for regression? it doesn't have to be typical (like a paci, colouring books, diapers...), just things that make regression easier for you
💞 remember: we're all here together!! we're stronger as a community, let's fill this space with love 💞
If we are friends I definitely urge you to do this because I'd love to know more about you !!!
🐕 I first consciously regressed when I was maybe 13-14 but I can trace back certain behaviors and stuff to the age of 9.
🍓 Anything thats presented in a fun way. You've got adult snacks like veggie or fruit bowls, but if you put them in a fun bowl or line them up in cool shapes and patterns it makes it agere coded to me. But also anything with a face.
🧦It would be mid-autumn and I'd start the day with a small walk / hike, probably end that walk with a picnic. Afterwards it'd start raining and I would play in the rain for a bit before headed inside to get cozy. I'd play and towards the end of the day I'd start reading. Ideally I would be able to share this experience but honestly people make me anxious so alone is good too !
🐚 You deserve love. You don't have to beg and crawl for it. You don't have to help manage other people's anger. It isn't your fault if they are angry just because they yell at you. You need to drink more water, boy.
🌽I like to regress anywhere I am alone and anytime I won't be interrupted.
🐛 Anything I watched as a kid, Criminal Minds, Van Helsing, Charmed, Time Bandits, The Thing, Predator, Star Wars, Stargate, etc etc.
🌷 Ask questions. You dont have to sit in shame-filled confusion all the time, just be kind and ask someone.
🍊 Alone just because I've never regressed in front of other people (irl). I imagine I could I just probably won't.
🦔Physically it feels a lot like when I used get high. Emotionally it feels like a really fine line between "I'm fine" and "AHHHHHHHH". Things can make me sad easier, I get angry easier, I get happy easier, I'm more expressive. It literally looks like an adult taking a nap cause I sleep a lot, but also can look like those role-playing asmr type videos where you go to a cafe or doctor and all that.
💫It makes managing my tasks and space easier. It helps me sleep. It aids in working through stuff I went through as a kid. It helps with my constant stress. It gives me a bit of freedom and fun on my days off.
🦢No ? Yes ? I'm not sure. I'm not ashamed I regress at all and if someone confronts me about it I know how I'll react and if they act weird or rude I just cut them out. If someone isn't willing to listen and understand something about you, then they don't respect you, you don't need them. I do have moments of thinking that I'll never feel safe enough to tell someone and that everyone in my life will be disgusted with me for it, but that's a different can of worms.
🧃Yes, the typical stuff and not so typical stuff. Anything that gives me happiness and nostalgia outside of regression can be involved in my regression as well. Horror movies, big books, all music, anything.
I am transgender, aromantic, and asexual. Ways I find my identity seeps into my regression are pretty basic and mostly related to my gender identity. As someone who was raised as a girl with purple, pink, glittery, frilly dresses, I can whole heartedly say that it still helped me become who I am today.
Raising myself differently isn't disrespectful to who I was or those that did try to give me a good childhood. It is a testament to who I have become thanks to those people and experiences. Respecting my identity isn't cruel, wrong, or dishonorable. Incorporating new elements into my regression that respects that identity isn't strange, and keeping aspects of my childhood that don't align (stereotypically, of course) isn't disrespectful to my present identity.
While my gender identity does find its way into my regression, my sexuality doesn't. At least not in any way that I can notice. My regression is deeply engrained into my life but not my relationships. For me this means that if I ever do start looking for a caregiver, their gender or romantic interests won't concern me. I would be looking for someone to care for my regression as I do and that I can bond with outside of my regression. Neither of those involve my preferences or romantic boundaries.
For other people this is far more important, and to that I say...GOOD ! It's no one's business and you should be proud of who you are in every facet of your life. That's amazing !
However, both either affect my regression or were affected by it. I try to give myself more of a boy-ish regression because I deserve that. It's no one's fault I didn't receive it, and I am allowed to give myself those silly things. Thanks to my regression, I finally realized what my aroace relationships would look like.
All of that said, I hope you all have an amazing Pride month filled with abundance, safety, and happiness ! But let me leave you with these questions :
How does your queer identity seep into your regression or caregiving ?
Does one aspect of your queer identity appear more than the other ?
Is it important for you to incorporate your queer identity into your age regression ?
How would you incorporate your queer identity into your regression, if that is important to you ?
Would you say your regression influenced your queer identity or is it the other way around ?
Hey, there 🧸 You wanna play pick n' choose? It's quick, I swear, and I really would like to know your choices pleaaase 🥺 reblog telling me your choices or comment them 🧸
I was careful to give many different options so more people could feel included 😊 hope u like it
I passionately HATE hot weather. Only thing about spring / summer that I like is the abundance of life and more rainy days. If Helios, Ra, Satan, whoever is in charge of the heating on this planet could just chill, that'd be great.
Otherwise, yes, hello, I will be huddled in a corner trying not to die of heat stroke until autumn comes. Thank you.
My birthday is soon, and as someone who is too old to celebrate silly things like that (according to my family), I'm going to share how I throw myself birthday parties !
Get the day off...this can be difficult but I normally try to work as little as possible on my birthday.
Plan a meal for breakfast and dinner, also buying my favorite candies and snacks is important ! I normally do this a few days in advance.
Investing in a toy, paci, or anything I want really ! (This year, it was a toy kitchen)
Making a movie/video list to watch.
Setting aside time to partake in my hobbies.
Bath time instead of shower time !
Going on a nature walk or having a picnic with doggos !!!
Building a fort !
Staying in and taking time for myself.
Making a birthday playlist !
Wearing fun outfits (be it fun pants or cozy pj's)
Going to the library !
Having a birthday pal ! (Keeping a stuffie with me all day, which i do anyway)
