How To : Play
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/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 !
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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
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