In age play, players slip into roles that do not correspond to their biological age. Whether and which power imbalance takes place within the respective BDSM session depends on the inclinations of the players.
What is age play?
Age play is a role-playing game from the BDSM-field in which a large number of variations are possible. As there is no fixed definition of how age play should work, it is practiced by adults in a wide variety of ways.
Basically, age play can be divided into two areas:
1. Age play as BDSM role play
On the one hand, it is an erotic form of play in which the participants assume a fictitious age in order to perform sexual acts in these roles. Due to the age difference the dom-sub power relationship typical of BDSM is constructed.
The role of the teacher who punishes the naughty pupil quickly comes to mind here, but this constellation is only one of many possibilities. As soon as a player pretends to be younger or older than their biological age in the role-play, age play is being practiced. In other words, there are no limits to the imagination in age play.
Daddy-dom or mommy-dom form the opposite pole in the BDSM power imbalance, but the focus in this relationship is less on sex or humiliation. Much of the action here - as in most BDSM games - takes place on an emotional level.
2. Dive into the Little Space
On the other hand, age play is practiced by people who have a much younger emotional world than would normally correspond to their biological age. These adults have childlike emotions and can put themselves in a mental state during age play that allows them to feel and behave like a baby, child or teenager again.
The regression does not necessarily have to take place in a role-playing game. Rather, it involves pronounced character traits that the Little or Middle can also live out in everyday life. Littles reveal their most childlike and defenceless side and therefore need a partner to protect this emotional space. A care-giver is the perfect play partner for this. The older person playing can also be referred to as the Big.
If the child part does not live out its emotional world as a toddler, but in an age range of around 12 to 18 years, it is called a Middle. The motives here are largely similar to those of the Little: the focus is on enjoying their own, youthful emotional world. Middles like to behave like teenagers, listen to pop music, have a crush on stars, read comics and are active on social media. Here, too, the focus is on the platonic level with the man and sexual acts do not have to be part of the relationship.
How do the players behave?
Each couple lives out their roles and dynamics individually. There is no set of rules for age players any more than for other BDSM areas. Common dynamics in age play are CGLRE (Care-Giver and Little-Regression), CGL (Care-Giver and Little), DDLG (Daddy-Dom and Little Girl) or MDLB (Mommy-Dom and Little Boy).
CGLRE Community
The relationship between the care-giver or the Dom and the Little usually takes place on a purely emotional level. The Little gives free rein to its naive feelings and lives out its childlike self in the regression: It plays with children's things, speaks in baby language, crawls, cuddles and seeks closeness, comfort, love and security from the paternal or maternal role. The so-called CGLRE community emphasizes the mental state of regression and clearly differentiates itself from sexual acts.
CGL relationship
With the CGL relationship also known as Daddy Kink the roles are distributed in a similar way to CGLRE age play, but there may be sexual acts between the participants. As with CGLRE, the constellations Mommy or Daddy and Little Girl or Little Boy are possible. These terms can also be used by partners of the same sex or gender-neutral persons.
DDLG fetish
The BSDM-typical power constellation of Dom and sub can be found in age play in the DDLG fetish again. It takes place between a male top and a female bottom, whereby the Bottom in this case, the baby girl, takes on a fictitiously younger age. If it involves a female dom and a male bottom Sub is referred to as MDLB.
ABDL fetish
At the ABDL (Adult Baby and Diaper Lover) is a form of age play in which the adult participants act out their kink by imitating babies wearing diapers. The so-called Diaper fetish which is also part of adult play in many variations, can be accompanied by sexual acts, but does not have to be.
Depending on sexual preferences, the session can have a more or less strong sub-dom power component. Accordingly, humiliation and punishment can be incorporated into the role play. Many Littles or Middles also display correspondingly unruly behavior, so that the session can occasionally turn into Brat Play.
What is the appeal of age play?
Depending on the preferred form of age play, different aspects can provide a very special kick: In CGLRE, the Little or Middle finds the necessary freedom in the Little Space or Middle Space to fully indulge in their childlike character traits. They can freely live out their childlike emotional world.
Masochism can also take place in age play. The BDSM power differential is practiced on a much softer level in the CGL relationship than is the case in top-bottom relationships. Teasing and "age-appropriate" punishment methods in which the baby girl is spanked are quite popular.
If sexual components are included in the fetish, the appeal for the adult can lie in the self-affirmation of having sex with a (much) younger partner. Individual self-esteem can be strengthened by younger people not choosing partners of the same age for sex, but the respective Big. The little girl or little boy can be similarly motivated, as their role makes them feel young, sexy and desirable again.
Added to this is the fact that a whole range of fantasies can be lived out in age play that are considered socially critical or even forbidden. There are also different points of view on age play within the BDSM scene. However, since the participants are not actually biologically underage or related, it is ultimately up to each and everyone to form their own opinion. If age play is consensual and pleasurable between adults, it is a kink like any other.
Am I an age player?
Do you feel the need to live out your childlike side and find it satisfying to act childlike, guiltless and carefree? Or can you imagine offering a safe haven to a little or middle child as an adult caregiver? Yes? Then you are already in the middle of age play or should definitely give it a try!
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