For many of us play has been an essential part of our lives, from childhood when we had our imaginary friends and made up whole backstories for our toys to adolescence when we played simon says, freeze tag, dressup, to young adulthood when we played 7 minutes in heaven, truth or dare, beer pong, or never have I ever. Ask yourself, when was the last time you played? As adults, we often get into a routine that doesn’t leave time for playing whether it’s spontaneous or planned. We’re not playing with our friends, lovers, or ourselves.
What are some of your favorite ways to play from childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood?
SOLO PLEASURE PLAY DATES
Too often we center our sexual experiences around a partner. It is important to be a lover to yourself, explore yourself, spend quality time with yourself, and to play with yourself. Creating Pleasure Play Dates for yourself is a great way to add intimacy, sensuality, and fun into your solo sex life. Solo Pleasure Play Dates is about tapping into your playful and erotic side. Remember there is no right or wrong way to play, but here are some ideas to get your juices flowing.
TEASE YOURSELF
Practice edging while masturbating by bringing yourself close to climax and then stopping. Take deep breaths until your breathing returns to normal. Then begin again - do this as many times as you can. Delaying your orgasm can be a great way to tease yourself, build up the intensity, and have a more powerful climax.
BATH TIME
Bath time was a fun time as we splashed around in water with a tub full of floatable toys! As we get older we trade in baths for showers because of time and other reasons. Get back to taking baths as a way to play with and dedicate time to yourself. Pick your favorite playlist, play with lighting with candles, surround yourself with the scents you enjoy, and spend time taking a warm bubble bath. All Emojibator vibes are waterproof so bring back the toys to bath time!
READING/ WRITING EROTICA
Write a short story, poetry, a recount of your own sexual experience, or even your own sex manual. You can explore your fantasies, fetishes, or other sexual identities.
PLAY DRESSUP
Centering pleasure in your life goes beyond sexual experiences with other people. You can intentionally insert pleasure by paying attention to what makes you feel good, the scents you enjoy, the way you spend your time, etc. So take it a step further and explore creative ways to incorporate play and pleasure into your solo sexy time!
Article written by Afrosexology
Afrosexology, LLC, was birthed from the desire to experience a more sex-positive Black community. Owners, Dalychia and Rafaella, are two Black, women, pleasure advocates, sex educators, social workers, activists, and creators, who are passionate about empowering people to live their most pleasurable lives. They have been interviewed and featured in Huff Post, Vibe, and Playboy magazines to share expertise and share the passion behind this movement.