Emotion: Playfulness

When you want to write the emotion playfulness, it's important to "show" the emotion your character is experiencing through their physical reactions and dialogue, rather than "tell" it. In this article we provide you with inspiration so you can avoid showing instead of telling and immerse your readers in your story.

Playfulness is a lighthearted and cheerful state of mind characterized by a sense of fun, humor, and enjoyment. It involves a willingness to explore, experiment, and take risks in a playful manner, without worrying about the consequences. Playfulness is often associated with childlike wonder and curiosity, and it can manifest in various forms, such as teasing, joking, or engaging in creative play. A playful character is often spontaneous, creative, and curious, and they may have a mischievous streak that adds to their charm.

Different Types of Playfulness

Here are some different types of playfulness:

• Witty playfulness: characterized by cleverness, humor, and verbal dexterity
• Childlike playfulness: characterized by a sense of wonder, curiosity, and innocent mischief
• Flirtatious playfulness: characterized by teasing, banter, and sexual innuendo
• Physical playfulness: characterized by physical activity, roughhousing, and play-fighting
• Creative playfulness: characterized by imagination, spontaneity, and inventiveness

Situations Associated with Playfulness

Here are some situations where a character might experience the emotion of playfulness:

• Being in the company of close friends or family members who share their sense of humor and don't take themselves too seriously.
• Engaging in a fun and exciting activity, such as playing a game, exploring a new place, or trying a new hobby.
• Feeling carefree and unburdened by responsibilities or worries, such as during a vacation or a day off from work.
• Being in a state of childlike wonder and curiosity, such as when discovering something new or experiencing a novel sensation.
• Being in a silly or whimsical environment, such as a carnival, a comedy show, or a playful art exhibit.
• Having a lighthearted and positive outlook on life, and being able to find humor and joy in everyday situations.
• Being surrounded by playful and happy people, and being able to join in their laughter and fun.

Physical Reactions to Playfulness

Here are some physical reactions a character experiencing playfulness might have:

• Smiling and laughing
• Playful tone of voice
• Teasing and joking around
• Using humor and puns
• Making silly faces or gestures
• Engaging in physical activities like running, jumping, and dancing
• Being spontaneous and impulsive
• Playing games or engaging in playful competition
• Being adventurous and trying new things

Thoughts Associated with Playfulness

Here are some thoughts a character experiencing playfulness might have:

• This is going to be fun!
• Let's see what kind of trouble we can get into.
• I wonder what would happen if I did this?
• I feel like a kid again!
• I can't stop laughing!
• I love this feeling of freedom and lightheartedness.
• I don't care if I look silly, I'm having a blast.
• I want to make others laugh and have fun too.
• I feel like I can take on the world with a smile on my face.

Atmosphere of Playfulness

Here are some ways that you might reflect the emotion of playfulness in the atmosphere of your scene:

• Incorporate bright and vivid colors in the setting to create a lively and fun atmosphere.
• Use playful and upbeat music to set the tone of the scene.
• Introduce playful elements in the setting, such as toys, games, or playful decor.
• Add physical activities that are fun and playful, such as dancing or playing sports.
• Create a scene that is full of laughter and light-hearted banter between characters.
• Show characters engaging in playful behaviors, such as teasing or playfully competing with each other.
• Add unexpected and quirky elements to the scene that are playful and fun, such as a character wearing a silly costume or a pet performing a trick.

Verbs Associated with Playfulness

Here are some verbs commonly associated with the emotion of playfulness:

• Joking
• Teasing
• Pranking
• Laughing
• Playacting
• Amusing
• Clowning
• Frolicking
• Gamboling
• Skipping
• Twirling
• Juggling
• Tickling
• Bantering

Emotions Before Playfulness

Here are some emotions that may come before a character experiences playfulness:

• Joy
• Excitement
• Anticipation
• Optimism
• Curiosity
• Contentment
• Gratitude

Emotions After Playfulness

Here are some emotions that may come after a character experiences playfulness:

• Excitement
• Joy
• Cheerfulness
• Amusement
• Delight
• Euphoria
• Optimism
• Enthusiasm
• Contentment

Telling Playfulness Examples to Avoid

Here are some examples of telling the emotion playfulness in a sentence. You should avoid things like this:

• He let out a playful chuckle as he saw the puppy wagging its tail.

Practical Examples of Showing Playfulness

Here are some examples of showing playfulness in a sentence:

• As she skipped down the street, she twirled her umbrella like a baton.
• He couldn't resist the urge to draw a silly face on the whiteboard during the meeting.
• She snuck up behind him and tickled his sides, making him jump and laugh out loud.
• He pretended to be a superhero, running around the park and jumping over benches.

Exercises for Showing Playfulness

Here are some writing exercises to practice showing playfulness:

• Describe a situation where your character is engaging in a playful activity. What are they doing and how are they doing it?
• Write a scene where your character is teasing someone else in a lighthearted, playful manner. How does the other person react?
• Create a dialogue between two characters where one of them is trying to be playful but the other is not in the mood. How does the playful character try to change the mood of the other?
• Write a scene where your character is playing a game with someone. What game are they playing and how does your character approach it?
• Describe a moment where your character sees something that makes them laugh or smile. What is it and why does it bring them joy?
• Write a scene where your character is trying to make a serious situation more playful. How do they go about doing this and what is the outcome?
• Describe a situation where your character is trying to cheer someone up. How do they use playfulness to achieve this?

Want more help with showing emotion instead of telling? You find more help in our full set of emotions.