Paganism definitely has a history of needing to defend itself as a serious practice. Many people look at witchcraft as some form of make-believe, as if we all think that everything works like it does in movies and stories, where we can cast a spell and make something appear out of thin air or control people. And I understand the desire to want to show that this is something deeply personal, highly meaningful and important to us.
But I don't feel that play detracts from the impact our faith has in our life. And play is a great way to not only learn better, but to find joy in things that already have deep impact on our lives. It can be a way to access that sense of childhood wonder that we often loose in adulthood. Plus play is simply fun! And there is no rule that says that important, meaningful things can't also be fun.
A lot of the practices and tools we use can also be used for play. Something I've been doing as long as I can remember, far longer than I have been Pagan is daydreaming. Now I might call it visualization, but sometimes it is literally just sitting and letting my brain play with fun ideas. It's like playing a game of what if with yourself: what if I was a cat, what if I could fly, what if I was three inches tall. But daydreaming is also a great way to practice visualization in a simple and stress-free way. Because if you can't quite picture it clearly, that is okay, there are no consequences (whereas if you are working to visualize something as part of a ritual, your goal might be harder to reach if you can't visualize what you want clearly enough).
I also think of reading (fiction) and watching shows as a form of play, and often this gives me ideas of things that I later incorporate into my practice. Especially because I love watching/reading magical content, so if it has witches or magic in it, I am probably going to want to experience it. Even stuff that doesn't specifically focus on magic can create connections between things that I can use in my practice, like when people have an in joke and it becomes a symbol for them...but now I can also use that symbol to represent something that I might not have connected it to before. It's a bit like learning from old teaching stories....you might just love hearing the stories, but you still learn stuff.
Arts and crafts are another big play practice for me. There is a reason why art therapy is such a big thing. Simply making something, out of your own creativity, even if no one else understands the meaning you put into it...there is something magical about it. The process of creation is one that many people don't have enough of in their lives, and taking time to embrace the creative process can be hugely empowering! For me, art play is all about letting my inner child out, so I really lean into that idea, and I love breaking out crayons or simple kids paints and just picking whatever colors I feel and not worrying about whether or not it looks like what it is supposed to. Coloring books can be a great place to start, especially for anyone worried about their artistic ability (but remember, it's play, so it's not about making the perfect thing, it's about having fun making something).
I personally find writing a super fun thing to do, and it is one of my favorite creative outlets. With writing, I can create anything I want, and it can be a powerful way to explore things that I am unsure of. It can also be a great way to vent about things that are upsetting me! When I think of writing, in terms of play, it's definitely about putting words on the page, and not about finding the perfect words. Often, when I write for fun, I'll give myself a limit (either time or word count), and that helps me let go of the idea of perfect. And if you struggle to get ideas, there are tons of fun writing prompts out there, that will give you a little nudge and help you get started.
And then there are tarot games! These range from more traditional card games (either takes on solitaire or a trump taking kind of game) to more creative games (which might mimic RPG style games). There are also lots of ways to gamify reading tarot cards, from pulling cards about your stuffed animals to trying to predict what will come next in a show you are watching. You can draw cards as art/writing prompts, or simply have a conversation with a deck (drawing cards for it's response).
I think the biggest thing to keep in mind about magical play is that the play comes first. Though I firmly believe that all of these activities can benefit our lives and our practice, the whole point is to have fun...the other benefits are icing on the play cake. So when you engage in magical play, really let yourself play. It's fine if you want to reflect after, but in the moment, try to just enjoy what you are doing.
I absolutely believe that play is necessary for happiness. And we all have different definitions of what play is and how we find our fun. So you might have to try a bunch of things, to find what really clicks for you, but it is SO worth it. I encourage everyone to find ways to work play into their practice, and I think you will find that not only is it a lot of fun (which can help our mental health!), but I think you will be surprised to find that it deepens your practice without much effort...because it's play after all!
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