Paddle play is the use of a flat, usually wooden or leather instrument to strike a partner, most often on the buttocks, as part of a consensual scene. It sits within impact play and is prized for the sharp, thuddy sensation a broad surface produces compared to a whip or cane.
People are drawn to paddles for the loud crack and the wide, warm sting that spreads across a larger area than narrower toys, which some find more bearable and easier to read. Paddles come in many weights and materials, from light leather straps to heavy perforated wood, so the sensation can range from a gentle swat to a deep, resonant thud.
Worth knowing: Because paddles can bruise deeply and strike near the tailbone or kidneys, agree on safe zones, a safeword, and a check-in before and after, and never strike the lower back or joints.
Also called: spanking paddle, leather paddle, wooden paddle, frat paddle, ping pong paddle (novelty), hairbrush, otk (over the knee) paddling, bare-handed spanking
