What Are the Most Common Anal Play Kinks? A Beginner's Guide

Anal play is one of the most common sexual interests across every gender and orientation — and also one of the most under-discussed in any genuinely useful way. If you're curious about where to start or what the landscape actually looks like, here's a breakdown of the most common ways people explore it.

1. Beginner Plug Play

The most accessible entry point. Butt plugs are designed specifically for comfortable, gradual exploration — tapered tip, flared base, sized to start small and build from there. This is usually where curiosity turns into actual practice.

Read the full guide to Butt Plugs →

2. Anal Training

"Training" is a slightly different mindset than a single session of play — it's about building comfort and capacity over time rather than aiming for any single outcome in one sitting. The idea is progression: starting small, staying patient, and letting the body set the pace rather than forcing it. This is where most of the frustration with anal play actually comes from — people skip the training phase and wonder why it wasn't enjoyable.

3. Anal Beads

A string of graduated spheres, inserted one at a time and removed — often timed with orgasm — for a distinct sensation as the sphincter engages and releases around each bead. A good next step once basic plug play feels comfortable.

4. Prostate Play

For anyone with a prostate, this is often the most intense version of anal play available — a walnut-sized gland packed with nerve endings that responds to direct stimulation in a way that's genuinely different from other forms of arousal. Purpose-built curved toys make this dramatically easier to access consistently.

Read the full guide to Prostate Massage →

5. Rimming (Anilingus)

Oral-anal stimulation is one of the more common — and more widely searched — forms of anal play, though it's rarely discussed with any real practical detail. The appeal draws on the same dense concentration of nerve endings as other anal play, combined with the intimacy of the act itself.

Read the full guide to Rimming →

6. Anal Play with a Partner (Pegging & Strap-On Play)

Anal play isn't limited to solo exploration — strap-ons open up partnered anal play in any pairing, and it's one of the more common ways couples explore power dynamics and role reversal alongside physical sensation.

Read the full guide to Strap-Ons →

The Rules That Apply to All of It

Regardless of which of these appeals to you, the same fundamentals apply every time:

• Flared base or retrieval cord, always. The rectum has no natural stopping point, so this isn't a preference — it's a design requirement.
• Lube is not optional. The anus produces no natural lubrication of its own. Our lube guide covers which formulas work best for anal play specifically.
• Go slowly. The sphincter is a muscle — it needs time to relax. Rushing is the single most common reason anal play goes badly.
• Body-safe materials only. Silicone, stainless steel, and glass are the standards. Porous materials are a real risk here given how absorbent rectal tissue is.

Read the complete Anal Toys Guide →

Safety and Communication First

Every kink on this list works best with clear communication and ongoing consent. Our guides to Consent and Safety are worth reading before you dive in — the fundamentals are the same regardless of which form of play you're drawn to.