Does this adult cat want to play with this kitten or is he being mean?

The owner of these cats wants to know whether the adult cat wants to play with her kitten or whether he is being mean-spirited towards the kitten? I feel that I can say with considerable confidence that this adult cat simply wants to play and he has a kitten to hand to carry through on that desire. 

Curious to get opinions, is he playing or being mean to our kitten? I feel like he’s batting at her so gentle it could be playing, he’s actually swatted at her in a mean way a few times but I’m still nervous to let them interact without supervision
by u/racheljobe in cats

The problem is that the kitten is a little too small to play with. I think both the kitten and adult cat realize this but as the kitten grows older, I am sure that they will play. 

I don't see anything mean-spirited in this adult cat's actions. My assessment is partly based on the fact that immediately before the adult cat approaches the kitten he was playing in the tunnel. 

He was stimulated to play; to have some fun. And his natural instinct was to go to the kitten for a playful interaction. 

They tap each other's paws as if slapping each other. I've seen this before quite a lot. It's as if cats are boxing each other and it's a kind of vestigial form of aggression which has been de-tuned to be play and no more. 

I do not see anything wrong with this behaviour in any way and I'm sure that these two cats will get along well in the future.

It appears that the owner has introduced a kitten to her home where there is a resident cat. If that is true, from what we see here, I believe that they are going to get along well in the future. I hope so. There is a possibility that they won't because when the kitten grows up, she or he will want their own home range which may be a friction point between the two.