CoalitionDeadboysPod
Hi, all.
I was just wondering what your opinion is about introducing kids to gaming. I have two little kids: my son is going to be five in October, and my daughter will be three in three weeks (yikes!). Right now, the older one enjoys games that don't involve any abstracts, save for "Move 4," or "Look for X." My daughter is about the same, but she likes to scatter things, so it's hard to sit and play games with both of them.
So, that being said, if you have kids, when did you (or will you) introduce them to RPGs? There are other things naturally, like Gamewright's Story Dice that let kids tell imaginative stories and unlock that part of their mind. But when would you try getting into some simple RPGs, and what systems do you think would be best (i.e. not a lot of math involved, more story-driven)?
Comments
Again though, I am not so sure that I am the best example of when or how to introduce kids to RPGs. I would think that 5 or 6 may still be a pretty good age to start pushing into it, but perhaps start off with something a little less intense than Palladium Fantasy (1E or 2E for that matter). Maybe something like Toon, pretty basic on how it works and the premise is that you're a cartoon character (which is right up most kids alley). You could also probably look into things like Superhero based games out there if the kids happen to be into that. I think an important aspect is to hit a genre that they actually have some interest in already, it will open the door via something familiar.
Just my two cents on the topic off hand, I don't have kids of my own but I interact with children often (many of my friends and family have kids). So, take it for what you will.
we have started with the tile/puzzle games like "Labyrynth":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labyrinth_(board_game) and "Carcasone":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcassonne_(board_game) (which my boy loves btw!) and we mix it up with more traditional games like ker-plunk etc. on rainy weekends
next on the list is to buy a set of "Talisman":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talisman_(board_game)
for what its worth, from my experience, most gamers get in to the hobby around age 12+
Edit
those wiki links are not quite working properly for some reason, but should still get you to the right page
Ptolus, City by the Spire - 2016 Campaign of the Year
"Please pay attention very carefully, because this is the truest thing a stranger will ever say to you: In the face of such hopelessness as our eventual, unavoidable death, there is little sense in not at least TRYING to accomplish all your wildest dreams in life." - - Kevin Smith
I cant help but think you should nurture the innocence for as long as possible, you only a have few years before hes a teenager, then hes going to start wearing black, and listening to bands like 'The Horrors'... or was that just me? though it was 'Fields of the Nephilim' in my day of course! :)
I mention interest in the beginning, because my daughter (age 9) does not like to game in the same way. But, I do have success using her stuffed animals like UTM does. I have also played a moderately successful Fairy game based on Tinkerbell and their fairy talents. Sounds cheezy to the adult ear, but to a kid it is like ice cream!
When ever their cousins come to visit we play "The Buggits":http://the-buggits.obsidianportal.com. It is also a FAE game. The characters are anthropomorphic insects/bugs that exist as a parallel world to LoTR and The Hobbit. They have fought 3 _'giant'_ Ogre-shrews, a horde of Opillions (Daddy-long-legs that parallel goblins) a monstrous 7-tailed mutant scorpion, marched toward the lost Mwarv (Ants) kingdom of Terra-Bore (a gianormous Anthill), and are about to come across the drakonian-being calling himself Smog (he is a Cricket that has commandiered a swarm of mosquitoes that swarm around a half-used can of Bug Spray).
I agree with machinegunHarry, the age is less important than interest. You just need to tailor the material to fit the age of the child. When the boys were 7, I emphasized story over mechanics.
"Rise of the Dead, Campaign of the Month June 2013":https://rise-of-the-dead.obsidianportal.com/wikis/main-page
Currently playing "Book of Taliesin":https://the-book-of-taliesin.obsidianportal.com/wikis/main-page
I created simple custom Word doc character sheets specifically geared toward making it easy for little kids to understand. (I just realized I don't have copies of them on my flash drive. If you want, I can post examples of 'em after I get home tonight.)
"Ptolus":https://ptolus-city-by-the-spire-by-bryan.obsidianportal.com/
Ptolus, City by the Spire - 2016 Campaign of the Year
"Please pay attention very carefully, because this is the truest thing a stranger will ever say to you: In the face of such hopelessness as our eventual, unavoidable death, there is little sense in not at least TRYING to accomplish all your wildest dreams in life." - - Kevin Smith