ROLE PLAYING FOR KIDS-Part 7

This brings to a close (at least for the time being) the series on young folk and role playing. I hope that it has helped to open the door to understanding the unique experience that is role playing.

The imagination is the most important part of a child that adults can help to nurture. Call it make believe or creative play time, but role playing games are one of the best tools we have to develop social skills and communication skills in young people that will last them and benefit them throughout their lives.

I will return to this topic as material appears. Please feel free to comment or email if you have questions. I have 30+ years as a role playing gamer and have not only played the games but have been a retailer in the hobby as well. I am currently working as a designer and am finishing a system designed for young people which I will be offering to schools and organizations as well as individuals.

Now, without further adieu:

Running D&D For Kids
http://www.d20source.com/2007/05/running-dd-for-kids

Star Wars-Galactic Heroes- A simple Tabletop game for Star Wars action figures
http://ironhands.com/GHrules.htm

My 16 Year Old Niece is a DM!
http://cyclopeatron.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-16-year-old-niece-is-dm.html


Gaming with Kids: In Search of the Unknown
http://www.risusmonkey.com/2010/11/gaming-with-kids-in-search-of-unknown.html

ROLE PLAYING FOR KIDS-Part 6

Back at last with more links concerning children and young adults in the world of role-playing.

This is an awesome set of articles from the blog The Mule Abides:

Starting a Dungeons & Dragons Afterschool Program
http://muleabides.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/starting-a-dungeons-dragons-afterschool-program/

Afterschool D&D Mad Libs: Monsters and Dungeons
http://muleabides.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/afterschool-dd-mad-libs-monsters-and-dungeons/

super awesome lets pretend time (pt1)
http://muleabides.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/super-awesome-lets-pretend-time-pt-1/

super awesome lets pretend time (pt2)
http://muleabides.wordpress.com/2010/10/17/super-awesome-lets-pretend-time-pt/


Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Dungeons & Dragons
http://muleabides.wordpress.com/2010/10/07/instruction-in-the-responsible-conduct-of-dungeons-dragons/

Kids These Days, Mixing Editions of D&D
http://muleabides.wordpress.com/2010/05/13/kids-these-days-mixing-editions-of-dd/

ROLE PLAYING FOR KIDS-Grognardia-The Next Generation

Grognardia has some interesting ideas and observations on children and gaming today:

http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2010/12/next-generation.html

ROLE PLAYING FOR KIDS-Part 5

A bit more on kids and role-playing from the observational side:

Teaching Kids to Roleplay is Only Natural
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2008/09/teaching-kids-t/

A Starter Guide to Roleplaying with Kids
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2008/11/roleplaying-wit/

Kids and Gaming
http://robertsongames.com/role-playing-games/kids-and-gaming

When we last left our heroes . . . Psychology Meets D & D
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/thinking-about-kids/201003/when-we-last-left-our-heroes-psychology-meets-d-d

ROLE PLAYING FOR KIDS-Part 4

Here's four games for the younger player that are best of all, free :)

THE GAME OF HATS
http://www.lulu.com/content/293204

The fun part about The Game of Hats is that the players bring hats to the table. Everyone starts with three hats and earn more through play. They place points in their Hats, add use a Hat's powers by adopting its persona. Very simple system using, uh, hats. PDF: Free.


CLOWN COPS
http://www.memento-mori.com/other/games/cops.html

Play a former clown who is now employed as a special kind of police officer. Your beat is the quaint neighborhood of Palookaville (a.k.a. Clown Town), an area almost entirely populated by Clowns, Mimes and other circus performers. Very simple system using boxes of animal crackers, glasses of milk, rubber bands, six-sided dice, clown makeup and clothing, noisemakers, balloons and other fun stuff. Online (HTML): Free.

SUPER PETS
http://www.harlekin-maus.com./games/superpets/superpets.html

Play superpowered animals like Wonderdog, Gleek and Krypto- – regular animals with amazing super powers. Very simple system using six-sided dice and a bag of "doggie treats", called Stinky Treats during play. You will be eating these, so you may substitute something else that tastes a little off, like garlic-stuffed olives or plain rye crackers. Online (HTML): Free.

SHADOWS
http://www.harlekin-maus.com/games/shadows/shadows.html

You play yourself and your malicious shadow; a game based on narration – and the urge children have to get themselves in trouble. Your shadow is an invisible person or monster who always wants you to get in trouble. The game always starts with the Players' Characters asleep somewhere; they are all then startled by a sound. What happens after that is up to the Players, and helped along by the GM. Very simple system using six-sided dice and tokens. Online (HTML or PDF): Free.

ROLE PLAYING FOR KIDS-Part 3

This time we take a look at a father’s blog post about playing his first game of D&D with his daughter

Then The Dragonkin Podcast, a podcast specifically for and about young gamers. Host Sam Chupp, author of Changeling as well as many other games and publications, talks with young gamers and to adults about how to encourage and play with young people.

Also Marvel Super Heroes (Classic) for parents who might be interested in a super heroes game instead of a fantasy style game to start with.

My Daughter Just Played Her First D&D Game.

http://xbowvsbuddha.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-daughter-just-played-her-first-d.html

DRAGONKIN PODCAST
http://dragonkin.bearsgrove.com/

Marvel Super Heroes (Classic)
http://www.heroplay.com/features/rules/marvel.php

I hope these prove useful.

ROLEPLAYING FOR KIDS-Part 2-Wizards of the Coast’s Introduction

From the current home of Dungeons & Dragons comes this free starter for young people.

(From the download page)

Dungeons & Dragons for ages 6 and up - To help promote their upcoming novel Monster Slayers, Wizards of the Coast has put together Monster Slayers: The Heroes of Hesiod, a stripped-down version of Dungeons & Dragons that's fast, fun, and playable by adventurers as young as six. Best of all, it's completely free!

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4dnd/monsterslayers

Reviews have been mixed but being free it gives someone a chance to see what all is available-and it is free :)

ROLE PLAYING FOR KIDS

More and more the question of children playing rpgs and whether it is a good idea or not keeps landing on the table. In the early days of gaming it was thought that somehow playing these games would encourage children to believe in alternate worlds and religions and do psychological damage or worse. Religious organizations saw the games as a straight path to Hell, believing the games encouraged Satan worship and demonology (so much so that TSR removed many references in their product as an appeasement to parents and groups alike).

Now, 30 years after the hobby began, a re-evaluation has taken place. The positive aspects of role-playing have come to light, so much so that there is now a sizable rpg that is Christian based, as parents are now encouraged to bring children into the rpg hobby.

This series will cover opinion pieces and resources for parents, schools and church's to get the most from this playground of the imagination. I gladly solicit any input or feedback and will try to answer to any concerns one might have. My position is that I believe there is a definite need for children to play 'make believe' and that given the proper tools it can be a healthy and rewarding experience. I hope this series is helpful in promoting the hobby in a positive way and if not providing all the answers will help one learn where to look.

Here's a good place to start:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/17/AR2010031701794.html