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Inactive Forums => Forge Birthday Forum => Topic started by: quozl on April 05, 2006, 05:33:33 PM

Title: RPGs for young children
Post by: quozl on April 05, 2006, 05:33:33 PM
I've been thinking about running an RPG for my wife and soon to be 5-year old daughter but haven't yet found anything appropriate.  What RPGs have people here found are good with young children?  I've had John Wick's Cat and Dragon recommended to me.  Has anyone had any experience with these?
Title: Re: RPGs for young children
Post by: ScottM on April 05, 2006, 08:00:04 PM
 Shadows (http://www.harlekin-maus.com/games/shadows/shadows.html) is explicitly made for youngsters, and has been written up positively in Actual Play for some kids.  One group was playing Jedi in the system:  Knights of the New Republic (Zac's Shadows)  (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=11749.0).

Good luck!

--Scott
Title: Re: RPGs for young children
Post by: Jason13 on April 05, 2006, 09:24:13 PM
I have had no personal experience of this myself but a good friend of mine and a long time gaming buddy has started to bring his 8 year old into the hobby.  He is using Heroclix figures (which his son already has and loves) and roleplays dialogue between the characters as they fight and now go on missions.  I suppose this approach could be ported into whatever craze kids are currently hooked on and then wean them onto the good stuff.  Hope that helps.

Regards

Jason
Title: Re: RPGs for young children
Post by: GreatWolf on April 05, 2006, 09:44:24 PM
I used the Pool to roleplay with my children for a while.  I'm not sure that they understood the resource management aspects at the time.  Of course, that was probably a year or more ago, so they might do better now.

I'll be curious to see what Vincent has to say about this.  I know that he roleplays with his children.
Title: Re: RPGs for young children
Post by: komradebob on April 05, 2006, 11:59:03 PM
Quote from: GreatWolf on April 05, 2006, 09:44:24 PM
I used the Pool to roleplay with my children for a while.  I'm not sure that they understood the resource management aspects at the time.  Of course, that was probably a year or more ago, so they might do better now.

I'll be curious to see what Vincent has to say about this.  I know that he roleplays with his children.

Vinvent has designed The Nighttime Animals Save the World, another excellent kids, rpg that hasn't been mentioned yet.

Chris Engle's stuff is also readily usable with small kids.

Emily Care has some very cool tips on her site for playing games with the younger set also.
Title: Re: RPGs for young children
Post by: quozl on April 06, 2006, 11:34:58 AM
Thank you!  I have printed off a copy of Nighttime Animals Save the World and Shadows. 

Do you have links to Chris Engle and Emily Care's materials?
Title: Re: RPGs for young children
Post by: komradebob on April 06, 2006, 12:02:46 PM
Here's Chris' site (http://www.io.com/~hamster/).

The relevant page onEmily's site is here (http://www.fairgame-rpgs.com/comment?entry=20).

Here's a discussion (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=17959.0) about the game I was working on.

This is a recent discussion here on the Forge about playing more LARPish games with young kids in a classroom environement (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=18881.0).

Finally, here's an off-site thread (rpgnet)  (http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=255078)about writing a My Little Pony game, riffing off a Wizards of the Coast April Fool's joke.

Hope those help!
Title: Re: RPGs for young children
Post by: quozl on April 06, 2006, 01:22:37 PM
Those are awesome!  Thank you.  I really like what I've read about the game you're working on and The Big Night.
Title: Re: RPGs for young children
Post by: komradebob on April 07, 2006, 12:07:58 PM
Quote from: quozl on April 06, 2006, 01:22:37 PM
Those are awesome!  Thank you.  I really like what I've read about the game you're working on and The Big Night.

What's great is that a lot of folks ( like myself) who started gaming in the early 80s are now having kids reaching "gamer-training" age. Every now and again, when a worrywart bemoans the lack of younger gamers, I have to laugh- wait 'til the next wave hits!
Title: Re: RPGs for young children
Post by: Bryan Hansel on April 07, 2006, 12:11:50 PM
I played the start-up edition of Inspectres with my 9 year old niece and she loved it.  She got the game right away and went with it.  I thought that with the simple rules, it was a perfect game for her age.
Title: Re: RPGs for young children
Post by: Meguey on April 07, 2006, 04:19:59 PM
The Big Night is gold for those who can handle the Christmas Eve-ness of it.

Making a Tree (unreleased, D. Vincent Baker) plays -great- with 5-9 y.os. I hope it comes out soonish *poke*