| Post/Author/DateTime | Post |
|---|---|
| #1SephonDKJun 11, 2015 7:16:13 | I am considering volunteering at a local library to host DND sessions for children, hopefully as a club. However, it is all on my own initiative, and as such I must prepare everything from scratch. I expect the children in question to be 9-12 years.
Does anyone have experience with DM'ing for kids? Does anyone know resources? Any help is welcome.
I already know a few issues with playing with kids: - Kids usually have low attention spans, so breaks should be plentiful. Also, sessions should last no more than 2 hours, preferably just 1½ hours. - For paedagogics, one should not include too adult themes in the campaign. Extreme visceral images, sexual themes and torture isn't good here. - Lastly, I'm Danish, so there may be problems with language barriers. Danish kids are quite competent at English for their age. I used to work in a after school club for 10-11-year-olds and everyone played English computer games with no problems with the language whatsoever. But I might still want to translate stuff.
Also, I'm already aware of the following resources: http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/monsterslayers - I prefer playing normal DnD, also my age group will be older children than the product aims at. http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/being-dungeon-master-kids - This was the article that inspired me to volunteer. http://hackslashmaster.blogspot.dk/2014/10/on-practical-guide-to-playing-d-with.html - I find this article quite reasonable about handling certain situations.
(Disclaimer: I am new at this site and expect resources to exist, but I cannot for the life of me figure out the search function. If someone has a link to good in-forum resources, I don't mind being directed at them.) |
| #2akr71Jun 11, 2015 7:44:27 | You will be amazed at the energy and creativity that kids bring to the game! After a long hiatus (late 80's) from the game, my family & I bought the 5th edition Starter Set & rulebooks. It was their idea and I voluteered to DM for them. My kids are 6 and 12 and they have a blast. My daughter (the 12 year old) wants to introduce her friends to the game. She's having a sleep-over at the end of the month and I wrote a little adventure for the 4 of them.
We limit sessions to 2 hours, maybe 3 with breaks if things are going smoothly. Ages 9-12 should grasp the numbers and stats pretty quickly and they will become much more attached to the characters if you let them roll up the characters themselves. It feels more like 'theirs' than if they just picked from the pile.
I put the emphasis on fun, so I am pretty generous with the dice rolls. I allow 4d6, keep 3 for ability scores - they get 7 rolls and keep their best 6. They are heros, let them feel like it... In game rolls can be a bit lax at times too, depending on the mood at the table. However, rarely do they walk away without a scratch - they are not invincible after all.
It sounds like you are on the right track... |
| #3SynjinJun 11, 2015 8:14:20 | For "grown up" and experienced players, we DM's typically shy away from the standard D&D tropes, or put crazy twists on them. However with kids, it's the perfect opportunity to use them all day long. Kids understand remarkably well. I've played with a 9-year old in the party, and she got the hang of it super-fast once she understood her character. I asked her what's her favorite movie or TV show. She wanted someone like Dora, so she chose a Halfling Ranger. No joke, within 30 minutes, she slid underneath an Orc and stabbed it in the junk. So yeah, she's got the hang of it. LOL |
| #4ImaculataJun 12, 2015 1:22:46 | I'd definitely start with pregenererated characters, and allow the kids to pick one they like (they can choose their own name for the character of course). Making characters is a complicated affair, and takes a lot of time. So skip to the fun as fast as possible.
As for the campaign itself, I'd say focus on monsters, treasures, perils and adventures. You don't want a very complicated plot, and not a whole lot of roleplaying and dialogue either. And don't include complicated puzzles either, although a simple riddle could work. Try and think of the kind of movies, comics, cartoons and stories your audience likes, and include those themes. I think a DnD adventure for kids should focus on the imagination and adventure aspect, and not so much the roleplaying. Also, don't forget the humor. Very important. |
| #5Lobo316Jun 11, 2015 9:30:28 | I've been running my son (11), daughter and nephew (both 16). I let them create thier own characters. They took off on it. They have a great time. And you can use all the cliche storylines you want, for them it's all new. |
| #6akr71Jun 11, 2015 9:33:10 | Yes, humor is essential. My kids' group has picked up a goblin NPC - he's not around much, but when he is, I get to ham it up and they end up in fits of giggles.
When they encountered a Hag Coven and they got to see their dad cackling and screaching like the Wicked Witch of the West was pretty memorable too... |
| #7ToucJun 11, 2015 10:56:10 | When presenting options, tend to keep it like this:
Do you kick down the door, pick the lock, or something else?
Over time, kids will learn to expand the options, but initially, they may need some hints how to handle a situation. Make sure everyone gets a chance to shine. If a player has not participated much, you might have the Innkeeper point at them and say "Ask ____, he knows a lot about magic," (perhaps a farmer wants to know if there's magic to help his cow produce milk). I'd find a creative way to deal with character deaths, either by avoiding them and implementing some injuries instead or by having the character so injured upon "death" that they can no longer adventure and a new character will need to be made. Kids will get really attached to characters. |
| #8DemoMonkeyJun 11, 2015 11:26:44 | It's certainly possible to play D&D with children. But I think once you compare, you will realize the truth; it is MUCH easier to use miniatures instead. |
| #9pukunuiJun 11, 2015 14:46:52 | WotC has just released a short little introductory adventure for kids called Monster Slayers: Champions of the Elements. It's for 5-6 players, including the DM. Looks like it's worth checking out. |
| #10transcendantviewerJun 11, 2015 15:15:01 | Just remember not to make the plots overly complex or too morally ambiguous. A lot of kids like to be the hero. And don't skimp on theatrics. If a fireball hits a mob of goblins, have a few of them launch off like it was an explosion. Did they bolt a Kobold with a Lightning bolt? The kobold's miraculously not dead, but he's going to spend his next action shaking and twitching. |
| #11ImaculataJun 12, 2015 1:27:54 | Also be sure to pay attention to the more bashful players. Some children might have trouble speaking up, so be sure to give everyone equal time. Involve their class and race in the adventures. For example, if they come upon some magical mystery, inform the wizard that as a wizard he knows this-and-that. Or let the cleric know that he/she can recognize someone's illness, and cure him.
As mentioned above, be sure to often inform the kids what their options are. And go all out with the voices, ham it up. And of course, encourage them to work together. |
| #12BRJNJun 12, 2015 17:50:13 |
|
| #13ZaxFahrenheit200Jun 12, 2015 19:11:04 | Having DM'ed with kids for a few years now (they're getting to the point where I'd consider all but one of them not a kid anymore), one piece of advice is this: start at level 1, and make sure they gain a level , per session, for the first session or two, adding the new features to the character sheet yourself during one of the breaks. This is a visible/"tangible" advance in the game that they can feel from the outset. But also have them track xp as well, so they can get increasingly more excited as they near that next level. You can obviously increase the xp given from any encounter because, hey, you're the DM. Also, make sure that quest xp isn't ignored, and once they seem to be getting the hang of non-combat encounters and RP'ing, hand out xp there, too.
And then there's loot...in 5e, it's a little bit more simple, IMO, but the barbarian with a halberd? He finds a glaive off the dead body of an enemy! No difference mechanically, but the fact that his character acquired something and can now use it was super cool to the kids I DM'ed with. Or maybe he finds a greatsword instead...higher damage, but now you have to think if it's worth it moving in another square.
Finally, don't be afraid of being a stickler when you need to. Though they might be a bit too young for spell slot mechanics of a multiclassed eldritch knight/wizard/paladin, they should know they're only allowed one bonus action per round. Flipside: if you're starting at level one, leave it up to them to determine which sub-class they want to pursue, and sit down to go over the mechanics of, say, assassin vs. thief vs. arcane trickster.
Most of all, HAVE FUN! If they surprise you and seem bored to no end with dungeon grinding, then go stealth or social. As long as they're happy to play the game, they'll be happy to return to it. |
| #14FimbrialJun 13, 2015 0:31:43 | Since you're playing in a public library, you may run into a particular sort of problem player. Some parents skirt the child neglect laws by using libraries as daycare centers. The children in that situation are often attention starved, bored beyond reason, and may not even like libraries. Usually, those children can't distinguish between good attention and bad - they're thrilled to get any attention at all. To give a common game situation, imagine that attacking an enemy guard means that the DM tells them the damage and moves on to the next player. Then imagine that attacking a fellow player means that the entire table focuses on that player for twenty minutes. This player values attention, so they will take the second option every time, and they will drink up every ounce of hatred they get like its ambrosia.
I've seen that happen with three deliquent children at once, all competing for who can disrupt the game the most. It's not pretty.
If you think you have one of those chldren, and the librarians always know who they are, then you may have to rethink your usual methods. You can't punish them for inappropriate actions, because they don't understand reward vs. punishment. Instead, they understand attention vs. neglect. Using the earlier example, say that attacking a fellow player earns the short you-did-six-damage line, but attacking a guard means they get your attention (in the form of random enemies swearing vengeance and honor duels, or something like that). That would make social guard-slaying activity more attractive. You should also make it clear that no amount of acting out will earn your attention when it is not their turn.
No promises though. I've never had opportunity to test that solution, and everyone's different anyway. If that doesn't help, you can always ask them to leave. |
| #15NoonJun 13, 2015 20:31:23 |