My kids are young and we play DND, and I’ve spent a lot of time partnered with a elementary and middle schools to run D&D clubs, so I run a lot of games for kids. I even wrote down some rough rules for a game I ran with my son, when he was 5 or 6. I get asked every now and again for advice, so I this time I wrote it down.
Question 1 – 5e or something else?
When thinking about running a game for kids, this has to be the first question. Kids know D&D. They talk about D&D, and their parents know D&D. I worked with a homeschool co-op running their TTRPG club, and I felt bad. The main organizers kid was really into TTRPGs and really into Star Wars. He wanted me to run SAGA edition games, but no one cared. He couldn’t get anyone to show up. But when we ran D&D? We’d always have a table. Running the namesake game of the hobby works, and its a good enough reason to keep doing it.
But think on it some. Do you want to explain to the kids that this is actually Pathfinder 1e, an older revison of the 3.5 that many think is an improvement. You’ll see 5e published today, but … you know you’ve lost them. Thats a hard sell to invested nerds who want to play TTRPGs. Do you really want to do it with kids who’ve never heard of pathfinder, or their parents who barely get what a TTRPG is? So 5e right?
The thing is though. 5e is kind of terrible for kids games. There’s a reason its 13+. Some smart kids can do it younger than that, but its rare. And finding 4-5 of them is even rarer. And keep in mind, just because they can, doesn’t mean they want to. They are going to get bored.
If there’s no real driver for it, I’d recommend something ultra rules light that you can explain in minutes. Something where the game is resolved with a single die roll now and again, and mostly improv. Kids will have more fun doing it, and it will keep them hooked. But you’ve got to accept that its Coke, not Soda. And I’d like a diet mellow yellow as my coke of choice.
If you’re playing D&D, there are some things you can do to make it better. These mostly apply to other games too, and you should absolutely do as many as you can. The closer you can get your game to improv theater, the better it will be recieved. As the kids hit 13 and above, slowly add more rules to it. A game for a 6 year old and a 13 year old should be very different.
Roll With It: I don’t roll with stuff in my games very much. If theres a rule, I’m going to go use it, and if its abstract, maybe the DM might let it work, but its way outside the rules, I’m probably steering away. In kids games? Its the opposite. roll with anything they throw at you. Sure that will work. Oh, neat idea, lets do it! If they have something really far fetched, follow it up with a “How does that work”. Half the time they will back down with a “I was just kidding”. The other half, it is apparently important to them, and I roll with it, even if I know that’s not actually how you make bronze. It doesn’t matter, just let them be right.
Fast and Loose: In addition to rolling with their suggestions, don’t look things up. However you remember it working is close enough, and if you don’t remember an off the cuff ruling is fine. Opening the book mid session is a death sentance.
Low DCs: In 5e, I’m doing lots of low DC checks. If they get a 15+ it works, 10+ it works if they really want, and less than 10 fails. Don’t set DCs higher than that. You’re letting them win even more than you do with adults. Which BTW, you should realize you’re doing as a DM, right?
Start at Level 1: Level 1 sucks. Its boring, and I can’t wait to be level 7+. But these are kids who haven’t played, and probably won’t read the rules. Start at level 1, and level them twice as slow as normal. It takes them time to learn new abilities, so let them play with it. Keeping the numbers low, and ammount of abilities low helps a ton.
Don’t use Feats: Don’t use feats, or any optinonal complexity adding rules. Yeah. 5e is a bit static with minimal to no choices without feats. That choice is what will grind a kids game to a halt. No choices, no complexity.
Use Premades: Speaking of no choices. Ideally use premades if you can. If you can’t, only bring the PHB and limit them to that. You’ll inevitbly have one nerdy kid bring splat books. Let him. Don’t offer splats, and don’t encourage others to use them, but let that nerd do it. He read the rules, or will before the next game, and he wants complexity. His friend who didn’t even bring a pencil? Human fighter. And remember, you and I have played or seen hundreds of human fighters. These kids? Its their first one. If you are letting the kids make their own PCs, highlight the two good choices for any options and encourage those. Yes, there are 20 level 1 spells. There are 3 good ones, focus there. If they want to pick a bad option, don’t fight it. Just let them do it and move on. They won’t notice that its terrible, no matter how bad it is. In fact, your pre-mades should be easy to play, not good. Its time for the champion fighter to shine.
Easy Fights: I mentioned low DCs earlier, but you also want lots of quick, easy fights. They don’t like to lose, and panic a lot faster than adults. Go with lots of fights the party can win quickly. 2-4 rounds is your ideal length. These should be things your adult players would steamroll.
The TTRPG Factory 