D&D 5E Kids playing dnd?

[Salamandyr]

What I've done in the past is just run it, let them engage at the level that they want and are able to. Kids are far more intelligent than we give them credit for being, and it's better to give them more than you think they can handle (because you'll always underestimate them) and expect them to rise to the challenge, than to give them too little and fail to engage them. About the only thing I would do for under 10's is institute a no pc death rule--at 0 hp they're "knocked out" and possibly captured, but otherwise go with it.

None of the "children's rpg's" I've seen has been worth the pickle in my opinion. Much like rock and roll, rpgs should be something "grown up" that kids feel a little transgressive when they get to enjoy too. Just let them play the real thing, with the grown ups, and let them feel like grown ups too.

EDIT: also: it's okay if the kids don't like D&D, or other rpg's. Just let them know they are welcome if they do want to join and let it be their decision.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

My suggestion is to see the toon class from the wiki of litle red goblin, and if you can, the joker class from Dragon Compedium by Paizo (a rogue with some magic tricks). About stories you could create antagonists to be healed, not killed, like in akumas from "Prodigious: adventures of Ladybug and Cait Noir" o monsters to be catched in a "box" like the ghosbusters.

Add dinosaurs, children love dinosaurs and prehistoric beasts, and softer version of werebeasts, for example the wererats. Other source of inspiration to create new stories may be old cartoons, for example by Hanna Barbera. Fairy tales from classic folklore can be other source of inspiration.

Have you thought about use kenders in your story?

Suggest them to create new characters, their own stories and a fantasy world.

 

[hawkeyefan]

Just played our first game of No Thank You, Evil and it went really well! My 4 year old enjoyed it. In order to hold her attention, I had to keep throwing challenges at her so she could roll dice; she was more into that than the make believe/story kind of stuff. That was a bit surprising to me, but worked out fine.

I’d recommend the game for young kids of 4 to 6 or 7, for sure. The game has three levels of complexity, so as kids get comfortable with it, you can dial things up a bit.

 

[Azzy]

Heh, my fam and I introduced my niece and nephew to a simple 3.5 dungeon crawl when they were 9 & 8 (respectively). My nephew (now 16) just recently started playing 5e after being a bit of a 3.5 holdout.

 

[LordEntrails]

Lots of great advice in this thread. I will only add some things I didn't see mentioned.

Very rough rule of thumb is that kids can hold attention when they like something for about 10 minutes per year of age. And that's if they really are absorbed in it. I would plan for half of that. So a 6 year old (6x10/2) for 30 minutes and a 10 year old (10x10/2) for 50 minutes.

When I started with my son at about 6 years old, we used Lego minifigs. One for him, one for me, and two wolfs for companions. The wolves were models after our family dogs, and I made sure they wouldn't die!

We started by me explaining the stats, and then asking him which his character was best at, etc. Then using the standard array I assigned the stats in order. Similar with the classes, and I kept it to the 4 from the Basic Rules.

 

[S'mon]

For young kids, I might well choose to start them on something else - "No Thank You, Evil" for example.

Back in my day, my first game was actually Tunnels and Trolls - a good choice, as it was rather simpler than D&D, and didn't require the GM to edit things down.

The first full RPG I started playing with my son age 5-6 was Mentzer Classic D&D - at his request he started as a 4th level Magic-User* riding a white dragon, he wasn't interested in 1st level play. That worked really well; especially the listening to what he wanted in setting up the game. I showed him Elmore and Frazetta pics and he chose an Elmore-style high fantasy campaign in Mystara, rather than Frazetta swords & sorcery. To start with we played for only about an hour; by about 8 he could play Classic with grownups for 3 hours, and then 5e full 4-5 hour sessions.

*He got to M-U 18 and Duke-Sultan of Alasiya 25 game-years later, before being Disintegrated by a Heldannic War Bird's Blight Belcher in the final apocalyptic battle over the skies of Ostland, where a bunch of campaign BBEGs died too. There were some tears but he took it like a man.

 

[alienux]

My son started playing when he was about 7. We didn't really use any house rules, or dumb things down, but just kind of helped him know what to do mechanics-wise when he said what he wanted to do. In no time, he was doing most of it on his own.

 

[Aiden_Keller_]

I DM before and after school EVERYDAY at the Middle/High School where I teach.

I also play a game on the weekend with adults only (18 up) and a married couple brings their 10 year old kid who is WAY to knowledgable for his own good!

I would say depends on the kid/parent.

 

[Aiden_Keller_]

Lots of great advice in this thread. I will only add some things I didn't see mentioned.

Very rough rule of thumb is that kids can hold attention when they like something for about 10 minutes per year of age. And that's if they really are absorbed in it. I would plan for half of that. So a 6 year old (6x10/2) for 30 minutes and a 10 year old (10x10/2) for 50 minutes.

When I started with my son at about 6 years old, we used Lego minifigs. One for him, one for me, and two wolfs for companions. The wolves were models after our family dogs, and I made sure they wouldn't die!

We started by me explaining the stats, and then asking him which his character was best at, etc. Then using the standard array I assigned the stats in order. Similar with the classes, and I kept it to the 4 from the Basic Rules.

Great point!

I only hold a 1-2 hour session for the middle school children I DM for.

The dog thing cracked me up!

 

[LordEntrails]

The dog thing cracked me up!

We had a pair of Great Pyrenees, so having wolf companions wasn't too far a stretch for him to relate. (Actually, wolves are smaller than GPs.)