How do I give the Gift of Game?

[Rechan]

I want to get kids into D&D. But I know no real kids to do so, besides a 14 year old, very quiet aunt's-boyfriend's-son, and I don't really know him.

Earlier, I asked about a D&D camp to do this, but that is a very big undertaking to set up if there isn't a regional one. There's a "Kids after school" place in my town, but when I checked in the spring, they actually had someone teaching D&D there. And while there is a LGS, transportation there is difficult for me.

So, is there just a place that I can just donate a starter box or some gaming books so that kids will use them? Doing that for the library leads to theft.

I care about the hobby but do not have the available people to spread it right now. What can I do now?

 

[Nagol]

A couple of possibilities stand out for me:

Check with local schools for after-school clubs/rec centres.

Check with local kid's hospitals; they often accept toy/game donations for the kids to use and the donations get sorted by age grouping.

No guarantee it'll get used since it needs a group by its base nature, but it at least becomes an alternative and may get read and whet an appetite.

 

[Jeffrey]

A few more ideas:

Check with the local game shop and see if they have someone who can run something like D&D Encounters or Pathfinder Society if you were to buy and donate prizes - these could be raffled off or awarded at the end of the game. Might be just the kind of nudge needed to get people to attend.

The library is not a bad idea, theft aside. Why not see if you can donate a Kindle/Nook copy of Castles and Crusades (or any other rpg that appears in the right format. Sadly, neither D&D nor Pathfinder have been released in anything but .pdf yet). This way there is access to it without having to worry about it disappearing.

Check too with the Boys/Girls club in your area. Local Jay-Cees. Often, the police department runs programs for kids after school and such.

Heck, put an ad in the paper!

I admire your outlook. Having the desire and ability to spread the love of gaming to youngsters is a very valuable trait. I hope you make good use of it. Best of luck!

 

[Gilladian]

Your local library might be a good place to check with to see if they would like you to come do a PROGRAM during summer reading club - if they have a TEEN reading club, in particular, they might love to have you come and do a LARP session or a one-shot tabletop game for 3-4 hours.

One hint - find out what the State summer reading club theme for teens is this summer and design whatever "pitch" you make to take advantage of it. For example, this summer's teen reading club theme in Texas is "Teen Scene Investigates: Realm of the Unknown". Long, and kinda odd, but it would perfectly fit a Cthulhu game, either modern or 1920's... and steampunk is the "IN" genre, so if you can take advantage of that as well, you're wayyyy ahead...

 

[IronWolf]

I think checking out the local library's meeting space might be a good idea. There is a gentleman on twitter who runs an open gaming session at his local library. I believe it is an open session, he shows up with a few available games to play and then runs for the people that show up.

 

[Roland55]

Have you thought about the Scouts? Boy ... Girl ... cub??

These are generally bright, active kids. You might make a difference.

 

[darjr]

A local high school sponsors a gaming club and hosts a game day as a fund raiser for itself and a local $5 and I run games and bring others every year.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

This may sound odd, given the seemingly common views of gamers and religion, but you may want to see if any local churches have a youth group that might be interested. You may want to start with the Unitarians.

My first game of D&D took place in the basement of the Unitarian church in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. A Catholic priest was a player (running a cleric - an unctuous, conniving, usurious, awful cleric).

The Auld Grump, I was Catholic myself, at the time.

 

[Rechan]

Thanks guys.

Ideally I was hoping there was just a place I could donate the PF Beginner's Box, knowing that it would get used. But I'll check into these places, even if I might have to roll up my sleeves and get in there myself.

 

[Thagdal]

I'd start with the library. You want a public place where you don't need to worry about liability or issues with accusations if you are meeting unknown kids.

IME schools are less likely to want untrained/uncleared staff running events. Here (Aus) it's almost mandorty everywhere working with kids to have a police clearance, so you need to consider that, and if the cost is worth it. Though on the flip side, you might be able to run an session as part of the after school care program and get paid for what you enjoy gaming.

Most schools will take donations of just about any board game looking thing, so that's an option too - but you may not get to witness it being used.

If you are going to give away copies of the basic kit, then library isn't a bad choice - if it does get stolen you've still achieved your aim

Lots of charities have 'leave a gift' Christmas trees (for next year obviously) where you could leave a box or two.