RPG Adventure for a 4-year-old

[Stormonu]

For my two sons (both who started when they were about 5, they are now 9 & 7), we used the 3.5 basic set (and also the old Mentzer D&D set). My elder son was already a whiz at math, but my younger son has just enough trouble properly recognizing the number he rolled on a d20. Still, both have proven to be quite ingenious - the younger actually figured how to get the two out of pit trap they'd fallen into when they didn't have any rope, for example.

Recently, we found a PDF game called Kids, Castles & Caves on RPGNow. It's a lot like a kid-friendly version of OD&D, uses d6s, and I'll bet your daughter will want to play the fairy character in the game.

 

[MortonStromgal]

Mouse Guard... You may have to handwave some of the rules in the beginning but thats ok its all about fun anyway. Plus you can pick up the comic in your comic book store

 

[nedjer]

There's a pretty dramatic difference between a 4 year old and even a 6 year old. A few Papo, Schleich or Safari figures; some Playmobil 'baddies' and 'lets a make a story' like I do with my mates but for us'. Hour a go, limited prompting, add stone/ paper/ scissors and simple dice as it fits in. Done.

Alternatively you could remove the most valaueable educational benefits and most of the spontaneous fun by making her play with fixed rules, (and random decisions by dice), which'll will train her to let other people make her choices for her, stick to solving problems/ challenges procedurally, and to avoid creative thinking.

Whatever you go for you'll never have a greater influence and long term effect on her than when playing regularly with her over the next year. So it's maybe worth being clear on whether she's learning to play like/ for you or with you

 

[Rel]

Here's the thread about the "adventures" of my daughter when she was 3. It's more of a LARP than TTRPG but maybe it'll be of help to you.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-...ntha-red-pictures-included-updated-8-5-a.html

 

[TikkchikFenTikktikk]

Thank you all very much for all the responses.

The various recommended games and systems are interesting and I'll look into them when I have a chance.

But I'd rather not spend any money if I can help it and I'd rather stick to something vaguely D&Dish since I'm familiar with rolling d20s, setting DCs, and the six ability scores. I would rather not spend any precious time learning a new system.

I'm much more interested in what kind of stories and--more importantly--challenges you've successfully put in front of a four-year-old during play that are interesting but don't involve violence as a primary resolution mechanism. Well, a little rational violence is OK, but definitely no traditional "kill monster, take stuff" gaming.

"The Quests of Samantha the Red" is a great example of what I was looking for. Anyone else done anything like that?

One thing I've been planning is taking liberally from Avatar: the Last Airbender television series. While there was a lot of fighting in it, there was also a lot of really clever episodes like trying to convince two tribes to cross a dangerous canyon together. Man, I love that show so much.

 

[Abciximab]

I have stories my early games with me 4 year old daughter (see the link in my sig). There are a few stories in the thread about gaming with both of my children at a young age.

Using the Last Airbender as a model is a good idea, my 5 year old son loves the animated series and describes many of the attacks of his (4th Ed.) Wizard as things he saw in that show. He loves the push/pull effects.

My son doesn't read yet, my daughter does - both need only a little help now and overall they do really well playing a simplified 4th ed (no attacks of opportunity is the biggest change).

 

[nedjer]

"The Quests of Samantha the Red" is a great example of what I was looking for. Anyone else done anything like that?

Yeah. Don't get enough time to type it up but there are a couple of 1:1 Actual Play posts HERE. Kid's a bit older now, so this is reflected in the play; which was, unusually, quite combative for the player.

We use the Treasure rules as a very loose framework and the 'mechanics' are marked in the text because of the guy who asked to see the APs at the Purple Place. There's another post on my disk somewhere but I've not tidied it up yet.

A 3-6 year-old wouldn't be able to structure and prompt play on this level - plus apply the mechanics (clinically) and identify opportunities to interact with the 'environment'/ go freeform. So you've a tricky line to walk between prompting and structuring without running the show - beware tired child - and it'll be so worth it

 

[nedjer]

Here's the thread about the "adventures" of my daughter when she was 3. It's more of a LARP than TTRPG but maybe it'll be of help to you.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-...ntha-red-pictures-included-updated-8-5-a.html

wtf? she didn't get to keep the Rainbow Cat I gotta go read the rest now to see if the Rainbow Cat turns up again . . . ?

 

[jimmifett]

I ran this (Heroes of Hesiod) for my 5yo daughter a few weeks ago. She loves "dundee" as she calls it and plays with my minis. Fire and water elementals kiss to make storm elemental babies, feeding minis to the giant red dragon ... mini?

With the Hesiod game, she picked the sword guy and wife played the rest. Wife and her colored the players and monsters and i colored the map. Afterwards, i awarded her the badge you get in the game, and she colored it and stashed in her bookshelf to eventually take to show and tell.

When playing normal 4e, she likes to be a wizard so she can cast magic missile, miming Iron Man hand lasers and shouting "pew pew pew", as well as using shocking armor i think was the spell, to "turn that guy into a pikachu".

 

[cdrcjsn]

I ran across this a while back: https://docs.google.com/View?id=dct676c8_142fk56pjc9

Seems like a perfect game for youngsters.