What is the minimum age to learn tabletop RPGS?

[Scalenex]

I'm almost 40. My friend (who I played RPG with for 20 years) wants to introduce his sons (twins), to RPGs someday and he invited me to help. They are three, going on four. Obviously, four is too young. Can kids play RPGs as soon as they can read and do basic math or is that too soon?

I'm assuming we'd plan age appropriate challenges and bad guys so no Lovecraftian horror or GoTesque adult escapades.

But where is one old enough to understand and enjoy table top RPGs, assuming we made a kid friendly campaign.

The kids really like superheroes (DC and Marvel). I understand this might be a phase and they could get bored of superheroes in a few years, but I have general notion that I could run a super hero based RPG as the Game Master.

As much as me and my friend love classic fantasy I think superheroes is probably the best bet. It's easy to come up with kid friendly villains like bank robbers and the like.

I'm thinking the twins could play heroes could play characters with whatever super powers they think are cool while their dad could be a third player playing an unpowered hero, a character similar to Batman or Nick Fury, who lacks raw might but has much wisdom, so if the twins get off track, their father (in character) can guide them back to the story.

How do you guys introduce your kids to RPGs?

[Batcathat]

Probably depends a lot on the system. If it was something fairly rules light (if I were to introduce young kids to roleplaying, I'd probably go with something like Risus), maybe like six? Most kids are good at playing pretend, so attaching a couple of rules to that shouldn't be that hard to follow.

Me and my friends started playing when we were about eleven and while we could have benefited from someone to explain the rules to us (it probably took a couple of years until all the misunderstandings about the rules were cleared up), I think that age or a little younger should work for more complex rules.

Though at the end of the day, it probably depends most on the kids in question. I've met adults who can never wrap their head around roleplaying and I'm sure there are five-year-olds that are the RPG equivalent of Mozart. :smallsmile:

[Vahnavoi]

Kids can and do play make-believe before they learn how to read or count. Most can get the idea of what you do in a roleplaying game by the age of 4, so if they have an adult to serve as a game master, that's when they can start learning it.

The earliest age for independently picking up tabletop roleplaying (= where kids become able of learning the rules from a book and serving as GMs to other kids) is around 9 or 10. That's the age I started the hobby (without adult supervision or teaching), that's the age where most of my peers started it.

The way I was introduced to tabletop roleplaying games was via Cyberpunk. My classmate had found the books and wanted to run an adventure, which involved fighting the mafia, debt slavery, etc. I was introduced to fantasy gaming shortly after by another classmate who found old BECMI rules and modules and wanted to run them. This was also the where I became capable of independently installinh and operating computer games, including roguelikes and other complex games requiring a second language.

[Anonymouswizard]

Kids can and do play make-believe before they learn how to read or count. Most can get the idea of what you do in a roleplaying game by the age of 4, so if they have an adult to serve as a game master, that's when they can start learning it.

Eh, it depends, I think they'd learn freeform fine, I'm not convinced that they'd do well with anything mechanical. At four at least some (but possibly not all) children can read a character sheet, but possible not understand it. Yes even for very simple games.

I suspect six to eight might be a better age for most kids. Able to read enough to make their own characters, but maturity might be a factor. I think I was about ten when I learnt, which would have put my younger brothers into that age range. But there's no strict 'this old is old enough', even if a kid can get with the rules they might not have the patience for a game.

I'll note that there are games out there designed for kids. Hero Kids is apparently very good, but I've only read the First Fable book (aimed at I think running for 8 year olds). It's simple, and has since interesting ideas in it, including the idea that the players decide how risky they want combat to be (via stating how much damage will take them out of the fight, higher amounts leads to harsher penalties for being taken out*). It could do with a bit more discussion of going beyond the four provided character types (animal tamer, fairy, knight, and pirate), but searching for a similar system that fits their interests could be helpful.

* I really, really like this, and think more games could use such a system.

[noob]

You can play tabletop rpgs (but not all of them) as soon as you can speak fluently.
Not all tabletop rpgs involves written stuff or non trivial rules or rules the players needs to know.

[Vahnavoi]

Eh, it depends, I think they'd learn freeform fine, I'm not convinced that they'd do well with anything mechanical. At four at least some (but possibly not all) children can read a character sheet, but possible not understand it. Yes even for very simple games.

Children are capable of some logic and can follow spoken and visual instructions before they can read or do complex math. Mechanics are fine when they don't rely on the written word, just look at various children's games and board games. Heck, even look at children playing with Lego blocks or other construction sets. I was capable of building a whole Lego set independently from an instruction leaflet at age 4, I didn't learn to read untill 6.

The alternative is to use game mechanics designed with teaching in mind and use the game itself as vehicle for learning the reading and math skills required. That's how I learned English.

"Doing well" by adult standards isn't the point. If the kids are having fun while developing a skill, that is doing well, even if older RPG hobbyists would sneer at what the kids are doing in the game.

[Imbalance]

Run brief scenarios using HeroClix and start soon. Used lots are pitifully cheap on eBay. The kids will love the toys, the dial handles the mechanics, and the dice will teach them math.

[Batcathat]

Children are capable of some logic and can follow spoken and visual instructions before they can read or do complex math. Mechanics are fine when they don't rely on the written word, just look at various children's games and board games. Heck, even look at children playing with Lego blocks or other construction sets. I was capable of building a whole Lego set independently from an instruction leaflet at age 4, I didn't learn to read untill 6.

Now I'm suddenly curious if it would be possible to design an RPG that could be explained completely without text, in the style of instructions for Lego or IKEA furniture. Obviously it wouldn't be necessary for what's discussed in this thread, since an adult could help explain, but the idea is interesting.

[Anonymouswizard]

Children are capable of some logic and can follow spoken and visual instructions before they can read or do complex math. Mechanics are fine when they don't rely on the written word, just look at various children's games and board games. Heck, even look at children playing with Lego blocks or other construction sets. I was capable of building a whole Lego set independently from an instruction leaflet at age 4, I didn't learn to read untill 6.

The alternative is to use game mechanics designed with teaching in mind and use the game itself as vehicle for learning the reading and math skills required. That's how I learned English.

"Doing well" by adult standards isn't the point. If the kids are having fun while developing a skill, that is doing well, even if older RPG hobbyists would sneer at what the kids are doing in the game.

True, which is why I was being vague. With a specifically designed character sheet that doesn't get too detailed? I'm sure a 4 year old can handle it. Your average rules medium sheet that an adult gets easily? Not so much.

But yes, it's fully possible to teach a 4 year old to play an RPG. I think I'd still remain freeform at that age though, because who cares if be adults think an RPG needs sheets and dice. If you want to bring such elements into it I think you're right that you use it as a teaching tool, and I'd argue you still keep it incredibly freeform.

I think the real thing here is that, for to m such young kids, look to see if it's related to what they like. Are they reading and/or playing board games? Definitely go for it and user it to help them learn. Otherwise I'd worry that you'd lose the kid, but a parent knows their kid best.

I could read at 4, one of the best in my year, but an RPG would have bored me. Might not have by six, certainly not by 8.

Honestly, if you asked me how old a cold has to be to be introduced to structured roleplay I'd have said four is probably about right. Maybe get some visual aids or toys to help out, but keep it very freeform. Introduce dice if you want, but presubmit keep it as a 'if you're good you need a four or better' level, depending on the kids. But tabletop RPGs are a bigger best where I'd personally wait a couple of years. But every child is different.

[Imbalance]

Now I'm suddenly curious if it would be possible to design an RPG that could be explained completely without text, in the style of instructions for Lego or IKEA furniture. Obviously it wouldn't be necessary for what's discussed in this thread, since an adult could help explain, but the idea is interesting.

Like this, maybe?

http://web.archive.org/web/20021001153946im_/http://wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/marvel/images/TopDownSPidey1.jpg

[sktarq]

Okay, so my friends and I learned D&D (BECMI) only from the book starting on my 7th birthday...

Worked fine. I doubt we were all that RAW for a year or three.

I have taught kids (and not too bright ones) around age 9 and 10 DnD 5e (pugmire) and they were also fine. Its a lot easier if parents play with it is also easier.

Honestly for a simpler system. I'd say age 6 or so.

[PhoenixPhyre]

I ran a (very successful) D&D 5e oneshot with my nephews and nieces when they were ages ~7-10. They knew nothing before hand. They've since taken up the hobby for real, with one of them running several games for family and friends. Used pregen characters, but that's about it.

During that game, one of the younger nephews (age ~5) really really really wanted to play. So during the first game he helped me decide what the monsters would do, and in the second (with adults in the family) we let him be an awakened chipmunk. He just said what his chipmunk wanted to do (bite the zombie) and handled the mechanics. His attention span was...not enough for a full session, so he drifted in and out. But he had fun, and is now (several years later) one of my better roleplayers of that group of kids.

I'd start even at 4 with including them narratively. Asking them to help you run things (decide what monsters do, etc) non-mechanically. Get them used to thinking in that way. By 7 or so, they can learn mechanics just fine. Easier, in fact, I think, than many adults. Kids that age are sponges for information, in my experience.

[LibraryOgre]

I started my son on systemless gaming at 3, and on a game with an actual system (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/222950/Amazing-Tales-complete-kids-RPG?affiliate_id=315505) at 4. He ran his first game the third session we played (https://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/2020/06/han-solo-jedi-knight.html). My daughter has proven less interested.

[Anonymouswizard]

Now I'm suddenly curious if it would be possible to design an RPG that could be explained completely without text, in the style of instructions for Lego or IKEA furniture. Obviously it wouldn't be necessary for what's discussed in this thread, since an adult could help explain, but the idea is interesting.

It's an interesting challenge, seeing as an RPG is a lot more open embedded. I could possibly do a simple miniatures wargame, and could definitely make a fully pictorial character sheet for an existing game (and might try a one shot where players have to create their characters via a pictorial sheet), but I'm not quite sure of a fully fledged RPG.

It's probably possible, I'm just not sure how you'd explain some of the more open ended concepts.

Heck, there's some existing symbols we can take advantage of. A bulging bicep for a strength stat, use a sword, spear, or pistol to signify weapons and a helmet for armour, spells are represented via once of the more well known magic circle designs....

While it's not a proper RPG, I think I could possibly redesign HeroQuest's instructions to include no letters or numbers, at the loss of some clarity.

[Quertus]

Quick answer, I've taught multiple 7-year-olds to play D&D 3e with greater mechanical competence than many of my college-educated adult friends played 2e.

So, 7.

[JNAProductions]

I started my son on systemless gaming at 3, and on a game with an actual system (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/222950/Amazing-Tales-complete-kids-RPG?affiliate_id=315505) at 4. He ran his first game the third session we played (https://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/2020/06/han-solo-jedi-knight.html). My daughter has proven less interested.

On the one hand, I'd be royally irked if a GM told me what my character did without explicit mind control or something.

On the other hand, he's four. I'll cut him some slack. :P

Awesome parenting, though!

[Chauncymancer]

As there are rpgs specifically marketed as being playable by 6 year olds, I believe a sufficiently precocious 4 year old probably could learn to play with some handholding, and a bright 5 year old can probably do okay.

[Imbalance]

Heck, there's some existing symbols we can take advantage of. A bulging bicep for a strength stat, use a sword, spear, or pistol to signify weapons and a helmet for armour, spells are represented via once of the more well known magic circle designs....

Like this, maybe?

http://web.archive.org/web/20071029075833im_/https://www.wizkidsgames.com/mageknight/images/MK2Dial.jpg

[noob]

Quick answer, I've taught multiple 7-year-olds to play D&D 3e with greater mechanical competence than many of my college-educated adult friends played 2e.

So, 7.

It is not a minimum age: it is an age at which it is guaranteed there is children able to but maybe some of those could have played dnd at 6 year old.

[Anonymouswizard]

Like this, maybe?

http://web.archive.org/web/20071029075833im_/https://www.wizkidsgames.com/mageknight/images/MK2Dial.jpg

Remove the words and I'd have issues working some of those out. But at a very basic idea, yes.

[Psyren]

I was at a local con this past weekend and saw some very young children (<9) playing 5e. It really depends on the complexity of the system and the engagement from their parents and peers, but I think tabletop as a whole is doable quite early on.

[gijoemike]

You are there already.


I had my daughter play several games of Amazing Tales - a very rules light RPG storytelling system for very very young kids, when she was 4. Look this up on Amazon or Google ---> Amazing Tales: A Game for Children Who Love Adventures Revised Edition (AMZ002).

The game is super heavy make believe. The little kid(s) makes whatever they want and says they are good at 3 things. The game suggests drawing and coloring a detailed picture of what your character looks like. The best thing they can do is a d12, the next is a d8, and the last is d6. Dice can range from d12 down to d4. Things they can do and are good at are left up to the child. eg (cast magic, hide, make friends, paint pictures, defend friends, dance) The child rolls all dice and succeeds on a 3+. Failure doesn't mean death, or losing. It means the story changes and the kid has to choose and make up another way to solve the issue at hand. Killer robots attack the pony princess? Make friends is at a d8 while kick'em in the head is only a d4. What does your child choose?

The party always wins. The kids can loot maim and destroy the aliens and robots that attack. This is about the story you make up with said kid.

It introduces story and storytelling, placing yourself into the shoes of a character in the story, making that character, problem solving with limited choices, if multiple kids are playing it introduces team work, role of storyteller/GM and player, and dice determining success or failure.


My daughter loved this game. My other kids are now old enough we can have a larger party.

I would suggest taking a good look at the system, there are many helpful suggestions and adventure hooks. There is also a bit more structure than I have posted about here.

[LibraryOgre]

On the one hand, I'd be royally irked if a GM told me what my character did without explicit mind control or something.

On the other hand, he's four. I'll cut him some slack. :P

Awesome parenting, though!

He wanted me to be a Jedi... but he told me I was Han Solo. I played Han Solo.

[Quertus]

It is not a minimum age: it is an age at which it is guaranteed there is children able to but maybe some of those could have played dnd at 6 year old.

Touché. It is the minimum age that I have observed repeatedly. I can guarantee that the minimum age is at least this low.

Clearly, I failed to utilize my patented traditional verbosity, and my clarity and accuracy suffered accordingly. Brevity is, for me, the essence of "oops" :smallredface:

[ngilop]

I understand that I might be a bit of an outlier. But i started RPGs at age 5 with 1st ed AD&D, but that was because i was already into weird kind of games (i was already making semi-rpg rules to go along with my board game it seems) and the fact i was already super into mythology and history and would be reading about either of those two subjects at any given time.


I think the hardest thing for being young is the ability to be interested in one thing for several hours at that point in your life, and somehow even though I have severe ADHD, like RPGs manage to keep my attention for some reason, LOL.

[Ettina]

I think the hardest thing for being young is the ability to be interested in one thing for several hours at that point in your life, and somehow even though I have severe ADHD, like RPGs manage to keep my attention for some reason, LOL.

One of the possible features of ADHD is hyperfocusing, where if something happens to catch your interest, you effortlessly focus on it for hours, losing track of time. It's also an autistic trait, I'm autistic and hyperfocus a lot.

[tomandtish]

Okay, so my friends and I learned D&D (BECMI) only from the book starting on my 7th birthday...

Worked fine. I doubt we were all that RAW for a year or three.

I have taught kids (and not too bright ones) around age 9 and 10 DnD 5e (pugmire) and they were also fine. Its a lot easier if parents play with it is also easier.

Honestly for a simpler system. I'd say age 6 or so.

Started at 8 (1977) with the basic set. Switched to Advanced in 1980 when I started DMing (11).

It really just depends on the capabilities/maturity of the child/children in question.

[Calthropstu]

7-8 seems about the minimum. 6 seems too young. Not able to give it attention. The 7 year old I played with in pfs had quite a bit of trouble focusing on the game at first and needed someone to help her make her character (her dad did that with a little input from myself and others)

It was a lot of fun helping them play her first game. Only problem seems to be either: the kids try too often to steal the spotlight to themselves or they don't chime in due to fear of butting in on grown ups.

[farothel]

Things like The Secrets of Cats and Mouse Guard you can play with fairly young children. I would start at 6 or 7, but from other people here it's possible to start even younger. I would be very careful on what system I would use then.

[GeoffWatson]

There are RPGs (and RPG/boardgame hybrids) designed for young children.

[J-H]

My boys are ages 7 & 4.
The 7 year old plays Stratego, Go, Chess, and will read for 2-3 hours a day if we let him. He can probably handle most of D&D 5e, but his decision-making skills will be poor. We're still doing multiplication, so factoring & division and fractions are not there, meaning he doesn't have great probability-assessment tools.

The 4 year old prefers to count to 20 by skipping 16 and 17 every time.

I've been doing a d6-based "Knights & Dinosaurs" game with them. I made a basic hexmap (about 6x8 or 8x8), assigned about 6 different terrain types, created a d10 encounter table for each terrain type, and put one unique encounter in each hex, plus a very rudimentary system for generating cave sizes and contents.
They've had a lot of fun with it and have almost filled in the map (except the ocean, they don't have boats).

Exploration, they get.
Combat, they mostly get.
Social interaction has been the hardest part. They were baffled when they walked into a blacksmith's shop looking for swords and he asked why they were standing there. They didn't know what to say.

So we have a couple of years yet before I can start DMing. I'd say about age 10-12 for full-on 5e. Maybe a bit later.

[Squire Doodad]

I started my son on systemless gaming at 3, and on a game with an actual system (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/222950/Amazing-Tales-complete-kids-RPG?affiliate_id=315505) at 4. He ran his first game the third session we played (https://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/2020/06/han-solo-jedi-knight.html). My daughter has proven less interested.

That has brought true joy to my heart :smallbiggrin:
That's an amazing story, and it's heartwarming a kid having fun making stories like that so young.

[Mendicant]

I started my son on systemless gaming at 3, and on a game with an actual system (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/222950/Amazing-Tales-complete-kids-RPG?affiliate_id=315505) at 4. He ran his first game the third session we played (https://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/2020/06/han-solo-jedi-knight.html). My daughter has proven less interested.


I started my son w Amazing Tales at age 4 also. Works great and has grown w him. It's very freeform but the simple.mechanics it does have he understands and enjoys. The book is really worth it just for the advice on how to play an RPG w small kids.

[Aerys]

I think it really depends on the child. Motivation and excitement really can affect how quickly they learn. After years of seeing his dad and friends play D&D and being told he was "too young", my friend's son was excited to play at age 6. We started the Lost Mine of Phandelver with the D&D starter set. He had ownership with his own dice and was just excited to finally be "let in" on the game.

It only lasted a few sessions, but it was interesting to see him experiencing the idea of role-playing for the first time. It made us have more fun with playing the character. We disagreed on how much latitude to give him with the rules, but I would err on the side of the rule of cool with kids and not limit their imagination with RAW right away. I think they'll naturally want to learn the ins and outs of the rules as they get older, but you can plant the seeds.

I think whatever the system you can simplify it if needed. You could play D&D with just a d20 like I've seen on some streams, mirroring PbtA games. 1-5 failure with a consequence, 6-10 success with a cost, 11-15 success, 16-20 success and added benefit. Then have them find items that give them bonuses and abilities like D&D 1e.

[KineticDiplomat]

I recall an old saying from the real world: “friends don’t let friends teach friends how to ski”. The competence differential and the personal dynamics involved rarely work out well. If you’ve ever been a ski patrol type, you’re quite familiar with an angry and terrified significant other freaking out on a slope the better “teacher” decided to go on, perhaps after convincing said SO that skiing was lots of fun, it was important to them, they’d really enjoy it, etc.

The same applies here.

I tend to think while there are probably many ages children could start at, a parent figure forcing the start and then being the one running/playing the game has far more potential downsides than up. If you really want your kids to learn the joys of TTRPGs, influencing them to play with you for your own fun is not a great idea…let them play somewhere else.

[Anonymouswizard]

I tend to think while there are probably many ages children could start at, a parent figure forcing the start and then being the one running/playing the game has far more potential downsides than up.

There's nothing wrong with a parent figure running the game, but you're right in everything else. Either the child should express a desire to play, or they should be offered once and allowed to change their mind freely.

I'd likely have never got into RPGs if my dad hadn't noticed that my siblings and I still enjoyed playing Baldur's Gate and offered to run BECM for us. But we weren't forced into it, and eventually moved into our own games by our teens.

But it shouldn't be forced. If little Alphonse sees you and your friends playing D&D and wants to try there's no problem with introducing them to roleplaying. But don't force Brigid to sit down to play My Little Pony: Tales of Equestria if she doesn't want to. It's just as bad as forcing them to watch football if they'd rather be playing with Action Man and Barbie.

Also your kids might just not like the things you like. This is fine. Do not force them to engage in the things you like when other options are available.

[SpyOne]

It really depends on the kid.
That said, it is never too early, if you just adjust your definitions a bit.
See, I figured out after a while that we'd always been role playing.
When we played Risk, the guy playing Russia would start talking about "imperialist running dogs".
When we played Monopoly, ... well, you aren't really trying to bankrupt your brother, are you?
I had internalized this at an early age, because when we played Clue and it turned out my piece was the killer, I got a bit mad because I thought I should have known, and somehow been sabotaging the others.
I was about five - I was the youngest kid in the neighborhood, and it was play what older kids were playing or play alone.

So my advice is, roleplay with them.
Play boardgames with them and use funny accents.
Play Minecraft with them and play in-character, so in one game you build everything from stone, but in the next "this guy likes wood much better than stone". Or collects birds. Or whatever.

When they play single-player games, ask why they made the decisions they made.
When they start explaining why the character would prefer that option, they are ready for RPGs.

[Scalenex]

I think whatever the system you can simplify it if needed. You could play D&D with just a d20 like I've seen on some streams, mirroring PbtA games. 1-5 failure with a consequence, 6-10 success with a cost, 11-15 success, 16-20 success and added benefit. Then have them find items that give them bonuses and abilities like D&D 1e.

I tried D&D around age 10 but didn't stay interested long.

I started playing RPGs seriously around age 12. My friends had been playing for about two years with a homemade sci-fi gaming system that essentially used this. There was no formal rules, for hitting and missing, just (large) hit point totals and vague d20 rolls. You tell the GM what your rolled and he tells you if succeeded or failed with no formal table.

We switched to D&D 2nd edition about a year and a half later. Then we played West End's Star Wars RPG. Then we went back to my friend's home brew sci fi game but made new formal rules based on D&D while I created a homebrew Ancient Greek Mythology game based on West End Star Wars d6 system.

With an adult mentor I think I could have started enjoying RPGs much sooner.

[Rynjin]

If they're old enough to smash toys together and come up with stories, they're old enough for something like Amber Diceless though you shouldn't force it on them, just ask if they want to play a cool make-believe game with daddy/mommy or not.

[Calthropstu]

Technically, they can roleplay the day they are born. "Ok kid, you're roleplaying a baby about to be sacrificed by cultists. What do you do?" *baby cooing* "Excellent. Ok guys, the baby is cooing at her captors as they begin the ceremony. What do you guys do?"

[Beleriphon]

He wanted me to be a Jedi... but he told me I was Han Solo. I played Han Solo.

There are worse fates in the grand universe than being Han Solo to a 4 year old's Jedi.

[FabulousFizban]

What is the minimum age to play make-believe? The rules aren't necessary; it's imagination that is key.

[Calthropstu]

What is the minimum age to play make-believe? The rules aren't necessary; it's imagination that is key.

Imagination is a muat-have, but in rpgs, ability to accept rules to adjudicate results is key. And also abilify to understand and abide by them. Otherwise it devolves into

"Look at me, I'm Eric Cartman and I do infinity + 2 damage and I can cut through wolverine claws and **** because I am so awesome and kewl."

[Luccan]

I started around when I was 4, maybe a little older. I tended to get distracted, of course, and I think I was mostly there to let me feel included but I could grasp some mechanics at least on a basic level. I think a lighter system would probably be best for young kids and most likely not until they're a couple years older at least, but I'm sure there's some system that would work best.

[Ettina]

I tend to think while there are probably many ages children could start at, a parent figure forcing the start and then being the one running/playing the game has far more potential downsides than up. If you really want your kids to learn the joys of TTRPGs, influencing them to play with you for your own fun is not a great idea…let them play somewhere else.

There's a big difference between teaching and forcing.

If you insist your kid play D&D with you, extort a promise not to quit before the campaign is done, and bring that promise up whenever they get discouraged... Well, we have generations of people who've shown how bad an idea that strategy is with musical instruments and sports, so it should be obvious it'll be a bad idea for TTRPGs too.

But if you have a child who wants to play and is free to quit if they lose interest, I see no reason why a parent would necessarily be automatically worse as their first DM as opposed to anyone else.

A lot of D&D-playing parents I've heard from, the process goes:

Parent plays D&D with other adults while child is playing other things nearby.

Child gets interested in what parent is doing and wants to join in.

Parent finds an age-appropriate way for child to play D&D with them.

I see absolutely no problem with that process, as long as the adults involved don't mess it up in the ways that any activity with kids could be messed up by any adult.

[Lemmy]

Well... I picked up RPGs at 10 yo simply by finding my older brother's book and finding it fascinating, then kinda playing with my cousin for a few weeks before my brother decided to GM for us...

So... Clearly 10 yo is possible, since I' m probably not an RPG prodigy of any kind.

Taking into consideration my experience playing games with my nieces and nephews... I' d say around 6~8 yo is the youngest I'd willing to try a system with actual rules.

[FabulousFizban]

Imagination is a muat-have, but in rpgs, ability to accept rules to adjudicate results is key. And also abilify to understand and abide by them. Otherwise it devolves into

"Look at me, I'm Eric Cartman and I do infinity + 2 damage and I can cut through wolverine claws and **** because I am so awesome and kewl."

As long as the players are willing to accept the arbitration of the DM, rules effects can be managed entirely by said DM.

At its simplest, a story game can be described as: The Player describes an action, and the Game Master roles dice to decide what happens.

[Beleriphon]

Imagination is a muat-have, but in rpgs, ability to accept rules to adjudicate results is key. And also abilify to understand and abide by them. Otherwise it devolves into

"Look at me, I'm Eric Cartman and I do infinity + 2 damage and I can cut through wolverine claws and **** because I am so awesome and kewl."

I read that in his voice. Extended kwwwel and everything.

[Frankbit]

For most kids, that's in place by age 12; many 7-8 yo kids can do so. Generally, tho', most kids under age 10 simply are not ready for the tabletop mode of game, but some are. Further, most games' rules are written at a high school reading level. If they can't understand the rules, they'll need some older help.

[PhoenixPhyre]

At its simplest, a story game can be described as: The Player describes an action, and the Game Master roles dice to decide what happens.

Or doesn't roll dice. Dice (and other mechanics and rules) may be used to resolve uncertainty, but they're not irreducibly necessary. They're tools to be used. The default TTRPG is free form, with only meta rules/group agreement. Anything else is syntactic sugar, designed to help the players (of which the DM is one).

/Soapbox

[Calthropstu]

I read that in his voice. Extended kwwwel and everything.

Is there any other way to read it?

[LibraryOgre]

My 6 year old and I have been designing a game based on a mash-up of Savage Worlds and Amazing Tales, based on Minecraft.

[Tanarii]

I've played Hero Kids with a 6 year old and an 8 year old. The six year old was just barely old enough for it, and she's a bright kid. And it's billed 4-10 year olds.

I've also tried to get a 10 year old into gloomhaven, which is on par with a D&D spell caster, and it was too complicated for them. They lost interest. Although to be fair, I know plenty of adults that don't find a spell caster interesting due to being too complicated.

[Calthropstu]

I tried to get a pair of 7 year olds into the oots board game and it didn't turn out well.

[Anonymouswizard]

I've played Hero Kids with a 6 year old and an 8 year old. The six year old was just barely old enough for it, and she's a bright kid. And it's billed 4-10 year olds.

To be fair, age ranges are basically a guess. From what I've read on the internet Hero Kids is basically for 6-8 year olds, and then games like First Fable are for 8-10 year olds. But individual kids will vary, and I think we as adults sometimes assume that kids find things like maths easier than they are.


I've also tried to get a 10 year old into gloomhaven, which is on par with a D&D spell caster, and it was too complicated for them. They lost interest. Although to be fair, I know plenty of adults that don't find a spell caster interesting due to being too complicated.

D&D spellcasters are probably the most complicated characters I've played beyond about second level. One of the nice things that 4e did was cutting down on that complexity somewhat. Most other spellcasters I've played have had nowhere near as many spells or resource pools to track, except in Unknown Armies (where, practically, it maxes out as two pools of spell points).

But yeah, I'd more likely have gone for something Fudge based for a 10 year old, so that they could just have everything as a skill. But then again that's because one of my preferred systems is Fate, and many adults can have issues with it (mainly due to Aspects).

[Trafalgar]

My first RPG experience was "Keep on the Borderlands" which came with the B/X set. My father was the DM and my brother and I were the PCs. I couldn't have been any older than 6 or 7. It wasn't a campaign like we think about it now and was pretty much just a couple of adventurers exploring a cave.

So I think there is no problem at all for children 6+. My advice is keep things simple, make it fun, and maybe skip some of the in town roleplaying. The kids will like rolling dice and they will like designing characters as long as its kept simple.

If I was to do 5e, I would just use the free basic rules.

[vasilidor]

At the point they can distinguish fantasy from reality.
And do math, depending on the game.

[Tanarii]

My first RPG experience was "Keep on the Borderlands" which came with the B/X set.
BE of BECMI is incredibly simple. Fighters, Dwarves and Halflings are especially good characters to introduce young players to gaming. That's what I did when I was 9 and I solo DMd for my 7 year old brother. Although I have no idea how he didn't die, probably easy treasure finds and not much fighting at first. (Also I was a terrible DM in general back then ... so who knows what fudging I did.)

Because what makes it not as appropriate for youngsters is how easy it is to die in combat before you get even one level. House rules help there, because most youngsters probably aren't ready to handle easy access to a a fistful of Retainers.