Hisham
Member since: 2007Geekdad has a great article on it. I have also been GMing Irfan the [former] SWAG Baby* with simple scenarios using simple rules and he enjoys it. I will attempt to give him more complex stories as we continue.
For the full article click on the link above. Excerpt follows:
QUOTE BEGINS
We know roleplaying is fun, educational and entertaining. So, how can we further foster this roleplaying in our children so it thrives beyond preschool?
My own boys (aged 5 & 6) got me thinking about this when every second Friday they ask the same question: “Are you playing Dungeons & Dragons here tonight?”
Now, the fact we are now using GURPS is a technicality. But, a fellow role-playing dad and I have been exploring what role-playing games might engage children who are just starting school to continue their learning through role-playing (and learn a bit more about how Dungeons and Dragons works). These explorations exposed us to a whole world where geeks in classrooms have used role-playing to support learning history and science, where role-players had developed a range of different gaming systems as an introduction to RPGs for children.
I’ve heard details of a dad running Call of Cthulhu games for his teenage daughter and her friends over at Yog-Sothoth through to running my own ‘rpg experiments’ with my own children. What follows are some suggestions about how to engage children of different ages in role-playing.
In my limited experience children are far more capable role-players than many adults. They immerse themselves in a scenario and character fully. While the “roll-playing” for younger children needs to be moderated, the “role-playing” can provide exceptional moments.
QUOTE ENDS
Anyone else tried GMing children? Thoughts?
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* For the benefit of the newer members, Irfan the [former] SWAG Baby was so nicknamed because he was born within a week of SWAG's launch. ("Former" cause he's no longer a baby, of course)
Oh crap! As I'm typing this I just remembered... Happy belated 6th birthday, Star Wars Artists' Guild... 2 Sundays ago!
My son is not old enough yet but I certainly plan on teaching him. As it is, he loves running around with a huge d20 that I have. Refuses to let go of it a lot of the time.
I GMed kids...back when I was one myself!
My parents used to play D&D, and basically stopped just before I was born, as my mom said, so that I wouldn't eat the figures she had painstakingly painted.
When I was 12, and my brother 9 and my sister 6, he taught us to play one weekend, and then for like a year or two, every weekend when we were visiting him we'd play. And sometimes when we didn't feel like waiting for him, my brother and sister would get me to GM for them.
It was always entertaining, that's for sure.
I used to DM for my little brother back when he was about twelve. He and his friends weren't interested in doing much more than hack and slash, but it was pretty entertaining.
I tried to teach my little brothers when they were 9 and 6, but the older was too lazy and the younger too hyperactive. Plus, they just didn't really get it. I think they play too many video games, and not enough pretend.
Boshuda
One of my friends and regular Star Wars players has two sons, 12 and 9. The younger was interested in joining the current Star Wars game. (They have seen us roleplay their entire lives, as we used to play at his house regularly.) My firend had introduced them to Shadowrun for several months prior to this request.
So we brought the younger brother in as a Clone Engineer. (easy to add to the setting, and not terribly crucial to the plot, so he couldn't do much damage if he didn't work out.) The next game, the older brother wanted to play too, so we brought him in as a Clone Assault trooper.
The younger brother proved an exceptional roleplayer, so when his engineer went down fighting in one story arc's climax, defending a fallen jedi, even using his welding torch when all other weapons had failed or been destroyed, I talked to one of my other players, whose own character had just recently attained the rank of Jedi knight.
After that talk, he decided to take on a padawan, and that would be the younger brothers new character. You should have seen the sparkle in that kids eyes! 'I can be a jedi padawan? That is sooooo awesome!'.
And he is totally in tune with the real meaning of it. He is loathe to hack and slash, and is very wary of the dark side. Whereas his older brother loves the Clone Trooper aspect, because he's very combat-oriented.
That is really awesome, dred. This child should be nurtured and encouraged: he is the future!
Yeah, it's been great for the jedi player too. (His character is Jaksyn http://www.swagonline.com/node/3730 The blonde character...picture of master and padawan still to come.)
To have a Padawan who is just learning about roleplaying in the Star Wars universe, and having his padawan played by someone who is the actual age of a padawan, is really neat. The kid actually looks up to the adult player in real life, so its a natural master student dynamic.
It's hard for him not to beam with pride when he pulls his apprentice aside to explain how a certain aspect of the universe works, and the youngster pays absolute attention with the occaisional nod and a 'yes master, I will master.'
And then for the observant young one to pick up on a clue that the master missed; "Master, these scratches on the window frame...is is possible someone forced their way in?"
"Very observant my young padawan! I sense you are correct!"
That is... just awesome. I want a kid like that in my roleplays!
I remember, a friend of mine, his wife and their baby (14 months old, or something) all participated in a game once. My friend and his wife played both regular, old characters while their child played a 14 month old baby. She even had her own character sheet. Her stats weren't all that great and there was probably drool all over the sheet, but I liked the novelty of the idea.
Anyhoo, back on topic. I really like this idea. I remember way back when parents were under the misinformed illusion that RPG's were satanic cults for devil worshipping goths. Good to know that these misconceptions are being blown away by good people such as the aforementioned.
And while were talking about misconceptions about RPG's, check out this funny video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHdXG2gV01k
I't hilarious.
"Cut to the cheese already!"
It depends on what age range you count as being a child, although I think age is a fairly lose number as although it accounts for actual age it doesn't count for maturity, which is really the subject of your question.
I have been playing D&D since I was about 9 or 10, I am now 16 and have moved into the realms of free-form RPGs and Star Wars. I DM/GM games and have a preference of 3e D&D but also like advanced as the rules make more since.
I have DMed other children of my age and have found that it is mental age and maturity, the tedious thing is that they are only concerned with the combat abilities of their characters and have the attitude I find most annoying of "He's our DM(/GM), he'd never let us fight anything that would kill us." Subsequently they have all charged against large groups of droids or orc's/a dragon and unsurprisingly died.
At the moment I am in college and their is NO RPG community there, I am looking to start one up but think I might encounter a similar problem. Personally I think that action films, video games and the new Star Wars films are to blame, they all want to be able to shoot everything up and 'get in on the action' when the real beauty of an RPG is in the role playing, hence the R and P.
So I do find it boring DM/GMing people of a lower mental age, but that is no reason not to try.
(First post, how did I do)
EDIT: Personally I find Jedi's (is that the plural of Jedi?) a bit boring, I much prefer some computer guy who sits in the background unrecognized but is actually the one who makes the ship capable of flight of the one who repairs broken machinery, the time and credit saver of the group, without him they could get things done but it would take longer and cost more.
No... the plural of Jedi, is Jedi... The Jedi are on their way.. or the Jedi is on his way... either way is correct.. :)
I love the link Jace, But for the adult audience try http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKasAc1Zyss&feature=related It's spoken in french, but is subtitled. This would be my current group. do not get knocked out.
Must watch part 2...no really