The recent tv show, 'Stranger Things', has exposed a lot of kids to the game of Dungeons and Dragons, and this has really spread its' popularity with children. I myself have recently introduced my 9 year old daughter to the game and after a couple of games I realized that it was going to be a great way for my kid to explore her imagination, as well as learn problem solving skills. Soon after I began playing D&D with my daughter, I had the pleasure of introducing a group of 12 year old boys to the game when a parent contacted me wanting to run a game for her son and his friends. It was not something I had considered for this business, but it was a great experience for me and an honour to introduce the boys to the game. They had a great time.
In the coming years I will be working to establish a working relationship with schools in the Toronto area to start 'Dungeons and Dragons' kids groups at certain local schools in the GTA. I think that this is something that will really gain in popularity with young people and would make an excellent extra-curricular activity at schools. In the last couple of years I have been attempting to increase my market by offering gaming sessions for children's birthday parties, special events, or just regular kids groups that meet monthly or bi-weekly like my adult groups do.
For the parents not familiar with this game and that may have concerns, let me set your minds at ease; Yes, sometimes the 'heroes' in the story will be battling monsters or evil villains, and in some cases, killing these beasts, but for the most part, I tone down the violence in kids games and focus
more on decision making and problem solving. The level of violence in a D&D game is MUCH less than many of the video games that our children are exposed to so frequently in their lives. I for one am much more comfortable having my daughter play an adventure fantasy game than I am her playing a video game that has her shooting people with guns.
In a Dungeons and Dragons game, the players are each playing the role of a character; a warrior, wizard, cleric, rogue, bard, druid, monk, paladin or ranger. This character can be either a human, a dwarf, an elf or half-elf, a halfling, a gnome or a half-orc. Once the character is selected, the players in the group form a 'party' of adventurers who go out to seek treasure, fight evil and do good deeds. I generally do not allow children to play 'evil' characters. They are all heroes.
THE BENEFITS OF CHILDREN PLAYING DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS
In a game of D&D, you can expect your child to;
- learn problem solving skills
- explore his/her imagination
- learn practical applications of basic math and writing skills
- learn the value of teamwork to accomplish a common goal
- understand diversity and how to respect others despite their differences
- gain confidence
- feel like a hero
- have lots of FUN
Does this sound like something you would want your child to experience? If so, give me a call and lets discuss setting up a kids' group in your area.
Recommended age: 10+
Cost: $25 USD per child for a 4 hour game (4 player minimum)
For more information, or to book a game, please email dmforhire@hotmail.com