Tag Archives: RPGs for Kids

RPGs

Making up A Game with My Granddaughter

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Back in August, 2019, I made up a super simple RPG with my granddaughter called “Dragon.” She was a player with a bent to be co-DM as she wanted the story to go a certain way. So while she’s got the mental capacity to play an RPG, she doesn’t yet have the hang of player/GM distinction.

She is a blue dragon who breathes lightning.She ate a bunch of people who were causing trouble. But she doesn’t eat them for her diet. She just drinks water and milk.

Then some more people came with weapons because they were upset she ate people. She breathed lightning on them. (I didn’t make it easy to just eat them as they were armored/prepared for that.)
While she was busy with the ones with weapons, some others were trying to take her treasure. She dealt with the thieves by stomping on them.

She elaborated that she has 3 sisters and they all have Anna and Elsa dresses (AKA Frozen) and had a slumber party.

She dominated the narrative, because things have to go her way.

I decided to do this since she was using her magic wand to “write” on my skin, my desk, etc. I used my magic to get rid of it. The little stinker said, “Magic, magic, take away your magic. Now you don’t have magic!”

So I decided it was time to add dice to our make believe. She loved that idea!

I let her choose what dice to roll for different things. I was thinking along the lines of stats, but nothing solid.

I just used dice for how many people eaten, causing trouble, trying to steal, etc.

Probably a simplified FATE like system or just use different dice for amounts.

She’s loved rolling my different dice since she was about 2. Back then it was what’s that number? Then it became which number is bigger, the one on your die or mine? So fun to play with her & see her so excited.

Developments in The Game

We still occasionally play this game.

Trying to come of up a scenario that isn’t just a repeat of the last one or that she buys into is more challenging as she gets older. The last time she asked to play a couple weeks ago, she was greatly disappointed as I had a creative drought and my mind was blank for ideas. Work stress just saps my ability to be creative.

Last post of the year

Today is December 31, 2022. It’s been a challenging year in many ways, just read the headlines. Personal issues have come and gone, and I’m still here.

May your 2023 be filled with health, happiness, loved ones, and gaming!

I’m doing the Dungeon23 Challenge, and will share progress perhaps on a monthly basis. I plan to do as much or as little each day I set aside time to work on it. January is my busiest time of year at work, so I plan to work ahead starting this 3 day weekend.

I also just submitted my scenario to Gary Con that I plan to run each morning for a total of 4 times. I’m considering doing a playtest online before then.

RPGs

Child’s Play – Monster Creation

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My granddaughter turned three in mid-January. Last week she started a new game with me of “Talking About Animals.” She says, “Let’s talk about animals.” I ask what kind of animal she wants to talk about. She says things like kangaroo, horse, hippopotamus. I tell her something factual, and to her. interesting and amazing about that animal.

Today, she wanted to talk about animals. Unusually, she started off with cats that were blue, so I mentioned Persian cats that are sort of blue. Then she decided to talk about dogs. When I asked what kind, she said blue again, and I told her a bit about blue healers.  Next she said, “Monsters!” When I asked what kind, she said green. When I asked what they ate, she said, “Ceilings!” I went with it and talked about being able to see the sky and the clouds and the sun now, and then the stars and moon tonight. I asked where they lived, and she said in her shoe.

It was so cute and perfect I started up the web cam, made a test to make sure it had sound. We made a perfect one take on three monsters, green, black, and blue. Unfortunately, when I moved the microphone closer, I bumped the mute button, and a flawless take is a silent movie….

In the first take, she came up with the black and blue monsters,  their diet, and lairs on her own on the spot. She looked around to see what was around my desk for the new ones. She chose colors based on what she saw. My computer is black, and I have baby wipes because she wants to play when she has sticky fingers or a runny nose. I’ve managed to avoid the worst of what she’s brought home from daycare.

This simple exercise shows how easy it is to come up with ideas for monsters. One can extrapolate the look around your desk, bookshelves, kitchen, garage, etc. to come up with ideas for items, treasure, locations, NPCs, and more. Also, as a DM/GM it is OK to change your mind about something. For monsters, just make a variant that look alike/similar.  Don’t be afraid to GM. You just create starting conditions for your players and as they interact with it, you modify the environment to present new challenges and opportunities to the players. While it may seem artificial and awkward at first, as with anything, it gets better with time.

So below is the second take, not near as good, but lots of fun. Below that, I will have simplified stats for her monsters. Feel free to use her creations with attribution – Nikola Hamilton.

MONSTER STATS

Green Monsters

Lair: Shoes & Computers
Size: Tiny
Diet: Ceilings
Number Appearing: Blockbusters! (That’s a lot!)

Black Monsters

Lair: Grandpa’s jacket
Size: Tiny
Diet: Grass (not so much as to prevent grandpa from mowing the lawn.)

Blue Monsters

Lair: Cellphones
Size: Tiny
Diet: Used baby wipes