D&D For Toddlers

[Maelstrom]

I've been running a few "sessions" of D&D for my 4 year old son, and wondered if people had any ideas.

He likes the miniatures, and enjoys his "Big Axe" and how he gets to roll a 8 sided dice instead of a six sided dice. I made him a barebones character sheet with hit points and a list of equipment: Armor, Big Axe, Big Sword, Bow, Zapper (wand). He understand hit points and cleric healing now, rouge's abilities to open doors and find traps. He knows what to do when he sees an orc or a goblin (whack em until they fall down).

I just lay out a few dungeon tiles, pick out a few minis, and have him fight bad guys with a cleric and a rouge NPC helping out. This morning, I pulled out a particularly nasty looking monster, so he got scared and had his guy run out of the dungeon until I convinced him that if he didn't help his Cleric and Rouge friends might be in trouble.

Any ideas on what I should focus on next? He's got limited attention span, but he certainly looks forward to our sessions.

[Mulsiphix]

I think if you can keep things combat heavy, say 90% of the time, you should be able to keep his attention. The more emphasis on strength, power, super items, etc... the more I think he would enjoy it. What little boy doesn't enjoy feeling powerful?

[Maelstrom]

Heh, more than 3 dice rolls at a time and he spaces out. I gotta keep it at 1st level fights where you hit a monster they fall down, or he starts picking up dungeon tiles and using them as a hat.

[Mulsiphix]

Maybe you could add a supers twist to it? Kinda hard to generalize without knowing your son first hand. Mine are the high energy, low attention span, destroy everything kind of kids. If they're still this way when they hit four I think a supers campaign would be right up their ally.

[Anaesthesia]

Hmm...the last time I DM'd for a kid, he about 10 or so. He was a bard with levels in commoner. I had him and 2 NPCs prank the local witch so she'd leave the area. Then they all won an award when she ran away. One thing I did was to have "grown-ups" the characters can go run to and receive help from.

I am not sure if you are doing any specific "storyline" with him, other than monster encounters. The one thing I keep coming to is maybe try a simple mission for him (such as get a particular kind of leaf or talk to the local wizard about borrowing a specific book on Dragons or have a friendly local Dragon let him peruse his hoarde-after the gets a good story/joke of course, etc).

[spotlight]

Having had three of my own, as well as, hmmm ... lets see .... OH! Eight grand littles. Gaming must be kept simple for these.
For my eldest three gds, I played 'pretend' with them, useing lego people, while watching cartoons, showing them how to make their own super heros.
Dice rolling was out when they were younger. I just gave them a stack of dominoes and told them that it cost one dominoe to do super things. Yes,attention was short, but it made the commercials go by quick.

[Riftwalker]

This is so cute!

[tesral]

KISS. I think the fact he wants to play at all is a plus. Keep is simple, keep the goals uncomplicated.

[Mulsiphix]

Definitely some good ideas here. I wonder if this is a niche somebody will capitalize on like those videos for dogs/cats.

[tesral]

Definitely some good ideas here. I wonder if this is a niche somebody will capitalize on like those videos for dogs/cats.

So we need a line of larger scale, sturdier minis with simplified stats that can be understood without reading? I'm thinking DDM run through the Fisher Price filter.

[Maelstrom]

Hah! Good idea. Have a "Player's Handbook Just for Kids!" The naysayers of the world would love that...

I for one would buy it.

[Mulsiphix]

As would I

[tesral]

Hah! Good idea. Have a "Player's Handbook Just for Kids!" The naysayers of the world would love that...

I for one would buy it.

Might buy it FOR someone. My Son is 28 and has more minis than I do.

"Mrs. Grundy" needs her dress pulled over her head and herself dumped in the mud as frequently as possible. Naysayers be damned.

[rabkala]

"Mrs. Grundy" needs her dress pulled over her head and herself dumped in the mud as frequently as possible.

Your wife wouldn't like you talking about her again!

I don't know if I would really try gaming until they hit puberty.

[tesral]

Your wife wouldn't like you talking about her again!

I don't know if I would really try gaming until they hit puberty.

I'm not married to the biddy.