Playing with Children

RPG is a great activity to train problem-solving skills, teamwork, and imagination. Moreover, many of the inspirations from Forgotten Ballad make the game lighter and more fun. In other words, it’s ideal for introducing to the little ones. Here are some tips on how to make the most of playing with children.

Follow the leader

Not you! The leader here is the children. They will bring many new and completely unexpected ideas; follow their pace and think of your role more as a facilitator. Propose challenges and navigate through the solutions the little ones come up with. Let them create and bring new ideas and have fun!

Short sessions

Expect gaming sessions to last between 10 to 30 minutes, and don’t worry if you’re interrupted in the middle. Children change topics and games very quickly and have a much shorter attention span than adults.

No hitting!

Weapons are optional and rare in this game. You can go a step further and remove them entirely! Almost all monsters in the book have small hints in their behaviors to use them non-violently. When in doubt, a grumpy or annoying monster can still be a challenge.

We also advise removing the possibility of death entirely and turning lost hearts into scrapes, bruises, or tiredness. Once one of the little characters has lost all their hearts, they must take a nap to recover.

Bright adventures

Look for adventures set in open and sunny locations. Grass-covered hills, lush forests, and happy little towns are ideal places to let the little characters roam free. Avoid themes like nighttime darkness, nightmares, the presence of bugs, parental abandonment, or other situations they may not know how to handle yet.

Here comes trouble

Just because the game isn’t violent doesn’t mean there are no problems. Problems and challenges are what make the activity a game. Let the characters be the agents of change, resolving conflicts, finding solutions, and seeking resources. Explore physical and social challenges, such as abysses to cross, climbing walls, moving rocks, arguments among friends, upset people, or factions in dispute.

Toy day

Some children are not accustomed to or haven’t learned to play pretend yet. In any case, use toys, drawings, and other familiar tools to guide the game. This will facilitate the imagination process and inspire you with new ideas.

The dice

Prefer to use numbered dice; this makes it easier for the little ones to understand and recognize.

Adventures for Little Ones

Something unexpected happens!