HeroQuesting with Kids

[IvenBach]

Figure this could be a location where you can post any kid related adventuring. Possibly could evolve into a subset of kid-friendly (under recomended age of 10) rules for faster gameplay.

http://forum.yeoldeinn.com/viewtopic.php?f=143&t=2712&start=40#p48158

Decided to try a very dilute version of HQ with my daughter. The first game was a bit taxing. But now a few days later she's kind of getting the idea of rolling the movement dice (now being changed to a static number to make it easier and faster for her) and combat dice to 'beat' the monster it's a lot better. Highlights so far have been mentioning magic and having her say enthusiastically 'Abracadabra' to cast it. Using a sleep spell to put a monster to sleep and afterwards her saying 'I have to move quiet because the monster is sleeping'. Kids pick up on roleplaying a lot more than adults it seems. Also found out that greed doesn't know any age limits. Instead of helping the 'friend' (NPC: Non Player Character) adventurer while he, the elf, was fighting 2 skeletons my daughter ran straight for the treasure. Such cold hearted adventuring...

My daughter now looks forward to playing whenever I mention it and mostly promptly does what's asked of her in order to play. Mind you it's a very very dilute version of HQ with static movement of 6 for the Wizard and 7 for the Elf. Makes for faster movement and could be omitted for kids that are already proficient with addition. Usually only two bad guys per room at the worst but a few rooms were filled with weaker goblins. Quests consist of Starting room and then maybe up to 3 rooms after that. Any more rooms beyond that becomes taxingly difficult to keep her on task, or frustration from hearing 'I want to... Um I want to... Um... Daddy I.... I, daddy I want to...' before every action. It's cute the first time but it gets old and extends it a wee bit, just a wee bit.

On the whole I find myself enjoying it much more with my daughter than I do with my friends. She doesn't taunt the GM nor pout when the GM gets revenge . She gets the idea that sleep makes them take naps. The bad guys are beaten when they take enough owwies . Spells mean abracadabra. She is quite vociferous while playing and that's a good thing. Normally very quiet and is slow to talk but playing gets her saying stuff out loud readily and without coaxing. I must note that playing with her makes the game seem so much more balanced and playable than it does with 'milking tacticians' that rank and file the door.

If anyone else cares to chime in and share adventures with the little ones.

[cynthialee]

I would not have any fatalities in game for a young child. When they monster takes damage it should give up and want to run away. Alter quests so the child has to capture monsters and take them to therapy to learn to be friendly monsters so they can work with Mike and Sully.

[Schmidt]

I have seen it with a chess game where the kids were dressed up ...as ...uhm ..oh that's not what you meant with the title. It would be cool though!

[cornixt]

Moving around the dungeon and killing things with a sword is easy enough for a five-year-old. The most complicated parts of the game are the spells and general inventory. Inventory is easy to adjust for kids, you just keep track of their money and buy the next best thing for them when they have enough. For spells, you could just dump the wizard if there is no one old enough to use the spells wisely, or play him yourself.

[torilen]

Cynthia - I love your idea. I could easily introduce this with my son, when we get around to trying it out.
Have him "knock the monster out" and drag it back out of the dungeon to be turned into a nice monsters,
then go work at Monsters Inc. - a movie he LOVES.

Thanks for passing that thought on.

[ruiza97]

The pokemon game has always had the pokemon "faint" instead of die.

[IvenBach]

The little addict monster knows where I keep my HQ gaming stuff. I ask what she wants and BAM finger goes straight to it... My daughter just knows that they were beaten. Keep it simple for little ones since anything above 3 rooms seems a bit much for 1 sitting.

[Goblin-King]

On the whole I find myself enjoying it much more with my daughter than I do with my friends. She doesn't taunt the GM nor pout when the GM gets revenge . I must note that playing with her makes the game seem so much more balanced and playable than it does with 'milking tacticians' that rank and file the door.

See my signature...