Tips and tricks: Creating all-ages friendly TTRPG NPCs
This article is to help give some steps and ideas that you can use for creating fun and engaging NPCs, both pre-planned and through improv, particularly for young players!
Category: Tips and Tricks (page 2)
Using TTRPGs to teach science and engineering
If you’re looking to use TTRPGs in the classroom or after class/at home to reinforce science and engineering learning, check out here for a few very big ways that you can incorporate core science and engineering skills into your games while keeping them fun!
Tips and Tricks: Making effective TTRPG system “Cheat Sheets” for your particular game
I’ve played, made, and/or written about over 100 different tabletop RPGs on TTRPGkids, and one thing that has very consistently made games easier for my kid and me between all of these projects is the inclusion of a cheat sheet or summary sheet. So, to help you with creating your own for a system you’re trying out or adding to a game you’re creating for others, I want to break down what makes a good TTRPG cheat sheet and why you should consider it!
Tips and Tricks: Using TTRPGs to get kids reading!
TTRPGs are a great way to get kids reading by giving them something FUN to check out and enjoy… while also happening to involve reading… and there’s a lot of ways to help that process along! I cover how to make reading within the game accessible, why TTRPGs help with developing an interest in reading, and how to get players to continue reading after the game!
Tips and Tricks: Using Journaling Games to Grow Writing Skills
Journaling TTRPGs have been becoming more popular and offer a plethora of opportunities for solo-gaming, developing writing skills, introspection, fostering journaling habits, and more. However, not everyone sees themselves as a writer, and, when playing these TTRPGs with young kids, not everyone can write yet. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try though! In this article, I breakdown ways to use journaling games at any skill level (even if players can’t write yet) and show how they can benefit players at any stage in developing these powerful skills.
Tips and tricks: all-ages friendly TTRPG festival challenges
This article is to help give some ideas for all-ages-friendly festival challenges to include in your TTRPGs! Festivals are great plot devices for having a special holiday game, adding to the culture of your fantasy world, or just because, and there’s a ton of options for creating festivals that are exciting, engaging, and fun for any age and player.
Tips and Tricks: Non-violent TTRPG environmental challenge ideas
This article has a whole bunch of ideas and examples for creating environmental challenges to try out in your games! I receive a lot of questions or comments about how to give more action-packed but non-violent encounters for young players, and environmental challenges are one of my favorite go-tos.
Using TTRPGs to teach resilience in life and in school
Resilience is a critical skill that affects how we handle life’s twists and turns, and, while it is important for adults to learn too, it is imperative that kids have the opportunity to pick up resilience skills to help them later in life, in handling their current school load, and more… And TTRPGs are an excellent way to practice handling failure and dealing with life’s nat 1’s.
TTRPGs for kids: The “Good Enough” session
I have read about, received messages from, and talked with several families and educators who are hesitant to start TTRPGs with their kids because they’re stressed about getting all the steps right.
While some concern is great (because it means that you’re thinking about it and trying to do well for the kids), it is also sometimes better to have a “good enough” session that actually happens versus a “perfect” session that stays in the planning phase.
How Tabletop RPGs have helped my 5yo kid and me
In 2021, I posted an article about how TTRPGs have helped my kid (then 3yo) and me. At that time, we had been playing TTRPGs for about 6 months and had tried out 8 games. Now, we’ve been playing TTRPGs for 2.5 years and have tried out close to 80 games together! With that growth, I think it’s about time to give an update on how TTRPGs have continued to help both my kid and me.