As some readers may know, I'm an OSR-style gamer living in New England. I attend about 3 RPG conventions every year. I have two young kids; at this writing one is 11, and the other is about to turn 13. The almost-13-year-old doesn't have much interest in RPGs, but the 11-year-old definitely does. They want to come to gaming conventions with me, but there is a problem - there are not many convention games for kids.
I can understand all the reasons why this is so. And there are sometimes games that are open to kids, but often only ages 13 and up. So my 11-year-old can't play yet. Kids get left out.
At one convention I've attended for the last few years, there is one guy who runs a game for kids, often just one slot for the con. He's great. His daughter plays (I think she's 10 now), and some other kids. They always have a great time. I know last year it was Old School Essentials, and this year a simplified D&D 5E. System doesn't matter so much, really, but I like that he doesn't just run "kids games," like Amazing Tales or something. Don't get me wrong - there are some great systems designed for little kids out there. But I also think kids grow best when they are challenged to stretch themselves, and playing with "grown-up" systems is good for them, as well as fun.
Anyway, I recently came to a conclusion. For the last several years, I've run about 3 games at each convention I attend (mostly Dungeon Crawl Classics, as part of the Road Crew). But I think I need to be the change I want to see in the world. Instead of waiting for more kid-friendly game masters to run more kid-friendly games, I think I need to start running at least one game for kids at every convention I attend.
I never really thought much about doing this before. I have been an educator, and I have training and experience in working with kids. But since I began adult life, at least, RPG gaming has been an adult activity for me, with the exception of playing with my own family. But I think I need to do this. I started playing D&D at 10 years old (in 1985!). I started with the Metzner "Red Box" Basic D&D and soon thereafter with Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (aka AD&D or "First Edition" D&D). It was extremely formative to how I grew up and the man I have become. I made my most enduring friends through D&D and RPGs, I learned vocabulary and history and math skills, I formed my tastes in literature and art through that lens. I probably wouldn't have become a teacher of Latin, Ancient Greek, History, and Mythology if not for RPGs. I'm running a campaign right now, in November of 2025, with two guys I started playing with in 1991. My life has been shaped by RPGs, and I'm very grateful for that. Kids deserve RPGs.
Be the Change You Want to See in the World. Not enough kids' games? Run more kids' games!
My wife is a special education expert and and educator with much more experience working with younger kids than I have. She has agreed to help me with this project.
So, I'm going to start writing games for kids for conventions, and running them. I need to make some choices, like about system (my wife thinks I should stick to D&D 5E, since that's what most kids are going to encounter outside of my convention games; I'm much more of a fan of experimenting with systems and promoting older systems like BECMI or retroclones of those systems like OSE). I think I want to create some "iconic" pregen characters that can be used across several convention games. And I've been reviewing my basic principles of game design (which I shall probably be writing about more over the coming weeks).
There is a lot to consider. One thought I've had is that I ought to use miniatures and battlemaps for kids' games, because I think that will hold greater appeal and even help organize play better, while in adult games I generally prefer a "theater of the mind" style. A lot to think about and work on. But I think it'll be worth it.
Kids deserve good convention games. Be the Change.
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