Are you a cool parent? These days, a question like that just might depend on what was once known as a “geeky” or “nerdy” hobby. Yes, I’m talking about Dungeons and Dragons. These days, children enjoy playing D&D with their Dads and Moms and it’s considered cool. With that in mind, we’re going to take a look at eleven reasons that playing a tabletop RPG with your children is good for them and you.
Reason #1: Time
When I was a kid, playing a tabletop RPG was an all-day affair because you needed a dungeon master and a bunch of friends. Now, all you need is a Game Master and a few players. This means the amount of time the whole group is together can be limited to a few hours.
For a working parent, this is a great thing. It might mean that you can only play once a week or once a month, but that’s time that you can spend with your children. Instead of playing a video game with them, you’re playing D&D with them! This can really foster their imagination and allow you to get to know your children on a new level.
Reason #2: Creativity
The tabletop RPG experience is all about creativity! When your child is creating a character, they get to make up a story. They get to decide what they look like, how they dress, and what their personality is like.
“It can be a way to turn a child’s imagination into something tangible, to encourage them to create their own planets, their own worlds.”
Paul Bellow
At the same time, they are encouraged to ask questions, to think outside the box, and to use their imagination to create something. It can be a way to turn a child’s imagination into something tangible, to encourage them to create their own characters and their own worlds. For some kids, this can be an incredible gift.
Reason #3: Teamwork
The tabletop RPG experience (at its best) is all about team work. The players are working together to defeat the game master’s challenges. This builds teamwork as your children and their friends learn to work together to solve problems.
Even better, when they’re done playing, your kids can talk about the game and talk about what they’re going to do next time. This can lead to a better relationship between your children and their friends.
Reason #4: Communication
In the tabletop world, you have to talk to the other players and the game master to get your way done. This is a great way to help your child communicate and get along with others. It can also teach them the value of patience and good negotiating skills.
Reason #5: Social Skills
Another of the great things about tabletop gaming is how it encourages social interaction. The players get to get together and sit around a table and talk about what happened to their characters and what they’re going to do next.
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“This is a great way to teach your child how to deal with others, and how to talk to them about things they’re interested in.”
Paul Bellow
This can help encourage your child to get out and be more social and talk to other people. Who knows, it might even get your child to talk to you more. This is a great way to teach your child how to deal with others and how to talk to them about things they’re interested in.
Reason #6: Patience
One of the other great things about tabletop gaming is that your child is going to have to be patient. They will have to wait for their turn to act. This can teach them patience and to think about their actions before they act.
Reason #7: Problem Solving
We’ve already talked about how teamwork is one of the great things about tabletop gaming, but there is more to it than that. The group will have to work together to solve problems. This can teach your child to think about what they’re doing before they act and to use their brains to solve problems.
Reason #8: Play Time
When parents sit down to play Dungeons and Dragons with their kids, it means that they’re not playing on their phones or watching boring TV. This is time that they get to play and get to enjoy each other’s company. This can be a great bonding time.
Reason #9: Excitement
The tabletop gaming experience can be very exciting. Your child will get to battle dragons, fight wars, and do all of the things that they love. This gives them something to get excited about, to look forward to. It’s a great way to help them get excited about real life too.
For example, take a child who likes to cook. If you have them play a tabletop RPG in which they play a chef who runs their own restaurant, they can learn to cook in the real world.
Reason #10: Learning
There are so many things that your children can learn from playing a tabletop RPG. They can learn math, language, music, and so much more. That’s because the game master can incorporate all kinds of lessons into the game.
“This can be a great way to teach your child the value of hard work, perseverance, and teamwork.”
Paul Bellow
For example, in my game, I have one of my characters make potions. I can teach my kids about chemistry while they learn to make potions. This can be a great way to teach your child the value of hard work, perseverance, teamwork, and more.
Reason #11: Fun
Last, but not least, the tabletop gaming experience is fun. It’s a game that your children can enjoy with their friends, but they can also enjoy it with you.
It doesn’t matter if you are a geek or a dork or whatever else. Just sit down with your children and enjoy something new with them. You might find that the experience pulls you closer together.
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