The Benefits of RPG for the Children AND Their Parents
Well, with the character creations complete, I have officially begun the final layout of the game rules (at least the Player's Spielbook). While that is in process, I thought I would give you all a break form the HiBRID system itself, and share the following article, written by my friend and fellow independent Roleplaying Game creator and Author: Flippy! His game, Tiny Horsies, is very HiBRID-esque example of an incredibly simple, flexible roleplaying game designed for children and parents, but readily playable (and hackable) as a multigenre roleplaying game.
If you go back to my previous posts starting in August 2015, you will see my in-depth (some may say ad nauseum) review of his tabletop roleplaying game, Tiny Horsies. Since that time, he has released a second edition complete with fixes for the (VERY) few issues I had mentioned in my review (including a copy of the character sheet I presented here on this very blog! (Thanks for the opportunity to contribute, Flippy-hj).
So, without further delay, here is his article:
The Benefits of RPG for the Children AND Their Parents
The adults that grew up playing RPGs now have children of their own and they are sharing their love for the hobby with them. But RPGs are not just a fun activity for children. They also offer several benefits.
For example, one time, I was playing Tiny Horsies with two little girls. One of the girls had assigned two points to the “Random” ability, which allowed her character to create some minor magical effect. She really liked using it the first time, and later in the gaming session, she wanted to use it again, but for something rather trivial. When I told her that if she used her second point, she’d be left without none, she changed her mind and decided to save her Random point for a moment where it would be more useful. In that session, that girl learned that there are limited resources and that using up something meant that there would be no more of it later.
Other parents have told me that RPGs have taught similar lessons to their children. Some of these parents use these games to teach their children that their actions have consequences. Others give moral lessons, such as what happens when you lie. Even if the child’s character is not caught, he can see that his lying can have an impact on others. Other parents have taught their children to face their fears, by exposing them to what causes their fear in a non-threatening way. And of course, children learn that it’s easier to solve a problem or overcome a foe if they collaborate with others, which in turn requires some basic negotiation and reaching agreements.
On the other hand, it’s often the parent who benefits by learning a bit more about his or her child. Unlike adults, children will tackle RPG situations in a completely different way. For example, if you place a party of orcs in the way of adult players, it’s a safe bet that the players will result into combat. A group of children might, but they are as likely as to try to challenge the orcs to a game of tag, negotiate with them, or even befriend them.
But the biggest benefit of RPGs is that you get to spend time with your child and live adventures with him or her. This is the kind of memories that you want your child to remember you by when he or she’s older, those times where you were bigger, stronger, but the most fun toy there ever has been.
When not busy mixing his whites with colors, Flippy works as a writer, translator, and language teacher. In his free time, he plays video games, takes photos, and writes funny stuff. You can find his RPG for parents and children book on DriverThruRPG at https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/152860/Tiny-Horsies-The-Role-Playing-Game
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