My First D&D Experience With My Kids
Why I Decided to Try D&D With My Kids
When I first thought up the idea of playing Dungeons & Dragons with my kids, I’ll be honest—I was a little nervous. Would they enjoy it? Would it be too complicated? Would I even be able to pull it off as the “Dungeon Master”?
As a father, husband, and general work-a-holic, there have been plenty of times where I’ve found myself wishing for other things to connect with my kids on a different level. Outdoor play can be affected by weather, while TV & Video Games can feel impersonal at times for my own tastes. Combine these with my recent binge-watching of “D20: Cloudward Ho!”, sparks the flame that nudged me towards my D&D quest. Fortunately, we’re a big board game family already. So while the kids were away at school one afternoon, I put together a simple adventure of my own called The Candy Caves, with colorful characters and a basic format: two six-sided dice, a few pre-made character classes, and some light storytelling prompts. Nothing too overwhelming—just enough structure to guide us while leaving plenty of room for imagination.
The Challenge of Every Parent
When it came time to play, I opted for the “keep them in the dark until we’re all sitting together and ready” approach. My logic seemed sound at first since the attention spans of two kids under the age of 10 can be fickle at best. Secrecy = fun…right? At first, my oldest son wanted nothing to do with it. He seemed uninterested, distracted, and ready to move on to something else. But by the end of the session, he was the most engaged of all—leaning forward, rolling dice with excitement, and coming up with ideas that pushed the story forward in ways I hadn’t even considered. Watching him light up reminded me that sometimes the best things come from giving kids the space to surprise you.
Storytelling Beats Screen Time
That evening spent with the kids solidified a very important reminder: storytelling with your kids matters. In a world where screens dominate so much of our attention, sitting around a table and building a story together feels special. It taps into their creativity in ways no video game or YouTube video can. They weren’t just playing a game—they were living an adventure combined with the silly antics that their old man typically provides.
It Was Easier Than I Thought
And for me? It turned out to I had no reason to be scared of taking on the reigns of Dungeon Master for this adventure. I’m certainly no Brennan Lee Mulligan or Matt Mercer, but the guides I used gave me just enough direction to stay on track, and once we started, the game flowed naturally. Though, there were some needed redirects since my youngest son wanted to blow up every obstacle with his self-proclaimed Candy Cane Launcher. The dice kept them grounded and added excitement, the simple rules kept everyone involved, and the story gave us all something to share and laugh about.
Looking back, I’m glad I took the leap. What started as a little experiment became a memory I know we’ll hold onto for years. And maybe, just maybe, the Candy Caves will be the beginning of many more adventures together.
