Role-playing games have long been touted as a great way to develop social skills, creativity and vocabulary in children. And while they’re usually seen as something for older kids to play among themselves, here are four reasons to start your kids on adventures, even before they can read:

1. Playing role-playing games with your kids is so much fun

It really is. You and your children make up a story together. They invent the heroes and decide what they do, and you pose the challenges. They will amaze you with the things they come up with and it’s a stimulating work out for your brain too as you improvise responses and new challenges. Or you could play snakes and ladders, again.

2. Role-playing lets your children practice interaction and build confidence

For a four year old approaching someone, making a request and agreeing a deal doesn’t come naturally. Asking a friendly wizard for a spell to chase away a ghost gives them a chance to practice this skill. And if the friendly wizard asks for something in return, then they learn about bargaining. For shy children learning what it feels like to have a conversation when they’re a mighty hero can be truly empowering.

3. Role-playing is a great way to learn about problem solving

The space-ship is damaged and spinning out of control, what do you do? The treasure map is burned and you can only read half of it, what do you do? You’re trapped in a cave and the noises are getting closer, what do you do? Role-playing games teach children to take on problems that aren’t structured. Learning to look at the resources available, make a plan and carry it out is a valuable life skill, and it’s at the heart of role-playing games.

4. Role-playing stimulates creativity

Young kids have amazing imaginations, and naturally mix and match everything that crosses their path to make new ideas. Playing a role-playing game with your kids allows you to share in that and build on their ideas. Together parents and children can create unique, shared stories that will last.

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If this sounds good then I’d like to introduce you to Amazing Tales, a role-playing game written for parents to play together with their children. What makes it so good for kids?

• Rules so simple a four year old can explain them
• Packed with advice for new role-players, and role-players new to gaming with kids
• Designed to be played with a parent and one or two children
• Fit a whole adventure into the time it takes to watch a cartoon
• Nothing to prepare so you can play when your kids are ready

The Amazing Tales book features 28 pages of full colour artwork to get the creative juices flowing, and four different settings ready for your adventures.

• The Deep Dark Wood:  Where animals talk and fairies fly in secret groves
• Magical Kingdoms long ago: Where knights and wizards seek adventure
• The Pirate Seas: Follow a mysterious map to treasure islands, mermaids and sea-monsters
• Adventures beyond the stars: Robots, men and aliens

What kind of character would your kids create? What kind of adventure could you take them on?

If you want to find out by playing Amazing Tales you can download a PDF or order a hardback copy from DriveThruRPG.

Note that European orders printed in and shipped from the UK.