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So I see a lot of posts from people here and there in conversation where people mention that their kids are joining the hobby.
I’ve seen ages from 5 up to 12 as ages people start at.

The question is, what age do you think is a good time for starting.
Obviously it’s very different for game vs ainting, and what they paint or game with too.

I for instance picked up several fantasy Chibi minis from I think Impact? in a Kickstarter ages back, now those to me look like perfect starter minis as opposed to the mass of spare 28mm stuff I could bring into the fray.

Games wise, that’s a trickier one for me, I don’t have much if anything, so that would be a case of buying something at the time when it’s right, but I thought I’d throw it in for everyone to get advice and recommendations anyway. As my son is 3, when the time comes who knows what games might be out that are perfect to get going.


Personally, I’m interested in getting him painting as a hobby thing we can do together as he will always look at the models or when I’m painting etc, so it’ll be great to do when I can (though in my head it’s 2+ years away I think).

Any thoughts or experiences?

Painting together is fun. Decorate your own dinosaur kits are very popular in this house (the boy is 3, girl is 5).

Games are chaotic at best. We're still on card games or board games with simple tokens. Hobby-style games are still a way off in the future.

My boys are 12 and 8. Eldest has been interested for probably around 18 months, and joined the warhammer club when he went up to secondary school last year.

Youngest is less interested, although he is getting into it since getting Indomitus and I said he could have the space marine models. Painting them up as Salamanders for him.

First thing we played that really captured their imaginations was Hero Quest - probably about 18 months ago, with my brother running the game for them (and me). He's an actor and a long-time RPGer so he really ramped up the roleplaying aspect and the boys ate it up.

My daughter started playing Gorkamorka with me at 7. Never really cottoned to painting though.

We still play games together and she is now 15. She plays all sorts of games from card, to board, to wargames. As long as I do the set-up she is pretty content to play whatever, but is most interested in playing Blood Bowl.



Edit: I have had good results with younger kids and non-wargamers with some of the more "dexterity focused" rules I have made.

https://www.wargamevault.com/browse.php?keywords=blood+and+spectacles&x=0&y=0&author=&artist=&pfrom=&pto=

Green Army Men: Plastic Men, Steel Resolve
Total CARnage
High Noon: Plastic Men, Steel Resolve

These use a "flick" mechanic with WYSIWYG resolution so it is easy to play. Models are just toys.

Yeah that’s a good way of getting gaming going at a younger age.
My lad always sits and looks at my painting, so I think when the time comes he will jump at the chance.
Right now it’s drawing and painting and play-doh.
It’s like future proofing his skills

My Boys are 11 and 9. We started playing Kill Team and Godtear maybe a year and a half ago? We usually play a game or two each month.

They boys were interested in painting some Necrons and Tyranids, both very forgiving models to start on. They each painted about 2 models and then lost interest, but they sometimes watch me paint and I think they're getting a little more interested.

Back at 8, my youngest, highly energetic and doesn't want to sit still, could do about a half-game of kill team before he needed some squirm time. Initially needed a fair bit of coaxing and reminding of rules, but he can hold his own pretty well now.

Now, at 11, my eldest regularly whips me at Godtear. He has a team that just clicks for him.

We've played some DnD, but to be honest trying to remember all the rules for the characters (Both sons, my wife, and an NPC party member) *and* the story *and* the npcs was just a bit too much for *Me*. They really enjoyed it, but I think that DM'ing such a game was more than I was ready to commit to. For me, I needed players that could handle their own characters so I could handle the world around them. I (chose to) break the flow so we could resolve the actions properly, trying to teach the rules, but that got too cumbersome for me. At the time, reading the manuals was beyond the boys and my wife wasn't *that* interested.

Also think outside the box.

Consider the younger generation books that Black Library is publishing; or even other fantasy/sci-fi stories. Sometimes you can spark interest by helping to nurture an interest in general fantasy/scifi elements. Movies are a good resource too.

Again if you reinforce their love of fantasy and sci-fi then half the work is done in involving them within the hobby.

 greatbigtree wrote:


We've played some DnD, but to be honest trying to remember all the rules for the characters (Both sons, my wife, and an NPC party member) *and* the story *and* the npcs was just a bit too much for *Me*. They really enjoyed it, but I think that DM'ing such a game was more than I was ready to commit to. For me, I needed players that could handle their own characters so I could handle the world around them. I (chose to) break the flow so we could resolve the actions properly, trying to teach the rules, but that got too cumbersome for me. At the time, reading the manuals was beyond the boys and my wife wasn't *that* interested.

You want to do a kids/easy entry role play if that’s the case.

Look at something like Mouse Guard (as it’s bad ass anyway).
Less rules and stats, and easier too.

The other thing I always thought would be easier for the GM, is just be more cinematic than rules driven.
So if they roll well or do something cool, I’d not worry about if they actually only did 9 damage as opposed to 11 needed or whatnot. (Some groups have a player that is all stats and rules and you wouldn’t be able to break the format but I think whatever is coolest or makes a god story or chance to roleplay the characters is what’s best.
Particularly for the younger players..

Oh another thought on kids gaming - Burrows and Badgers
https://www.oathswornminiatures.co.uk/c/4553237/1/burrows-badgers.html

If they've discovered Redwall (or you are about to introduce them) then they might really catch on with that game. Plus its all metal (and a little resin for some bigger ones) and no assembly (or very limited). So not only can they get to painting quickly, but you can dip and repaint as they advance.

We, as a family, enjoy the (soft) tactical aspect of minis on the table, so I was trying to introduce the crunch to them, but it turned out to be a bit too much for me to manage.

That said, I cut my teeth on Hero Quest... and if that's getting re-released, well, that could solve a good number of issues.

For beginner RPGs, I find rules-lite works WAY, WAY better for any noobie regardless of age.

Monster of the Week is great for this.

My daughter and her friends were eating this up and having so much fun that my wife even joined in!

My eldest niece (20) has played a few minis games with me now and her biggest issue is figuring out what she wants to start collecting and focusing on.

Recently, my younger niece (9) started wanting to try them after we've been playing some D&D and I got them both a set of Cats & Catacombs models, and had their first painting session to do their D&D characters. I mentioned that they could use the Cats in Frostgrave, and they jumped at that chance. Helped them make warbands and we just dove in. They had a blast, and the mechanics for Frostgrave are kinda close to D&D so it wasn't too difficult for the younger to get into (plus, she really liked the idea of a Witch that could get a wolf companion), and for the last couple of weeks they've been occasionally scouring Michael's to try to find stuff to build their own terrain so they can play at home.

I think it's a matter of finding something they find interesting, and not being too demanding about "you must learn the rules!" Guide them through things, peek their interest, and they'll start digging in on their own. Forcing it just because it's a thing you're into probably isn't a great way, but fostering any area of interest they might show can, I think, lead to them asking for more.

I've played some zombicide Invader with my boy and he rather enjoyed that. The cooperative nature means that he can focus on rolling the dice and making noises and I can help him deal with movement and tactics. Tried some xwing and he liked zooming the ships but doesnt have thales attention span to play properly.

We have tried out some 5 parsecs as its cooperative and storytelling, but it's still a bit crunchy. We've been in house moving limbo so not much pai ting for me lately but hopefully I can get back to that and get them interested again.

Also after the Zombiecide the boy made his own version using some old high elves I had kicking about, so we played his game a few times and that was fun. Made little sense but was fun

Wife and kids (7 and 9) are enjoying heroquest. I borrowed a set from a friend but a re release is just around the corner