About Young Dragonslayers
You know that moment in a fantasy story when the young hero discovers a secret, magical world full of adventurers just like them?
That’s the energy we strive for every day at Young Dragonslayers. Our professionally run online D&D games help kids and teens explore a new hobby and truly find their people.
We bring together small, carefully matched groups that are curated with friendship in mind. Led by our diverse team of facilitators, players enjoy immersive storytelling while feeling seen, supported, and part of a community.
Our Origin Story
Hi! My name is Katie. I’m a therapist, a mom, and the founder of Young Dragonslayers. I started the company in 2020, as a way to help my kid clients feel less alone during the pandemic.
Playing D&D had been helpful for maintaining my own sanity during this time: it was great to have a predictable weekly routine that felt more like real-life socializing than a random online activity. I figured it would work for kids, too.
Just as I’d guessed, our make-believe adventures led to real-life friendships and moments of actual connection from across the screen. What I didn’t anticipate was the staying power: even after lockdown ended, kids kept showing up for each other, week after week.
Parents began sharing stories about improved confidence and self-esteem. What was intended to be a short-term project turned into something much bigger.
What We Believe
🐉 D&D is for everyone. This isn’t your dad’s D&D table (no offense, Dad). We create spaces where players of all backgrounds, genders, experience levels, and abilities feel like they belong.
🎲 Play builds skills. Kids (and teens!) have a natural need for play, and roleplaying games like D&D help develop social, emotional, and problem-solving skills.
🧑🏻💻 Online friendships are real friendships. They’re not a replacement for in-person socializing, but they can connect kids to likeminded peers they might never meet in their own neighborhood.
🛡️ Safety comes first. We run periodic background checks on facilitators, and meet every family before a child joins our program, so we know exactly who’s in the Zoom room on game night.
🎉 It has to be fun. Our game masters are pros at running games for kids, and they delight in creating custom content tailored to their players’ interests.
By The Numbers
Here’s our stat block:
5 years in business
25 groups per week
2,500+ game sessions run
Serving kids from 7 countries
No more than 6 players per group
75% of players return for a second season
Many stay for years!
Who We Are
Like any good adventuring party, we come from diverse backgrounds, but we’re united by a common cause.
We’re counselors, educators, tutors, and healthcare professionals. We’re parents, PhD students, and veterans. We live everywhere from Brooklyn to Seattle to Kalamazoo.
Though we come from many paths, we’re all a little obsessed with making sure every kid has a great experience in our games, and that every player feels like a valued member of the party.
Who We Are Not
A venture capital-backed, AI-generated, corporate dungeon of a company. We’re a tiny team of real human beings who personally get to know each of our players. That’s what makes our jobs fun!
Ready for Your Child to Find Their People?
Join a community where kids feel supported, connected, and excited to show up every week.
Heed the call to adventure by applying to our waiting list.