Pelican fanatic and top-tier TikToker Hank Green is a powerhouse. He’s crafted a book series, a #1 app, two merch companies, a TikTok presence, an educational video nonprofit, an annual charity event, a popular online-video convention, a hit podcast for teens, and more. Hank Green also has ADHD. While going through items from his childhood, he found an old diagnosis that he shared in a video on his personal channel (My Childhood Learning Disability). In the video, he reflects on how he's been able to thrive with ADHD, his pride in who he is and how far he’s come, and the support that in his childhood that helped him get there. We work with a lot of teens with ADHD and autism, and we haven’t been able to stop thinking about Hank’s video since it came out. His career is a brilliant example of a boy with ADHD getting support, growing up, and doing amazing things, and it exemplifies some important truths about ADHD and the people who have it.

Many people – including us – recommend starting to play D&D between ages 8 and 10 at the youngest. But there are kids younger than that who want to play, whether they grow up in gamer families, hear stories about fantasy adventurers, or see older peers engaging with the game. Enter Little But Fierce, an inclusive family-friendly rewrite of Dungeons & Dragons’ rules by teacher and RPG writer DC Bradshaw. We got to chat with him about the game, how it was made, and the inspiration behind it – as well as something near and dear to our hearts: the importance of accessibility and inclusion in roleplaying games.

Many kids struggle with confidence, especially today. Confidence in children is at an all-time low, having fallen 22% since just 2016. Studies have found a pattern: confidence declines gradually around ages 7 or 8, then has a sudden drop-off at ages 10 or 11 as children enter middle school. Kids themselves have even recognized this; 60% of kids aged 7-11 report wishing that they were more confident. With this confidence crisis, many parents are at a total loss for how to help. We’re a team of therapists and educators, so we have seen these low confidence levels in children and understand how to help children improve confidence. Through our facilitated social groups, we have helped many children unlock a new, self-assured part of themselves and face life with a new outlook.

Online DND games for teens are thriving. The rise of digital tools for teens playing Dungeons and Dragons online and popular shows streaming people playing the game lay the foundation for geek-minded teens to hop online during the pandemic and play games together. That’s how we got our start running a virtual DND club for teens, as a way for our founder, therapist Katie Lear, to help her young clients feel less alone and build social connection without the support of in-person groups. Though the depths of the pandemic are over, online DND groups for teens are more plentiful than ever, joined by libraries, Discord servers, online courses, game-finding sites, and more. If you’re a parent or teen hoping to find youth DND games online we know a thing or two! In fact, we’ve written several blog posts breaking down what teen DND online groups are, how online DND classes for teens work, and how to find virtual DND groups for teens. Here’s a highlight reel of what you’ll need to know. 

Making friends with ADHD can be difficult no matter your age, but it can be even more fraught for kids, tweens, and teens with ADHD making friends. At that age, everyone’s trying to figure out how social dynamics work, and making friends with ADHD sometimes brings an added challenge to an already tumultuous time. As a parent, it can leave you saddened that your ADHD kid has no friends, left in the land of what-ifs: “What if my ADHD child can’t make friends?” “What if no one likes my ADHD child?” or “What if all kids with ADHD are loners for life?” As a youth worker and a parent, I feel you. It hurts so badly to watch incredible kids be rejected by their peers, desperate for any kind of connection, and wondering if there’s something wrong with them. But there is good news. ADHD kids can make friends; I’ve watched (and, on occasion, helped) them do it for years. Like many other things, kids making friends with ADHD works a little differently than for their neurotypical peers – but those little shifts make a big difference. Here are some ways you can help your ADHD child make friends. 

Tons of parents out there are looking for activities for their kids to develop social skills. Whether they’re general social skills activities for teens and kids or specific activities for kids with social anxiety, it’s important to us that our children learn how to interact with their peers, regulate their own emotions, deal with the messiness of being around other humans. But what kinds of activities actually work to do this? We’re a crew of therapists, educators, and others who work with youth to build social skills, and we’re here to share strategies to find activities that will help your children build these essential skills.

In the past few years, lots of people have been researching the benefits of Dungeons and Dragons for kids, tweens, teens, and beyond. They’re studying the benefits of DND for children, testing if DND is good for mental health, and exploring the social benefits of DND. We’re Young Dragonslayers – a crew of educators, therapists, and parents with a shared goal: running well-crafted DND games and creating a safe, supportive space for teens and tweens. We’ve been running games since 2020, but we’ve also been sharing about the benefits of DND: at game conventions, in interviews, and on our YouTube channel and blog. So we decided to collect everything we’ve shared about the benefits of DND – from education to mental health – in a singular compendium. Whether you’re a parent, educator, gamer, or some combination of the three, we hope this can serve as a resource for you.

Kids have all kinds of different nerdy interests: one might watch anime and play video games, another might draw Pokemon and read sci-fi, and another might make steampunk jewelry and play Dungeons & Dragons. The geek scene is ever-expanding, and plenty of kids are flocking to what were previously fringe interests. With that interest can come a desire to participate IRL – to participate, oftentimes, by going to a geek convention. And parents, understandably, have questions. Can kids go to comic con? Where can I find family friendly conventions? Underneath all these questions is this: how do I let my child explore their interests while keeping them safe? I’ve been to conventions from anime to sci-fi, from 200 people in a hotel ballroom to tens of thousands in a sprawling convention center, and I’m here to be your guide to finding family friendly conventions!

Shows like Critical Role, Dimension 20, and The Adventure Zone are called “Actual Play” – shows where people tell a story by playing Dungeons & Dragons (and games like it). These shows, and plenty more like them, have become hugely popular, spinning off into live performances, production companies, and even animated TV shows. We already went over everything you need to know about actual-play shows in general, but today we wanted to address some questions about what shows like Dimension 20 are rated. Is it okay for a 12 year old to watch Critical Role? Should you let your child listen to The Adventure Zone? Are there actual play shows for kids specifically? We’ll provide you with everything you need to know to determine what D&D shows are good for kids in your family.

From the first origins of the game, people have been asking a lot of questions about the intersection of Christianity and Dungeons & Dragons. During the Satanic Panic, many Christians hated D&D and were told D&D was demonic and sinful. Though that turned out to be false, some Christians are still wary of the game, while other Christians love D&D and have their games influenced by their faith. We’re here to discuss ways that Christians can play D&D and use it to uphold Christian values like building community, telling truth, and and even sharing Jesus!

Since the introduction of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) in 1974, there have been a lot of questions about the game. Is it safe to play D&D? Are there demons in D&D? Can Christians play D&D? The answer, especially throughout the “Satanic Panic” of the 1980s seemed to be a resounding “no,” but the years since have given people a chance to reevaluate. I’m Jaclyn Lewis, former youth minister, current professional Dungeon Master and parent, and I had the chance to interview Pastor Derek W. White, a minister with the United Methodist Church, long-time Dungeon Master and the creator of the D&D satanic panic movie documentary. We’re here to explore what is controversial about D&D, what the Bible has to say about D&D and what Christians need to know about Dungeons & Dragons.  

Dungeons and Dragons is a popular game for people of all ages. This leaves a lot of parents asking questions about the game. Is DnD appropriate for my kids? How old does my child have to be to play DnD? Can a 7 or 8 year old play DnD? We’re a group of parents, educators, and gamers who run games for young players, so we have a pretty good idea of when to start children on D&D and how they can have the best experience.

As parents, it can be difficult to find good activities for neurodivergent children. So many activities for kids and teens aren’t made with neurodivergent brains in mind: unstructured anxiety-inducing social settings, sudden unexpected changes, and often either too much or too little stimulation for our young one’s minds. The best activities for our children not only appeal to them and their interests, but will also build skills, connections, and confidence that we want them to carry through the rest of their lives. While my little one is still too young to play, I’ve seen firsthand the impact that Dungeons & Dragons can have on neurodivergent teens, tweens, and older children. Let me tell you why I think it’s the perfect game for kids with autism, ADHD, and anything else that sets a brain apart from the “norm.”

If you know and want to get birthday gifts for a D&D fan, fear not! We have 10 unique D&D gifts that are sure to enchant any Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast.

The game Baldur's Gate 3 is about as close as you can get to Dungeons & Dragons in video-game form. Players create a party of adventurers, choosing from the D&D classes of barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter, monk, paladin, ranger, rogue, sorcerer, warlock, and wizard. They cast D&D spells, like Fireball and Polymorph, use D&D items, like a Potion of Healing or a Sword of Life Stealing, and fight D&D monsters, like owlbears and mimics. Even the world itself is D&D, from organizations like the Harpers and the Flaming Fists to the eponymous city of Baldur's Gate itself. So many young people play D&D and have heard about Baldur's Gate 3, which has many parents asking if this game is right for their children. We're here to help you answer that question! 

Did you know homeschooling is the fastest-growing form of education in the U.S.? I didn’t until I saw recent research showing that, even post-pandemic, the number of homeschooled kids continues to climb—up to 2.7 million, according to the Washington Post!

Families from all walks of life are choosing to homeschool for various reasons, so there’s no single “type” of homeschooler. Still, anyone considering it has probably faced the same question: How do homeschooled students socialize?

As a therapist, I can confirm that socialization is crucial to every child’s emotional and cognitive growth, especially for preteens and teens whose development relies on peer relationships. So, whether you’re asking this yourself or fielding questions from curious (or nosy) neighbors, it’s a topic worth exploring.

Socialization can be challenging for all kids, regardless of school setting. Homeschooling families just face different hurdles than their public school counterparts.

In this post, I’ll dive into the importance of socialization, why not all social events are equal, and how parents can intentionally set their kids up for social success. We’ll also look at how online platforms (like our D&D games) can add valuable support to a homeschooler’s social world.

Long day of cleaning ahead? Dog itching for an epic walk? The inevitable bore of a long road trip looming into your future? Fear not—an epic lineup of fun, engaging, and intriguing Dungeons and Dragons podcasts are here!

D&D podcasts (and podcasts in general) have seen a major renaissance since the pandemic, and there’s an endless backlog of worlds and settings when it comes to choosing your next adventure. Well-produced, theatrical D&D podcasts can be a great way to pass the time as an individual or as a family, and they can also be an engaging, practical way to familiarize yourself with the rules and mechanics of the game. So whether you’re an iTunes or Spotify fanatic, it’s time to find your next epic quest!

In a world where online distractions reign supreme and attention spans waver, children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often find themselves navigating an uphill battle. However, amidst the chaos of modern life, a beacon of hope emerges in the form of an unexpected hero – Dungeons & Dragons! This cherished tabletop role-playing game isn't just about rolling dice and slaying dragons; it's a transformative journey that offers unique therapeutic benefits for children struggling with ADHD.

So, what exactly makes Dungeons & Dragons such a game-changer for ADHD kids? Let's roll the dice and explore the unique benefits it offers.

Online gaming aficionados, we have gathered here today to discuss a potentially controversial topic: Discord for kids. If you’re the parent of a D&D-loving child, you’ve likely heard your child talking about this app. And if you’re a gamer yourself, you’re probably using it already!

Depending on who you ask, Discord is either a fun and easy way for kids to connect with friends (often while playing games) or the supreme source of internet evil. The opinions I hear from fellow parents about Discord as a therapist, D&D professional, and mom are all over the map.

So what’s a parent to do? Cave to the pressure and let your kid use Discord even if you feel a little uncomfortable? Restrict Discord entirely and risk your child missing out on quality social interaction? Go on a deep internet dive trying to figure out how to make Discord as safe as possible for your kid?

We run online D&D games for kids and teens, so internet safety is an absolute top priority around here. We use a variety of tools to play—and yes, sometimes Discord is one of them! In this guide, we’ll be breaking down everything you need to know about Discord to make an informed deicision about whether to allow it for your child.

Hail and well met, future Dungeon Masters! You’re ready to dive into the world of facilitating your own Dungeons & Dragons games. Welcome to a realm where your imagination runs wild, and you can bring your wildest dreams (or nightmares) alive for your friends and family. But wait: before you start crafting epic quests and summoning mythical creatures, you might be wondering, "Where do I even begin?" Fear not, my fellow adventurer, because we've got your back.