Many of us are familiar with the sensation of being invested in a story while reading books, watching movies, or playing games. The connection can be even more intense with games like Dungeons & Dragons, where you’re playing a character inside the story itself!

But sometimes, being too “into it” is inconvenient (like having to try not to cry while watching anime on the bus) or even painful (like being unable to step away from grief over a work of fiction). On the other hand, trying to “cut off” this emotional investment can lessen the experience and disconnect you from the story. Here are some ways to harness the healthy aspects of gaming-adjacent emotions while looking out for the ways it can veer into being unhealthy.

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.

It’s no secret that we like to tout the mental health benefits of Dungeons & Dragons around here: we’ve talked about how it can be helpful for kids with social anxiety and depression, as well as boosting social-emotional and leadership skills. But why should you take our word for it? After all, we’re trying to convince you to enroll your child or teen in our online D&D games.

Fortunately, we’re not the only people getting interested in the mental health benefits of D&D: therapists and educators are taking notice, too. And research is starting to come in to back up the idea that tabletop roleplaying games have a lot to offer when it comes to emotional wellbeing.

Since the pandemic, the rates of childhood depression have doubled: worldwide, 1 in 4 teens report having “clinically significant” symptoms. We know that the disruption in routines, missed milestones, and isolation of the pandemic had a huge impact on kids’ mental health, and we’ll probably see after effects for years to come.

Our company, Young Dragonslayers, was founded in 2020 as a direct response to the huge wave of depression that swept through the lives of kids and teens in my therapy practice. I was looking for a way to help kids stay connected to something meaningful during that chaotic and lonely time. D&D is predictable, socially supportive, and lets kids experience “wins” every time they play. It’s a wonderful option for kids struggling with depression, and today I’d like to talk about why.

Dungeons and Dragons is a creative, immersive game that has captured the imagination of tweens and teens everywhere. In addition to being a fun and fulfilling hobby, D&D bosts an array of social-emotional benefits.

Playing as a character in a collaborative, imaginative story gives kids a chance to build skills like teamwork, empathy, and compassion. But there’s another benefit to D&D that you may not have considered: its potential to develop confident leaders.

It’s hard to meet new people when you aren’t putting yourself out there, and kids with social anxiety may quickly feel isolated from their peers. They need to find ways to meet new peers that feel safe and nonjudgmental, so they can gradually face their fears. If your socially anxious child has geeky interests, I’ve got some great news: D&D is an amazing tool for helping kids overcome social anxiety.

Today, we’re going to take a look at the ways that social anxiety affects kids, and the specific aspects of D&D that can help kids learn to navigate their social life with less fear.

The collaborative, immersive nature of D&D makes it an amazing vehicle for social and emotional learning. You’re literally putting yourself in another person (or elf, or gnome, or giant talking cat’s) shoes. How you interact with others has a huge influence on the success or failure of your game. You almost can’t help but improve your people skills!

But what exactly are social-emotional skills, and how do they get used in the game? Therapists are sometimes guilty of dropping buzzwords like “SEL skills” without really unpacking what they mean. So today, let’s get into it! We’re going on a deep dive into the social-emotional skills we see kids use over the course of a standard D&D campaign. You’ll learn what SEL skills are, why they’re important, and how they play out in D&D.