EDGE

Empowering Game Design Education

Video Available: Roleplaying with Kids

Sarah Lynne Bowman

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Video available:
Role-playing with Kids: Creating Transformative Experiences for Children Under 12

 

The video and captions are now available for Role-playing with Kids: Creating Transformative Experiences for Children Under 12″ by Angie Bandoesingh at Dragon’s Nest! This event was our first dissemination activity for EDGE.

 

Photo of Angie Bandhoesingh

Description of event:

During this talk we will delve into the use of role-playing games, including tabletop and larp, as educational tools specifically tailored for children under the age of 12.

TTRPGs, besides their inherent fun aspect, serve as exceptional educational tools by creating secure and imaginative environments. Here, participants can engage in experimentation, fostering self-discovery, and honing crucial cognitive skills such as communication, decision-making, out-of-the-box thinking, emotional intelligence, empathy, and teamwork. In contrast, larps offer a hands-on experience where players actively participate in the narrative, applying acquired knowledge practically through experiential learning.
Both tools are extremely impactful in the development of life skills of the participants. However, a responsible approach to design is necessary, especially when designing for kids. This includes meticulous consideration of age-appropriate settings and themes and the implementation of emotional safety measures.

Presenter bio: 
Angie Bandhoesingh is an educator and an educational game designer for children and adults, with a focus on non-formal education. She has a lot of passion for game-based learning and transformative role-playing games. She has an educator’s degree from the Literature, Philosophy, and Psychology department of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens. After many years of work in the formal educational system, she cofounded Dragon’s Nest (formerly RPG4Kids), co-creating the edu-RPG ”Sorcerer’s Apprentices” as a tool for the development of soft skills in kids aged 5-12. Since then she has focused on developing meaningful and fun educational experiences for kids and adults, utilizing the power of play, such as larps, boardgames, and other mediums.

Erasmus EDGE is a joint Higher Education Cooperation Partnership project between Uppsala University, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Dragons’ Nest, Chaos League, and Avalon Larp Studio.

This series is hosted by the Games & Society Lab at the Department of Game Design, Uppsala University Campus Gotland. The series explores the use of analog role-playing games as vehicles for lasting personal and social change.
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