Review of The Kid’s Table D&D podcast season 1
Jump to:
- What is The Kid’s Table D&D AP about?
- Who would The Kid’s Table D&D AP be great for?
- What is unique about The Kid’s Table D&D AP?
- Favorite parts and episodes from The Kid’s Table D&D AP
- Where to find The Kid’s Table D&D AP
What is The Kid’s Table D&D AP about?
The Kid’s Table is a D&D actual play show for kids that has kid players! This means that the show is about a group who is playing Dungeons & Dragons together, and they have recorded their games to share with others. The show has several youth players, including two very young kids, who participate in the game and are learning to play as they go.
This D&D show is kid-friendly with about a PG rating. There’s some combat, but nothing is over-the-top, language is all fam-friendly, and there’s nothing here that would be out of place in a typical youth TV show.
This review will specifically cover season 1 of the actual play show; The Kid’s Table also has other playlists with tips and tricks to check out (and that I can hopefully cover in a future review)!
Who would The Kid’s Table D&D AP be great for?
The Kid’s Table D&D AP is a great show for kids who are interested in D&D or who are looking for examples of D&D so they can learn how to play or can figure out what the game is. Similar to how many adults have found and learned about D&D from watching Critical Role, The Kid’s Table can be this gateway for young players to find a first introduction to tabletop RPGs.
For age rating, I had no problems listening to this with my 6yo, and it can also be great for younger OR older kids as well. The cast includes kids with a range of ages from very young players to teens, so youth viewers can see someone their own age involved in the game play.
This show is also a wonderful watch for adults who are learning to GM or facilitate D&D and other tabletop RPGs for kids. It shows how to moderate the table, how to shift the spotlight between players, what a typical game session looks like, and so much more.
What is unique about The Kid’s Table D&D AP?
The Kid’s Table has many awesome elements to it, more than I can list here, but I will do my best to cover some of the big ones!
First, it is a wonderful example of playing D&D with kids in a manageable way that keeps kids engaged through the whole story. Players are prompted for RP opportunities in gentle and considerate ways, questions are rewarded, challenges are age-appropriate, and there’s plenty of examples of how to foster cooperation between players. It’s also paced in a way that kids can follow well and stay engaged with, and everything is handled with empathy and kindness that is oh so necessary in games and stories with kids.
Second, this show teaches you how to play D&D as you watch and listen with helpful pop-up tips, math displayed for dice rolls, and explanations for mechanics smoothly incorporated into the narrative. It also demonstrates how to RP and how to encourage RP from players who are at first hesitant to participate.
The last big point that I will focus on is the pacing and organization of the show itself – episodes are about 12-20 minutes each, meaning that it’s very easy to fit a listen in during a car ride, while waiting for lunch, or during a midday brain break without feeling pressured to listen to a longer episode (or having to find your place in a long episode). Story breaks are deftly placed at good stopping points, and there’s great recaps at the start of each episode to remind listeners of where the adventure left off.
Favorite parts and episodes from The Kid’s Table D&D AP
I, honestly, loved so much about this show, it is hard to pick a favorite part or episode! Overall, the GM’ing and the players are amazing, playing into a fun story and asking some great questions.
Episode 7: A Goddess’s Tale is a wonderful example of how to reward players when they pay attention to the story and ask questions as well as how to give players an exciting and focused quest.
Episode 15: A Friend Returns is another highlight that shows how a tough encounter can end up feeling super rewarding because it was tough! It also has some great mechanics explinations + graphics to illustrate a new concept to players… and does a great job with introducing a tension breaking scene that got a player who was down on their luck to laugh.
I have also particularly enjoyed the earnest and joyous reactions from the players whenever there’s a nat 1 or nat 20 rolled!! In classic D&D fashion, the table explodes with excitement whenever there’s an impactful roll with everyone getting immediately pulled into the story, and it is GREAT getting to see that reaction from kids! I’ve seen it with my own kid when we’ve played, and it is really cool to see that at tables with other youth-focused TTRPG groups!
Where to find The Kid’s Table D&D AP
You can find The Kid’s Table D&D AP here on Youtube!
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Looking for more D&D material for kids? Check out my list of D&D for kids adventure, hacks, and rewrites here!