Overview:
The Dungeons & Dragons club at school fosters creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and inclusion among students.
When my son turned 12, he joined my monthly Dungeons and Dragons game with friends. Picking up his dice for his first attack roll, I could see him deducing his chances of hitting the gigantic frog that was trying to devour his character whole.
“I’ve got less than a 25% chance to hit it though,” he said sadly. “So I think I’m going to get eaten, Dad.”
“Happens all the time,” laughed my friend Spencer.
When his character survived against all odds, we all cheered and celebrated with cookies. Then, the party reassembled to plot their assault on the wyvern’s lair!
This may sound completely absurd to you as a person, especially if you aren’t familiar with D&D or role-playing games in general. But to millions of Dungeons and Dragons game fans, it sounds like a lot of fun. And the number of D&D fans has grown exponentially in recent years, especially young fans. In fact, Dungeons and Dragons has become a hugely popular game, even being featured on the cover of Time Magazine.
Today, many middle and high school teachers have started D&D clubs. As someone who runs one at my middle school, I know exactly why.
Why your school needs a Dungeons and Dragons club, too
Not only does D&D foster a social environment that is highly inclusive to all kids, but it also allows a forum for exactly what many parts of a school day either don’t or can’t provide: both creativity and imagination galore. D&D’s game system is both complicated and rewarding, which leads to students reading rulebooks, studying charts and tables, and other resources. These sources are as sophisticated as any textbook (not to mention they provide a gateway to fantasy literature).
D&D players must incorporate extensive mathematical understanding into their game, and the storytelling aspect of D&D breeds problem-solving that computers can’t provide. Plus, D&D makes kids feel great. They get to role-play heroes, defend the innocent, save the queen, and most definitely restore justice to the land. And they do all of this while they talk to one another, around a physical table. Perhaps this is why some have called D&D the perfect embodiment of project-based learning, integrated teaching, or even STEM.
How to Host a D&D Club at Your School
So, how can you go about starting your own club?
First, you’ll want to do a couple of things. Just like with any club, it helps to find colleagues who play the game. Chances are good that someone on staff, maybe several, already are D&D players! You may just find you’ve got partners to help you run the club, as D&D players typically like hosting games. D&D players also love teaching the game to new players. But even if you can’t find someone familiar with the game, you’ll be in business. I recommend first purchasing an all-in-one D&D box, like one of the latest Starter Sets. Dungeons and Dragons has books for nearly everything, but the starter sets, like the one above, are simplified and straightforward. In a few hours, you’ll be able to host a game yourself. Inside, you’ll find game rules, dice ,and an adventure to run for the kids. This is the basic version of any D&D game, and your players will enjoy themselves for the whole year, even at this level, I promise.
Next, assemble your team. I send out an information flyer early in the year and ask interested students to answer a few questions. This helps me consider what size group to take on, and whether or not to run one table or two.
After that, we schedule an orientation where we eat cookies and create characters using the D&D character sheet in the Starter Set. But don’t worry if that sounds complicated to you. You can simply use the pre-generated characters in the box and discuss game mechanics with the kids.
Once you’ve got your “party”, location, and time are essential to keeping your game flowing. Our group plays in the library at lunch. This gives kids who may not ordinarily be up for playing traditional recess games a different outlet. It also provides a great backdrop for what I find comes naturally after playing D&D, which is a lot of checking out books in the fantasy, graphic novels, and manga sections.
Each adventure you play will typically run you 4-8 sessions. After playing one, you can then select another adventure to take your heroes on. For that, simply purchase another D&D adventure. Don’t be surprised, though, if the kids themselves ask to run the next one. In D&D, the person who runs the game is called the Dungeon Master or sometimes Gamemaster. Typically, there are one or more kids who enjoy the role, which is a terrific leadership opportunity to pass on.
Take Your D&D Club to the Next Level
Dungeons and Dragons players will want their own dice. Many will purchase them on their own, but you may want to keep some extra around for new players. I also recommend a game mat and a few starter tokens to draw the scenes and battles of the game for your players.
For kids who want more character options or new monsters to fight, you’ll want to purchase a Player’s Handbook and a Monster Manual. If you want to give your players new and exciting adventures, you’ll want to purchase the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
You may notice that kids getting into Dungeons and Dragons will find themselves interested in other role-playing games, or even board games, too. These games are often easier to find at comic book stores and can be a ton of fun. Some role-playing games are set in space, like this one that my students love about Star Wars. Other games allow kids to play Marvel Super Heroes. Kids enjoying the game tokens may find interest in miniature buildings as well. If so, be sure to apply to Warhammer’s school grant to get your free miniature building and painting kit.
Dungeons and Dragons isn’t just the club I run during my lunch. It’s the club I wish I could have attended back in the ’80s. Dungeons and Dragons allows kids to explore, to share, to collaborate, and to feel included, no matter who they are. It’s therefore a great place to create at your school, and it’ll be sure to be a great and rewarding time for your students.
