D&D puts players in control of a collaborative story, but can kids handle the necessary moral choices? On this episode, Allison & Ryan chat about a moral dilemma presented to our kid heroes in Season 2 of our show, why this was an age-appropriate theme, and how you can determine which topics to introduce to the kids at your own table. Welcome to Area of Effect, a podcast from the creators of The Kids Table, where we discuss how tabletop RPGs benefit kids and answer your questions about p...
Jun 25, 2025•30 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Our kid Dungeons & Dragons heroes are in a tough spot, as the Red King has made them an offer: gain access to the secret Library in exchange for deposing his cousins the two queens. Will they help the king become the sole monarch of Trivestia, or will they find another way to handle this moral dilemma? 0:00 When Last We Saw Our Heroes 0:42 Episode 11: Monarchial Mess 15:08 Next Time on The Kids Table 15:26 Arc 4 Interlude: Far Away from the City of Trivestia... 16:59 Join Our Quest! www.patr...
Jun 18, 2025•18 min•Season 2Ep. 11
In this episode of our kid-focused Dungeons & Dragons story, the heroes finally gain access to the Red King! Surely, he'll be helpful and give them access to the Library of Ismiene, right? 0:00 Join Our Quest! www.patreon.com/TheKidsTableDnD 0:26 When Last We Saw Our Heroes 1:07 Episode 10: The Red King's Request 18:03 Next Time on The Kids Table If you've been enjoying our kid-focused D&D content, please consider supporting us on Patreon! With membership tiers starting at just $3, you c...
Jun 04, 2025•19 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Oh no! Our Dungeons & Dragons kid heroes have fallen into some pretty hot water after defeating unknown assailants at the inn of Café Carpathia. Can they defend themselves against potential arrest and win over Father Winston of the Temple of Creativity? Only time, and some critical rolls, will tell! 0:00 Join Our Quest! www.patreon.com/TheKidsTableDnD 0:26 When Last We Saw Our Heroes 1:07 Episode 09: Inn Trouble 21:47 Next Time on The Kids Table We are SO THANKFUL for our awesome partners: *...
May 21, 2025•23 min•Season 2Ep. 9
D&D is fun, but can it help improve player confidence? We recently shared clip on social media (on 5/2/25) showing a stark contrast between how kid player Khloe handled the pressure of mid-battle decision-making back in Season 1 compared to Season 2. On this episode, Allison, Nicole @gamemastermom, and Daniel @thedrawing bard chat about how they've seen kids grow in confidence while playing D&D, and about the vision behind Nicole & Daniel's new storybook "Tales of Aetheria: An Unexpe...
May 14, 2025•26 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Catch our kid Dungeons & Dragons heroes mid-battle! The younger heroes, with the help of some lucky rolls, have successfully held off their attackers until the older party members could arrive with some much-needed assistance. Reunited, will our heroes make it out unscathed? 0:00 Join Our Quest! www.patreon.com/TheKidsTableDnD 1:28 When Last We Saw Our Heroes 2:09 Episode 08: A Close Call 18:45 Next Time on The Kids Table 18:59 Arc 3 Interlude: High Above the City of Trivestia... We are SO T...
May 07, 2025•21 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In a recent episode of our original kid-focused Dungeons & Dragons show (S2E06 "An Ominous Warning"), the party wakes in the night to a surprise attack! Caught at a disadvantage, our heroes are in dire straights, and the kids start to get scared. Ryan and Allison discuss when and how it's appropriate to include scary elements into your D&D game with kids. Welcome to Area of Effect, a podcast from the creators of The Kids Table, where we discuss how tabletop RPGs benefit kids and answer y...
Apr 30, 2025•32 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Jump into another exciting, kid-focused Dungeons & Dragons adventure with - oops - almost all nat 20's! With our adventurers split up and half of our heroes under isolated attack, things are looking dire at the inn above Café Carpathia! Will luck be on our side as Sophia and Arugon rush to help? Who are these attackers, anyway, and why are they targeting our beloved heroes? We are SO THANKFUL for our awesome partners: *Ideas for D&D: Roll & Play Press ( rollandplaypress.com , 10% off...
Apr 23, 2025•22 min•Season 2Ep. 7
In the latest episode our original kid-focused Dungeons & Dragons show (S2E06 "An Ominous Warning"), mom Raenelle steps in to negotiate between new teen player Dillon and the rest of the group, thereby both modeling and including our kid players through the art of negotiation. We call the method she employs, "Yes, or", as opposed to the popular improv comedy method "Yes, and", and we think it's crucial to running TTRPG games with kids. Ryan and Allison discuss this method and how it empowers...
Apr 16, 2025•22 min•Season 2Ep. 1
What surprises await our kid Dungeons & Dragons players in this episode? Serena's mom Sophia sneaks out at night on a solo mission to seek answers about the disappearance of the gods, but something seems off about the new cleric she encounters. Meanwhile, our two youngest heroes' peaceful sleep is interrupted by something or someone unexpected... We are SO THANKFUL for our awesome partners: *Ideas for D&D: Roll & Play Press ( rollandplaypress.com , 10% off with link: bit.ly/TKTRollPl...
Apr 09, 2025•20 min•Season 2Ep. 6
What surprises await our kid Dungeons & Dragons players in this episode? Serena's mom Sophia sneaks out at night on a solo mission to seek answers about the disappearance of the gods, but something seems off about the new cleric she encounters. Meanwhile, our two youngest heroes' peaceful sleep is interrupted by something or someone unexpected... 0:00 When Last We Saw Our Heroes 0:42 Episode 05: A Tale of Three Cities 21:48 Next Time on The Kids Table 22:04 Arc 2 Interlude: As the Party Beds...
Mar 26, 2025•24 min
In this episode of family-friendly Dungeons & Dragons actual play, our heroes travel to Trivestia with their newest member, Arugon. When Sophia and Serena cast suspicion on Arugon's true motives, the group discusses the issue of trust within this fragile alliance. At Trivestia, tensions rise when the group disagrees on an important decision. Will Arugon's secret be uncovered? Tune in to find out! We are SO THANKFUL for our awesome partners: *Ideas for D&D: Roll & Play Press ( rolland...
Mar 13, 2025•24 min•Season 2Ep. 4
As our Dungeons & Dragons adventure for kids continues, the creepy crawlies just keep creeping! Will our brave heroes be able to put down this many-legged threat once and for all? How will they deal with the mysterious stranger in the woods? Find out on this episode of The Kids Table Season 2. 0:00 Shoutout: Heroes Wanted Kids (Online D&D) 0:32 When Last We Saw Our Heroes 1:12 Ep 03: A Questionable Alliance 16:27 Next Time on The Kids Table 16:45 Arc 1 Interlude: That Night, During Secon...
Feb 27, 2025•19 min
As our Dungeons & Dragons adventure for kids continues, the creepy crawlies just keep creeping! Will our brave heroes be able to put down this many-legged threat once and for all? How will they deal with the mysterious stranger in the woods? Find out on this episode of The Kids Table Season 2. We are SO THANKFUL for our awesome partners: *Ideas for D&D: Roll & Play Press ( rollandplaypress.com , 10% off with link: bit.ly/TKTRollPlay ) *Kids' D&D Adventures: DnD Adventure Club ( d...
Feb 13, 2025•18 min•Season 2Ep. 2
In this family & friends game of Dungeons & Dragons, our heroes are on a well-deserved & peaceful vacation when they suddenly find themselves on an urgent mission to save six unruly goats! Through havoc & hijinks, can they return these chaotic creatures to the goatherd by sundown? Find out in this family-friendly D&D one-shot. Bring the fun home to your own family & friends with "Hilltop Herd" and 100 more D&D adventures found in "One-Shot Wonders". Automatically get ...
Jan 30, 2025•36 min•Season 2Ep. 1
It's the start of a fresh, new season playing Dungeons & Dragons with kids! Catch up on what our heroes have been up to since the Battle of the Three Dragons and discover what mysteries remain unsolved. Will our brave young adventurers be called to action once again? Find out on this first episode of The Kids Table Season 2! We are SO THANKFUL for our awesome partners: *Ideas for D&D: Roll & Play Press ( rollandplaypress.com , 10% off with link: bit.ly/TKTRollPlay ) *Kids' D&D Ad...
Jan 16, 2025•19 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Our brave adventurers face off against the mastermind behind it all - The Lord of Despair - in this thrilling FINALE episode of The Kids Table Presents DnD Adventure Club! Will our heroes defeat this terrifying threat or will they be lost to the Pits of Peril forever? Watch now to find out. You can purchase "The Pits of Peril" campaign book along with other exciting adventures at DnDAdventureClub.com. Use the code KIDSTABLE10 at checkout for 10% off everything through the end of 2024. Welcome to...
Dec 18, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Allison & Red Wyrm discuss how to transition kids into the D&D Dungeon Master seat on this episode of Area of Effect. Red Wyrm and his son "The Wyrmling" started playing D&D when The Wyrmling was just 2 years old, and he started DMing at the ripe age of 4! Red Wyrm now publishes DMing tips & plot hooks by The Wyrmling on Instagram and Blue Sky and his blog with DMing advice and random tables for your home game can be found at www.Wyrmden.com ! A great place to start encouraging y...
Dec 11, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Join our kid Dungeons & Dragons heroes as they continue to investigate mysterious goings-on in the Pits of Peril, they are faced with a seemingly insurmountable wall, a skull castle, and a horde of intimidating skeletons. Will they overcome these daunting challenges, or be forced to turn back? Watch and find out! You can purchase "The Pits of Peril" along with other exciting adventures at DnDAdventureClub.com. Use the code KIDSTABLE10 at checkout for 10% off everything through the end of 202...
Dec 04, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Allison chats with Shelly Mazzanoble, author and podcast host, as she discusses her new book and shares a humorous take on parenting from a Dungeons & Dragons perspective. Learn "How to Dungeon Master Parenting" and level up your parenting skills in this entertaining episode of Area of Effect! Find Shelly's writing projects at https://shellymazzanoble.com/ Welcome to Area of Effect, a podcast from the creators of The Kids Table, where we discuss how tabletop RPGs benefit kids and answer your...
Nov 27, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Join The Kids Table in this mysterious Dungeons & Dragons adventure! Watch our brave young adventurers investigate King Ofal's underground cavern, search for survivors, and encounter a dangerous artifact. Welcome to The Kids Table Presents, our unique kid-focused way of showcasing some of the fantastic content out there written by our partners and friends! Our collaboration with DnD Adventure Club features their adventure "The Pits of Peril," a trilogy of books about an adventurers' amusemen...
Nov 20, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Allison chats with Colin of Family Fantasy RPG about the difficulties parents face in playing D&D with kids. These road bumps led him to create his own wildly popular kids' TTRPGs: Fairies of the Mistglade and Dino Riderz, available on DriveThruRPG.com! Welcome to Area of Effect, a podcast from the creators of The Kids Table, where we discuss how tabletop RPGs benefit kids and answer your questions about playing TTRPGs with the kids at your table! About us: When kids are at the table, everyo...
Nov 13, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Our heroes awake to the smell of delicious curly fries in the Pits of Peril gift shop following an epic battle between troglodyte & skeleton forces. As they venture back into the Pits of Peril to investigate why the skeletons invaded the trogs' home in the first place and who or what sent them, tensions arise in the group. Welcome to The Kids Table Presents, our unique kid-focused way of showcasing some of the fantastic content out there written by our partners and friends! Our collaboration...
Nov 06, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 3
What if our schools could be places that helped kids not only learn how to read, write, and become good citizens, but also how to work together in community? In this week's episode, Allison interviews Lucas Maxwell, librarian and author in London about his experience of bringing D&D and TTRPGs into his school's library--and how kids have been flourishing ever since. Welcome to Area of Effect, a podcast from the creators of The Kids Table, where we discuss how tabletop RPGs benefit kids and a...
Oct 30, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 15
As our adventurers delve deeper into the Pits of Peril, they encounter wildlife--and a battle already in progress! Will they choose the winning side or strike out on their own? Welcome to The Kids Table Presents, our way of showcasing in our our unique, kid-focused way some of the fantastic content out there written by our partners and friends! Our collaboration with DnD Adventure Club features their adventure "The Pits of Peril," a trilogy of books about an adventurers' amusement park filled wi...
Oct 23, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Imagine playing Dungeons & Dragons as an elementary schooler, then a middle schooler, then a high schooler. Imagine how different the experience would be at each stage, and imagine how the game would change along with you. For the girls of Dungeons & Dragons & Daughters, they don't have to imagine it--they've lived it! In this episode, Allison speaks with Sam & Bertie, two of the sixteen-year-olds on Dungeons & Dragons & Daughters, and their father the DM Curt, about what...
Oct 16, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 14
A new band of adventurers answers a call for help, delving deep into an amusement park called The Pits of Peril in search of a lost goblin. But will they find who they're looking for in time, or will the peril in these pits crush them before they've even begun? Welcome to The Kids Table Presents, our way of showcasing in our our unique, kid-focused way some of the fantastic content out there written by our partners and friends! Our collaboration with DnD Adventure Club features their adventure "...
Oct 09, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Strengthening your mental wellness can be hard, so why not make it fun with D&D? In this episode, our guest Rachel Gilmore of Ready for Anything Counseling chats with Allison about her work as a licensed therapist who incorporates Dungeons & Dragons into her therapy work with college students & other adults. The mental health benefits of D&D--both in and out of the therapy setting - have only recently been studied, and include developing emotional intelligence, social skills, res...
Oct 02, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 13
The first season of The Kids Table is complete! Filmed back in 2022, this amateur actual-play campaign premiered in short episode form in December 2023, publishing kid-friendly episodes every other week until the finale this month--and we've been overwhelmed by the support from the community. In this special episode of Area of Effect, the cast answers fan questions and reflects on the filming process, what it's been like for now-nine year olds Beckett and Khloe to watch their six year old selves...
Sep 18, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 12
On the exciting season finale of The Kids Table, our kid Dungeons & Dragons heroes battle for their lives and the fate of Crane's Rest against Ballianto, Agent of the God of Power! Will they fall? Or will they discover in time the secret of transformation? About us: When kids are at the table, everyone wins! Playing Dungeons & Dragons (and other Tabletop Role-Playing Games) with kids helps develop critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, & confidence - not to ment...
Sep 10, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 23
