How do we make D&D inclusive for players with additional needs?

Here at Bristol Adventurers' Guild we specialise in running games of Dungeons & Dragons for children and young people with additional needs, such as Autism or ADHD. In this blog post we'll look at a few of the different ways in which we make our games accessible.

Safe and Familiar Environment

All of our games take place online, which means that children and young people can join in from a safe, familiar and comfortable environment. They can have access to all their favourite things such as fidget or stim toys, weighted blankets, cuddly toys, or whatever it is that helps them feel calm, safe and happy in their space. This also means that parents/guardians/carers can also be as close by or as far away as is helpful to enable them to feel supported and reassured whilst they play.

Routine

Having a planned routine can be really helpful for children with additional needs, so all of our D&D groups take place at the same time, on the same day each week, for the same length of time. This means players always know how their D&D game will fit into their weekly routine. Sometimes sessions may need to be cancelled in the event of holiday, or illness, but we always aim to give as much notice as possible if that’s the case to allow players to prepare for not having their usual session one week.

Options for Interaction

Holding our games online also means that children and young people have options for how much and in what way they interact with the session. We use Microsoft Teams for video calls, and so if a player is not feeling comfortable and confident to have their camera on, then they can have it off for some or all of the session. Similarly, if they are not feeling like they want to speak for some or all of the session then they can mute their microphone and type in the chat box instead. This means that no matter what kind of day they might be having, they can hopefully still engage with the game in a way that feels safe and comfortable for them.

Setting Expectations

It can be helpful for children and young people with additional needs to know what to expect from, or in, a D&D session, which can help to reduce anxiety around the unknown. We make sure that we begin each session with a brief explanation of what we will be doing, and similarly end with a brief explanation of what we will be doing next week. For example at the start of the a session we might say something like “Today we’re going to be exploring the ruined old castle”, and then at the end of the session we might say something like “Now that you’ve found the secret lair under the castle ruins, next week we will go down inside it and see what’s there”.

Demand Avoidance

Sometimes it can be tricky for children and young people with additional needs to do things when they feel like they are being forced to do it. During our games we are mindful of our language and try to use invitational language, rather than demanding language. For example in D&D players frequently need to roll a dice to find out the outcome when they want to do something, so instead of saying “you need to roll an athletics check” we try to say things like “great idea, you can roll athletics to see what happens”.

Processing Time

We understand that some players will need longer than others to process what is happening in the game, and decide what they would like their character to do. We never rush a child into a making a decision, and we never decide for them. All players are supported to take the time that they need to understand and join in the events happening in the game.

If you have any other tips on how to make games of Dungeons & Dragons more accessible for children and young people with additional needs please do leave us a comment, we are always keen to adopt best practice and ensure our games are fully accessible to all players.

If this sounds like the kind of game environment that would be beneficial to your child, then get in touch by emailing info@bristoladventurersguild.co.uk to find out more about joining a group or having one-to-one sessions.