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[NoMoreFun]

Inspired by a post in another topic, what set of 25 cards would you choose for a game suitable for young children.
The age range for the base set is suggested as 10 and up; cold you make a game suitable for 5-9 year olds?

I have no idea what is and isn't suitable for young children, some possible requirements:
* Simple to understand, not much text or maths beyond adding up money and counting
* Easy to keep track of things like money so the  (cards like Mining Village that give money then disappear aren't a good idea)
* Few ambiguities with rules, to the point where the game could be functional or even fun when people screw up the rules. Cards like possession with 1 page FAQs aren't going to be very fun.
* Tread carefully with attacks - don't want to be starting fights with Torturer and Ghost Ship, but maybe they can be fun and interactivity is good.
* Some cards might need retheming

The base set is a good starting point.

[popsofctown]

Library!

[Beyond Awesome]

Alt VP might get too confusing. I think Witch would be an okay card. I think kids can understand subtract 1 point.

Here are some ideas
Village
Witch
Counterfeit
Jack of All Trades
Tunnel (kids love gold)
Militia
Lab
Throne Room
Great Hall
Bank
Moat
Bazaar
Cache
Smithy
Chapel

[NoMoreFun]

Counterfeit would be one of the worst cards. Headache inducing.

[Awaclus]

I've played against my sister's 7 year old with randomized kingdoms using the base set cards only.

[TheMirrorMan]

There was a junior Tourney in Holland some time ago for kids aging between 6 and 12. They used base and intrigue, but each round they used a different set with a certain theme (I seem to remember something like "Tigers and elephants", but can't remember what the set used was). It seemed to appeal a lot to the kids.

[popsofctown]

I think the difference between buying and gaining is a pain, and that is what would make me want to skip Witch.

[Awaclus]

I think the difference between buying and gaining is a pain, and that is what would make me want to skip Witch.

That's the kind of stuff that kids learn easily.

[Davio]

Well, the thing is, most Dominion cards aren't hard to understand, they're just wordy.
The actual working of a Dominion card is much easier to show in practice than to explain with words.

Tunnel is like this: The "discard when not during clean-up" is messy text, but discard it to Militia once and they get it.

[TheMirrorMan]

Yes, however, I don't know if children will get e.g. Cellar - Tunnel.

But I do agree with Davio's point - just show what the card does. Ambassador probably will be already difficult and probably out of their league, but once you show it, they will get it.

[SCSN]

All of Dominion! Children learn faster than adults do. Any 4yo that can learn to play chess can also learn to play Dominion. Even as a kid I much preferred the real Monopoly to Monopoly Junior, it's just that the latter has an appeal also to kids who otherwise aren't that much into games, and it would take far more dumbing down than just selecting some "child-appropriate" cards for Dominion to appeal to that group.

[GendoIkari]

Possession
Band of Misfits
Golem
Ironworks
Trader
Scrying Pool
Procession
King's Court
Hermit/Madman
Goons

[eliegel34]

Possession
Band of Misfits
Golem
Ironworks
Trader
Scrying Pool
Procession
King's Court
Hermit/Madman
Goons

I think you might want to swap Trader for Masquerade. For you know, simplicity.

[GendoIkari]

Possession
Band of Misfits
Golem
Ironworks
Trader
Scrying Pool
Procession
King's Court
Hermit/Madman
Goons

I think you might want to swap Trader for Masquerade. For you know, simplicity.

Fair point. Though I chose Trader so that we could have Ironworks/Trader. (Though I guess Ironworks/Possession works the same).

[Polk5440]

All of Dominion! Children learn faster than adults do. Any 4yo that can learn to play chess can also learn to play Dominion.

While this is true, the average 4 yo can't learn or isn't interested in learning chess.

[Davio]

I don't think I would include Duration cards as they're quite fiddly, especially when TR and its ugly stepsisters roar their ugly heads.

Some cards that could go over really well are cards that offer some rewards, like:
Wishing Well, Treasure Map, Smugglers, Shanty Town, City, Hoard, Harvest, Crossroads, Mystic, etc..

You might want to use some counters for the actions, buys, $, etc.
Heck, I have a hard time myself to keep track of these IRL.

[Awaclus]

All of Dominion! Children learn faster than adults do. Any 4yo that can learn to play chess can also learn to play Dominion.

While this is true, the average 4 yo can't learn or isn't interested in learning chess.

Isn't interested, perhaps, but I don't think it's impossible for the average 4yo to learn the rules of chess. Of course, learning the strategy is too much for an average 4-year-old (at least I didn't really win any games of chess as a 4-year-old).

[Kirian]

All of Dominion! Children learn faster than adults do. Any 4yo that can learn to play chess can also learn to play Dominion.

While this is true, the average 4 yo can't learn or isn't interested in learning chess.

I'll vouch for this.  My four-year-old has difficulty with checkers still, particularly with noticing when she can capture.  I probably won't introduce chess and Dominion for another couple of years.

She does well with Go Fish and Crazy Eights though.  And, oddly, Yahtzee.

[Polk5440]

I would definitely re-theme to a (elementary) schoolyard theme.

Locker (Cellar), Playground (Village), Bully (Thief), Cheater (Spy), Teachers (Harem), Principal (Nobles), Lunch Money (Cache), Secretary (Bureaucrat), Library (Library), etc.

Also, I would not include Curses at all.

Probably no heavy trashing or difficult to calculate alt VP, either. Focus on one of the pillars of Dominion (Thief) and the basic game structure; no Chapel, Gardens, or Witch or similar cards.

No Throne Room because of the "must play" -- or a reprinted version with may play (retheme: "Principal's Office"). No Moat (waiting for people to reveal when playing attacks and reactions in general, eh, not so sure that is a great idea). No Chancellor or Adventurer or Feast. Probably the rest of the base set is okay?

Harem and Nobles (rethemed as Teachers and Principal) would be my only alt VP. Cache for alt money (rethemed as Lunch Money). Probably include Warehouse for more sifting, and Treasure Map for the one-shot. Wishing Well is a great one. Maybe Coppersmith? Retheming ideas here?

If I thought about it more I would try to include more interesting combos/interactions, but stay away from cards that promote mega-turns and heavy engines. Some kids will get it, many won't (there is a conceptual barrier here I don't think a lot of young kids will get), which leads to less fun. Games need to be more lucky for kids of various skills to have fun together -- the opposite of adults.

I like Davio's suggestions, too.

[Voltaire]

All of Dominion! Children learn faster than adults do. Any 4yo that can learn to play chess can also learn to play Dominion. Even as a kid I much preferred the real Monopoly to Monopoly Junior, it's just that the latter has an appeal also to kids who otherwise aren't that much into games, and it would take far more dumbing down than just selecting some "child-appropriate" cards for Dominion to appeal to that group.

Adding to this, my general advice is "never underestimate kids". Whenever you get to what you think is appropriate, add back in one more "level" of complexity or wordiness or rules or whatever that you took out.

Also tons of kids <10 are able to play full Dominion, I'm sure of it.

[Awaclus]

Also tons of kids <10 are able to play full Dominion, I'm sure of it.

Isn't the recommended age 8+ too? At least it is in the Finnish edition.

[sudgy]

Also tons of kids <10 are able to play full Dominion, I'm sure of it.

Isn't the recommended age 8+ too? At least it is in the Finnish edition.

Looking at all the boxes (for mine at least), they're all 13+ with Prosperity being 8+.  I have no idea why Prosperity is 8+.

[scott_pilgrim]

Also tons of kids <10 are able to play full Dominion, I'm sure of it.

Isn't the recommended age 8+ too? At least it is in the Finnish edition.

Looking at all the boxes (for mine at least), they're all 13+ with Prosperity being 8+.  I have no idea why Prosperity is 8+.

My Intrigue, Seaside, and Prosperity are 8+, and the rest are 13+.  I think it costs extra (in the U.S.) to get approval for your game to sell to children 12 and under (i.e. to print on the box an age less than 13+), so maybe that has something to do with it.

[Beyond Awesome]

All of Dominion! Children learn faster than adults do. Any 4yo that can learn to play chess can also learn to play Dominion.

While this is true, the average 4 yo can't learn or isn't interested in learning chess.

Isn't interested, perhaps, but I don't think it's impossible for the average 4yo to learn the rules of chess. Of course, learning the strategy is too much for an average 4-year-old (at least I didn't really win any games of chess as a 4-year-old).

Mozart started writing music at 4. So, I am sure there are some super genius kids out there that can learn Dominion at the age of 4.

For what it is worth, I started playing Magic: The Gathering in the 4th grade.

[WanderingWinder]

Depends on the board kid.