Why The Structure of D&D Makes It The Perfect Game for Neurodivergent Kids

D&D can be a great game for the creativity and intelligence of neurodivergent children

As parents, it can be difficult to find good activities for neurodivergent children. So many activities for kids and teens aren’t made with neurodivergent brains in mind: unstructured anxiety-inducing social settings, sudden unexpected changes, and often either too much or too little stimulation for our young one’s minds. The best activities for our children not only appeal to them and their interests, but will also build skills, connections, and confidence that we want them to carry through the rest of their lives. While my little one is still too young to play, I’ve seen firsthand the impact that Dungeons & Dragons can have on neurodivergent teens, tweens, and older children. Let me tell you why I think it’s the perfect game for kids with autism, ADHD, and anything else that sets a brain apart from the “norm.”

Is Dungeons & Dragons Okay For Kids To Play? 

The best activities for neurodivergent kids need to be age-appropriate

Dungeons & Dragons (or D&D) is a tabletop roleplaying game; in this style of game, players create a character - say, a legendary elf ranger - who joins other characters on some kind of quest - say, to find and slay a dragon. One player, called the Dungeon Master or DM (that’s me!), is the one pulling all of the strings. They tell the rest of the players what’s happening in the world, play all of the characters they meet along the way, and build the story as they play. Whenever a player’s character tries to do something in the game - like break down a door, make friends with a merchant, or shoot a lever from afar - they roll dice to see if it works. The DM knows all the rules of the game and says what happens when the players succeed (or fail!) on their rolls. The game can be about anything - I’ve led players on adventures through Candyland, outer space, and more - but usually, it’s in a high-fantasy setting (think dwarves, wizards, and magic). Some games can contain darker elements like demons or gore, but, much like the author of a book, the Dungeon Master gets to decide what to put in the story and what to leave out. So as long as you have a good DM and your child is old enough to understand the rules, read the quest information, and do some math (usually somewhere between 8 and 10 years old), they’re perfectly fine to play D&D! And for young neurodivergent players, who may struggle with skills, tasks, and activities deemed “normal” Dungeons & Dragons can be particularly helpful - and the structured nature of the game turns out to be key. 

D&D Is The Perfect Activity For Neurodivergent Children

The best games for autistic teenagers have clear structure and rules

Even though the story is made up through play, Dungeons & Dragons is an inherently structured activity. Each player uses a set of rules to fill out a character sheet that determines what they can and cannot do - with concrete numbers to back it up. The game has rules that all players must follow, and they’re applied consistently: every ruby is worth 5000 gold pieces, every riding horse runs 10 feet per second, and every time you fall 10 feet, you roll a six-sided die and lose that number of hit points.

And when there’s combat involved, there are very specific parameters: everyone takes a turn in a specific order, everyone has a certain number of hit points calculated beforehand, and everyone has particular actions they can do on each turn. And for games that take place at school, libraries, and clubs, there’s often a set start time, end time, and sometimes even snack break that give clear parameters for what’s happening when. This structure is nice for neurotypical kids, but it’s a lifeline for neurodivergent kids, who I’ve seen time and time again being drawn to the game as a reliable and predictable activity they can understand and enjoy.  

Why Do People With ADHD Like D&D? 

Activities for ADHD children work best when they foster imagination and creativity

But if structure is all you need, why do so many ADHD have a difficult time in school, which is an inherently structured activity? Well, for an ADHD mind, repetition, predictability, and rules can lead to boredom and understimulation, which turns into distraction and frustration. But at the same time, having a routine and structure can help significantly to keep ADHD people focused and following through on tasks. D&D threads this needle by offering the structure we talked about above while also giving the players autonomy and choices: they get to decide what actions their characters will take in the game. This helps to immerse all players, but it’s especially engaging for players with ADHD who often have amazing imaginations. This creativity ends up being stifled in environments with less flexibility, so they revel in a chance to express it in the world of the game.  

I’ve seen this in my own games. Many ADHD players start games bouncing off the walls, interrupting others, and unable to stay in their seats. That doesn’t come from being bad kids; that comes from having a mind that’s so occupied with thoughts and ideas that they can’t stay still! But when they had a chance to share their ideas and have them listened to and built upon, it let them really shine. One player came up with a detailed lore for the penguin armies their character would summon, sometimes talking over others in their excitement to share about the magic of the penguin dimension, the mechanics of penguin portals, or the various types of penguins (including mage penguins, tracker penguins, paladin penguins, and zombified bomb penguins). D&D was the perfect outlet for this child. They got so excited when I created rules for each of their penguin types and let them dramatically narrate as they brought each one into battle! 

Why Do Autistic People Play D&D?

Having clear parameters is a great help for autistic kids and adults

For autistic people, unpredictability is hugely stressful. Plans changing, things happening unexpectedly, even things others might consider small, like sudden noises or lights, can be wildly overstimulating. With this strong of a response, having control over a situation can bring a sense of safely. In Dungeons & Dragons, there are certainly times where things don’t go according to plan. But it's never out of the blue; the risk (and reasoning) is always clear. If a player isn’t sure whether they want to sneak through a room full of guards, I can tell them exactly what number they need to roll and the consequences if the dice don’t oblige. They can read the full rules for themselves (and they often do!) and know exactly what laws govern the world they play in. 

Dungeons & Dragons also gives autistic players something they can put their minds to and master. Autistic brains are amazing at focusing on one particular activity, interest, or knowledge set and going in deeper than most people would even think about. In D&D, the rules are complex and the lore expansive. There’s so much to learn, and there are plenty of opportunities to show off that knowledge as you play. I've seen the same elementary schoolers who know all of the different Pokemon get to middle and high school, find D&D, and explain to me in great detail the difference between a spectator and a beholder or the elemental breath weapons of each color of dragon. And this knowledge helps them in the game; having a player who knows that kobolds are sensitive to sunlight can be the deciding factor for a group in a heated battle! Almost every one of my groups has a player or two that everybody leans on for lore knowledge in times of trouble. 

How Can D&D Help Your Child Cope With ADHD?

The best activities for ADHD children will keep them engaged

Dungeons & Dragons is not just an activity that ADHD children enjoy, but it’s also one that can help them build skills and confidence that ADHD kids can struggle with. An area that’s often difficult for ADHD people of all ages is executive functioning; following tasks through to completion, time management, being organized, all of the administrative work that the an ADHD brain can quickly dismiss as uninteresting. 

Sitting down and learning these skills on their own can feel like a chore. But by attaching this practice to a game kids already enjoy, D&D gives ADHD children a much better shot at learning these important skills. During a game, players have to complete the full quests to get the promised reward (you’ll only get 500 gold pieces if you can bring back the captured prince!), decide how they will spend time during a session (Will you keep haggling with the blacksmith or go to  talk to the forest creatures?), and keep track of all the in-game pieces of their character (how many hit points they have, what spells they can cast, or how many times per day they can use their special attack). And getting both the fun of a game they enjoy and the positive feedback from a successful mission shows these players that they’re good at something. This is a boost of confidence that can be sorely needed for kids who struggle with other activities. 

D&D Is A Great Game For Autistic Teens

D&D can be a game to help autistic teens with social skills

The structured nature of D&D is a significant draw for autistic people, but it can also be a helpful way to give them a safe place to express their interests, practice dealing with uncertainty, and learn skills they might otherwise struggle with - a sure boon in teenage years. I’ve been the DM for a number of autistic teenagers, and I've seen this firsthand. One player started out shy and unsure, but quickly flourished at the chance to talk about their favorite types of plants when the party explored a magical forest. Another had the rule book nearly memorized and relished in the chance to plan out a strategy (and come up with clever new plans when the dice failed them). One autistic teenager I ran games for is now an autistic adult; they found a love for tabletop roleplaying games, and they use them to connect with other college students! But this isn’t just my observation. Research analyzed autistic middle and high school students before and after they played tabletop roleplaying games and found positive results for quality of life, social communication, and emotional well-being.  

Looking for Games for Neurodivergent Kids? 

If you’re the parent of a neurodivergent child on the hunt for activities they can enjoy and benefit from, Dungeons & Dragons might be your answer! Here at Young Dragonslayers, we run games of D&D online with professional Dungeon Masters who are experienced working with young people (and who know the game inside and out)!

With a therapist as our founder and player coordinator, we're informed by therapeutic practices and guidelines. We’ll assess your child's needs and preferences to place them in a group of players that works best for them. You can read more details about how this process works to see if it may be a good fit for your child and sign up for the waitlist if you think they’re ready to play!