One of the Dads from our local homeschool group shared his thoughts on MagiKids.  “Here’s a whole bunch of thoughts and words. I hope some of it helps. Use whatever you like and return the rest to your graveyard!”

When you are a novice at anything, you need a safe space to learn. Magic: the Gathering and local game stores have always been good at fostering play and promoting competition, but to the younger rookie – those arenas can seem intimidating.

Enter MagiKids. Where volunteers welcome all young players, and are more than patient in teaching kids (and parents) the basics of how to build a deck and play the game. They also are easily approachable for more technical gameplay questions. They meet the students at their skill level and MagiKids fosters a community that embraces trial and error, encourages experimentation, and celebrates friendly gameplay.

I look forward to each MagiKids event, because I get to watch my kids explore new cards and build decks, each according to their own interests, and then immediately play with other kids who are also learning and discovering. It is truly special to find a community and an environment where there are no wrong answers, only good fun.

In addition, my kids and I are aware that MagiKids is connected to the nonprofit Weirdcards – and having them learn about and participate in a community of people who make a real world impact is absolutely priceless. We have tried to participate in a number of nonprofits as a family of volunteers, but we are continually turned away by age restrictions. Weirdcards demonstrates that age doesn’t have to be a barrier to making an impact in your community. And we thank them for that opportunity!

“One place to find new cards,
One place to learn with them,
One place to build your deck,
and with new friends take turns with them.
In the land of MagiKids, where together we all win.”

Rem D’Ambrosio writes about his work with FIVE Behaviour Consulatation Services, using Magic to build the skills of kids on the Autism spectrum. 

FIVE is based out of Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

My name is Rem D’Ambrosio, and I’m a Behaviour Interventionist working with children on the Autism spectrum. As part of my work with FIVE Behaviour Consulation Services, I run a few social groups where children and teens with ASD come together to play games like Magic: The Gathering. So far, I’ve found MTG to be a particularly fun and effective platform for building all kinds of social and problem-solving skills. There are valuable lessons to be found, learned, and expanded upon, across every level of the game and meta-game.

When I introduce a new group member to MTG, I don’t present them with a rule book or even any cards. Instead I show them the color pie, and briefly explain the themes that MTG veterans associate with each. White magic structures and supports; blue magic seeks knowledge and control; black magic attains power at any cost; red magic embodies passion and force; green magic promotes growth and synergy. By this point, most players are already reaching for one of the welcome decks, already having a good idea of which is most suited to them. After playing a couple games and teaching them the ropes, I always offer them the chance to change their mind, to pick another color… An offer which no player has ever taken me up on. Once they’ve seen what a color has to offer, they want to stick with it!

The next step is to add a second color, so at this point I introduce players to the relevant combinations and the associated guilds of Ravnica. By the time the players have assembled a simple 60-card, two-color deck, they have already begun to express themselves and form attachments based on their choices. This combination of game mechanics, aesthetics, and story elements elevate MTG’s learning experience beyond what most games can offer. Each member of the social group now has at least some understanding of what their deck is supposed to do, and what they as a player can do to guide and improve it.

After this point I still play games of MTG against group members, but they do most of the teaching themselves. Every match between two players is an opportunity for both to learn conversational skills, problem solving, and sportsmanship, all while expressing themselves via their decks. I encourage them to compete against one another, but never to keep score: instead of tallying up wins at the end of each session, they spend time helping each other make changes to their decks. They discuss which cards and/or strategies were effective, and which need improvement. With the help of MagiKids, I always have plenty of new cards to offer, which they eagerly add to their collections. Since every player is seeking a different path to victory, I’ve never seen two of them fighting over the same card.

I definitely recommend MTG to parents, educators, and childcare workers everywhere. Children with or without disabilities have a lot to learn from the game, and I guarantee they’ll have fun doing it… As will you! Just make sure you don’t get too sucked in. If you’re not careful, then soon you’ll be the one with a giant collection of cards, donating entire crate-fulls to Weirdcards just so you don’t drown in them!