Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

ABC Pokemon

edwarpy

edwarpy

New Member
We've had a few 5-7 year olds show up for league who want to
play and we have taken time, probably too much, trying to
teach them. Of course if you're just on the verge of reading
the game is still too hard. So I'm thinking of Super Duper
ABC Training Decks. Like the Trainer Kits, 30 cards and three
prizes is just about right.

I have a couple of ideas and would be interested in hearing
more. One way would be to use only the simplest cards. Cards
would have no powers or bodies and if there is text with the
attack it would be one, short simple sentence. Chimcar MD is
a winner, as is Turtwig. Grotle is probably as hard as it can
get:

http://pokegym.net/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=34936
http://pokegym.net/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=34878
http://pokegym.net/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=34914

There are maye 15-20 cards per set that could be used. Each
deck gets 4 Mama's, the killer Supporter: Draw 2 Cards.

The problem with this way is that only some cards are playable,
and Johnny can't play his Charizard. Maybe a better idea is
to play 'Big Letter' Pokemon. The attack text is ignored.
Call For Family is just that, you get to yell 'Family!'.
Lugia SW Psychic Destruction 120 for the win! I kind of like
this idea, because of course all cards are playable. Any
ideas what to do with Poke-Powers and Poke-Bodies playing
this way? Maybe red letter Powers let you put any condition
on the Defending Pokemon. Green letter Bodies take off conditions?
Maybe they should just be ignored because we're straying too
far from the game? Ideas?

Would some kind of number line help the kids count up damage?
I hate to say it, but I think a Clix counter would be pretty cool here.

Am I just trying to hard? Should I just tell them to come back
next year and try again?

Edit: Who moved this? I mentioned league, but this is an idea for
the game as a whole. Next year's players are crucial, can I go
back to TCG Discussion?
 
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This is an interesting idea. I have had the challenge of trying to teach kids who couldn't read. My youngest son has been playing since he was 5 but he was an early reader and has an older brother who 'studies' cards with him. He even competed at Nationals because the few cards that he couldn't read he would simply ask his opponent or a judge to read it to him. I have since taught a few Pokemon classes at the boys' school and quickly realized that all kindergarten and first graders can not handle the game. Usually, at league, if we have someone who seems interested but cannot read, etc. we pair them with someone who is patient enough to read it to them. Or we just encourage the love of Pokemon and suggest to the parents that the cards can be great tools and rewards for learning to read. I know the desire to learn all of the cards was a huge incentive to practice reading for both of my boys.

If you really need something for the kids to play then I would suggest that they just play 'war' with decks made of Pokemon and the HPs are compared. Even this type of play is great for practicing reading and comparing (<, >, =) numbers.
 
We have started all my kids playing at age 4 or so, and have done really well with the deck construction the style of which you have announced.

The absolute key is for the player to understand their cards COMPLETELY.

Turtwig (10 for 0, 20 for 1) is about the absolute winner here!

I also like the Piplup (10 for 0, 20+ possible 10 for 2)

Chimchar (flip 3, 10 for each heads, young kids LOVE rolling dice!)

Simple evolutions are the key.

The old Machamp line was the BEST!

20 for 1 with Machop

40 for 2 with Machoke

Nice and easy.

Keep the conditions and other stuff to a minimum.

I use the 30 card deck...which can be as simple as...

4 Piplup (my son's FAVORITE poke)
4 Spearow (very easy, colorless attacks!)
3 Fearow (Great easy evolution - flips for 1 and 60 for 3)

Then we add in some trainers...

4 Moma's (Easy, for the reasons given)
4 Potion (they like that one)

And then we add some energy

11 Water

Very easy, easy to learn, and still teaches about the evolution lines.

As the child got confident with this (knew all the cards) we would work towards this...

4 Piplup
3 Prinplup (new MD one)
2 Spearow
2 Fearow

3 Momas
3 Potion
3 Celio (First search card)

10 Water

And we make sure they know what both do...and then move to a 60 Card Deck...

4 Piplup
4 Prinplup
4 Spearow
4 Fearow

4 Moma's
4 Potion
4 Celio
4 Switch (new card)
4 Plus Power (New Card)

24 Water Energy

And you see, we are now at a "Real Deck" within a few weeks of play, with a child only needing to know 10 different cards in the game!

Keep adding cards every time you get to a comfort level. Keep them simple. Have fun.

Vince
 
These are great deck suggestions. A play mat helps too with set up. Some very young kids can catch on and memorize the cards. Others, it would be nice if they came back when they could read. A theme deck is a good start too. If young players stick with one deck, they do get to know it and can play that, then they can branch out. I find one of the hardest things with new players is 1. They don't draw a card to start their turn and 2. They yell "attack!" without doing anything else during their turn (as in, not drawing a card, not attaching an energy). Get them to draw a card and do something else besides attack is a big step to learning this game.
 
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