Jesse Schell takes the stage with a harmonica to call our attention.  Nice.  This talk is spawned off a panel at GDC Austin last year that ended up discussing kids games more than kids and parents.

Parent & Kid games that Schell Games has produced: Sum of All Thrills, ToonTown Online, DisneyQuest, Toy Story Mania

1) You have to decide to design for kids and parents playing together.  It does not happen by accident.  Think about what parent will do, what kid will do

2) Find themes both kids and parents will care about.  Like pirates, classic practical jokes, tension between work and play.  Book: Last Child in the Woods - children don't go outside anymore. -> inspired Pixie Hollow.  One pixie talks to you directly, not your avatar.  She gives you tasks to do outside, like find pinecones, give trees you see names.  Nostalgia bridges the generation gap (like Disney World) use classic elements, like SpongeBob is sim to Looney Tunes.

3) Understand what families want - and provide it!  Our culture tears families apart, distractions, work hours, divorce, etc.  Hercules in the Underworld - saw tense family fighting with each other in the line, came out from game with tension gone, kids are excited "awesome!", dad thought it was beautiful.  Gives family shared accomplishment.  "We did this thing together."  Parents want to feel they have provided meaningful, useful experiences, feel they have provided something for children.  Kids want to feel more emotionally connected to their families (but kids can't tell you this, even if you asked them).  Both kids and parents want to connect to distant relatives.  <- Untapped opportunity.

4) Parents want to teach, kids want to learn.  Could be educational, could be something like jokes.  "Ambulance chaser" - if parents find it funny, kid wants to learn why it's funny.  Now you've designed a moment they shared.  Kids are aspirational.  Create a situation where they are in over their heads and need parent's help.  Two stage game where kids have activity, parents have activity (Electric Co example)

5) Co-opt existing roles for quick immersion.  Webkinz, Pirates of Caribbean game where mom drives, other family members shoot cannons, etc.

6) Role reversals delight everyone.  Everyone wants a break from the kid/parent relationship.  Let kids be in charge.  When a child's skills surpasses skills of the parent, it's a landmark moment.

7) Consider gender issues.  Mom/Dad, Brother/Sister, Father/Daughter, Father/Mother, Mother/Son, Mother/Daughter.

8) Deciding to pay is a collaboration between kids and parents.  Kids have to want it, parents have to know they want it and believe they'll use it, etc.  ToonTown used monthly mailers to give parents and kids a together moment, because parent gives kid mail, parent sees excitement.

9) Safety is paramount.  Parents think of language, violence.  13 yr old meeting adults in chat areas, etc.  Monitor chat, only allow chats between ppl confirmed to know one another in real world, have good quality canned phrases ppl actually want to use.

10) Design for the family as well as for the individuals.  Design to let them connect with each other, but understand their busy schedules also.

The connection between parents and children is the strongest emotional force we know.  If you can harness that, your game will be very powerful.  Dispatches from the Pixie Glade - Mom's blog about Pixie Hollow.