D&D’s newest push is into classrooms around the world

polygon.com:

Gone are the days of crowding around a wobbly card table in the basement or a trying to find some space in a cluttered dining room. Kids’ first Dungeons & Dragons adventures can now take place in their school library or the classroom itself thanks to a robust new educational initiative from Wizards of the Coast.

D&D’s new educator resources include a brand-new kit for teachers and parents who run after-school clubs, along with webinars from experts discussing how the role-playing game improves both emotional and basic literacy skills. An official curriculum aimed at grades four to eight is also being released this month. All are free.

“Anyone who has played Dungeons & Dragons can see the social-emotional and learning benefits associated with the game,” Wizards of the Coast’s Shelly Mazzanoble said in an interview with Polygon. “There’s so much reading, writing, math, as well as strategic and analytical thinking even before the game begins. Couple that with the collaboration, empathy, and the creativity innate to D&D and you have an almost perfect learning tool scalable for kids of all ages.”

While these educator resources are new, D&D in the classroom has been around for years. Zac Clay, a former full-time middle school band teacher, started working with kids in D&D school programs in 2018. Now a professional Dungeon Master, Clay still shares his time volunteering at his local middle school and high school D&D clubs. He’s seen the benefits of the game in action.

“I have many students who claim that English is one of their least favorite subjects, but they will absolutely devour a fantasy book, comic book, or any book relating to D&D,” Clay told Polygon. “I have students who say they don’t like math, but in D&D, they