The question of children in actual play

The rise of social media influencers and content creators has opened new paths for people to express themselves and find new ways to connect with their communities. Many parents have gotten in on the action to create content that involves the whole family. A recent New York Times investigation by Jennifer Valentino-DeVries and Michael H. Keller about the rise of parents using young children to model and dance in videos drew attention to this trend, examining the rise of child influencers on Instagram. The article notes the potential safety pitfalls these children face, including unwanted attention from adult men. In addition to this, the United States Department of Labor highlights the inconsistency of laws for child labor across the country, which continue to shift in 2025, making it difficult for children to get their fair share of profits made from these influencer accounts run by their parents.

These concerns of safety and fair pay now intersect with the world of RPGs in the form of a handful of new adult-run actual plays that feature children. On the surface, the projects seem to be distinct from those that exploit children for content. Instead of putting children in the spotlight for the sole purpose of making a profit, content creators like Dadventurous, The Kids Table and Dungeons & Dragons & Daughters argue that they use actual plays as educational tools for parents and their children to enjoy TTRPGs together. 

"So much of the content out there was amazing... It just wasn't appropriate for kids."

There is a fine line to walk when collaborating with their children in such a public way, one that these family channels seem to be aware of. In speaking to Rascal, all three acknowledged the potential pitfalls and dangers of children creating content — from potential unwanted attention to the psychological harm of being a public figure on the internet. A common sentiment among the parent-creators Rascal talked to is that the safety of the children comes first.