Game designer James Wallis (Once Upon a Time, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, SLA Industries, The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Nobilis...) asked me what makes Age of the Tempest particularly suitable as an introductory game for children. Here's my reply:
"A good introductory RPG and a good kids' RPG are not necessarily the same, but this one is both.
The whole thing begins with a short solo adventure that is an introduction to roleplaying, to the world and the story, and to the basic rules mechanics. (If you remember the D&D Red Box with Aleena the Cleric and Bargle the Magic-User, then this serves the same purpose.)
After that we take our time explaining all the concepts you need to know when creating a character (from seven exciting archetypes), and so on.
Character creation is fairly streamlined with giving you a few choices ("choose one of two skills/weapons", "choose your weakness"), but not forcing you to go through skill lists or anything like that. There's plenty of time for more complex stuff later.
The Game Master's Guide is also targeted for beginners, meaning that if you just got the game as a birthday present this morning, you can run it for your friends at the party in the afternoon. While you're doing that, you learn the tricks of the trade, and eventually will get to do a bit of designing, too.
Most of the GM Guide is a pre-made campaign which continues directly from where the solo adventure left you. It has twists and turns, memorable characters and -- of course -- interesting opponents, puzzles and decisions. I'm a professional writer with experience in writing for children and young adults, so while the story is cool and exciting, it doesn't have any elements that you couldn't have in a Star Wars film or a Harry Potter book.
There are Age of the Tempest clubs and groups springing up all over, some of them with an experienced or adult GM, others where the kids play by themselves. Judging from the feedback, both have worked really well.
I've played the game with my 60+ parents, and my son who's almost four, and all of them have enjoyed it. It would help if he could read, but we're doing ok. (There's one monster that I won't show him until his six, though.)"