Story-driven games for learning and social-emotional growth

Berlings Beard brings live, facilitated tabletop-style games into classrooms, libraries, and youth programs to help students practice collaboration, communication, and creative problem-solving in a safe, engaging space.

Designed for classrooms, libraries, and youth programs

Our education programs are built for educators and staff who want a structured, playful way to help students connect and grow.

Classrooms

Teachers and counselors looking to add interactive, common-core based sessions to their curriculum.

Libraries

Both school and public libraries running clubs, workshops, or special events.

Enrichment Programs

Afterschool and weekend enrichment programs that need engaging, repeatable activities.

Camps

Counselors and Specialists working with summer programs that want story-focused activities with clear learning outcomes.

Youth Groups

Mental health and child-care counselors seeking safe, collaborative experiences for participants in their youth.

Community Programs

Organizers seeking safe, collaborative experiences for mixed-age participants.

Practicing math and building social skills!
It is impressive to watch kids who can struggle with regulation, be able to focus and tolerate so much more in DND.
Jessica Chambers, M.A. Ed.
Co-Education Head, West End Day School

What students gain from story-driven games

Our sessions feel like play, but they are carefully designed to support key social-emotional and academic skills.

+1 Collaborative communication

Students work together to interpret information, share ideas, and make joint decisions inside the story, practicing communication in a low-stakes context.

+2 Empathy and perspective

By stepping into characters and imagining different viewpoints, students get to explore how others think, feel, and respond to challenges.

+3 Creative and critical thinking

The story presents open-ended problems, encouraging students to ask questions, connect clues, and think creatively about solutions.

+4 Engagement and belonging

Because the experience feels like a game, students who might be disengaged in traditional lessons often lean in, participate, and feel part of the group.

We can align sessions with your SEL priorities
and age-specific learning goals.

Flexible formats for schools and libraries

Choose a format that fits your schedule and goals.
If you are not sure, we’ll help you pick the right structure.

One-Time Story

A stand alone experience to introduce students to collaborative play and shared problem-solving.

Length: typically 60–90 minutes
Ideal for special events, mini-camps, and library programs
Works as a stand-alone experience with a clear goal

Short Series

A multi-session arc where students return to the same world and characters, allowing skills and group dynamics to deepen over time.

Length: 12–14 sessions
Ideal for afterschool programs, clubs, or classroom units
Builds continuity, develops common-core skills and keeps students invested in the story

Ongoing Program

A recurring program where students meet regularly to continue their campaign, explore new stories, or rotate themed adventures.

Length: 6-12 months
Weekly or bi-weekly sessions
Great for library clubs and ongoing enrichment
Flexible structure to accommodate changing group sizes

Speak with us about program options

What we provide and how it works

We aim to make it easy for you to bring these sessions
into your setting with minimal extra work for your staff.

What we cover

Design age-appropriate adventures aligned with your goals

Provide a trained facilitator / game master to run each session

Prepare all narrative materials, character sheets, and prompts

Guide students through the rules in plain, accessible language

Manage pacing, student engagement, and group safety within the game

What we need from you

Share your context, age ranges, and any guidelines or goals

Provide a suitable space (tables, seating) and basic materials (if needed)

Be present or designate staff according to your policies

Let us know about any access needs, sensitivities, or safety tools

Sample education-focused adventures

Every program is tailored, but here are a few examples of how we frame adventures for students.

Grades 1–5

The Council
of Young Heroes

Students take on the roles of young heroes tasked with solving a problem in their community, practicing turn-taking, collaboration, and perspective taking.

Grades 6–8

The Library
of Lost Stories

A narrative puzzle where students work together to restore missing pieces of stories, encouraging critical thinking, communication, and creative problem-solving.

berlings beard group gaming teenage dungeons dragons

GRADES 9-12

The
Negotiators

Students roleplay representatives from different factions who must negotiate a peaceful resolution to a conflict, practicing active listening, compromise, and clear communication.

What it looks like in your setting

Here’s a snapshot of how story-driven games have worked in real schools and libraries.

education

School program that kept
students coming back

A school partnered with us to run an on-going game series. Attendance and engagement stayed high, staff saw students facilitating challenges with cooperation, and improved academic ability.

Build communication skills
Foster emotional intelligence
Practice common-core skills

Questions from
educators and librarians

Before you bring something new into your classroom or program, you need clarity. Here are answers to some of the most common questions we receive about education sessions.

We design sessions for elementary through high school, and we adjust complexity, themes, and pacing for each age group. If you have mixed ages, we can plan accordingly.

We follow your guidelines on themes, language, and boundaries. We avoid graphic content and tailor the tone to your community standards. Psychological and emotional safety in-game is a priority, just like physical safety in your space.

Our student facilitators are registered through NYSED.gov

No. We assume no prior knowledge. The facilitator explains how the game works, supports students step by step, and keeps the focus on choices and collaboration rather than rules.

The ideal ratio is 4–7 players per facilitator. For larger groups, we can run multiple tables with separate parties, or design a format that lets more students participate with structured roles.

Yes. If you share your SEL framework, curriculum themes, or specific skills you’d like to target, we’ll design the session to support those objectives while keeping it fun and engaging for students with common-core principles in mind.

We work with your schedule — class periods, afterschool times, or special events. Before the program, we’ll confirm dates, group sizes, space, sensitivities and then provide all the materials students need to participate.

Ready to explore games for your students or patrons?

Tell us about your setting, age ranges, and goals.
We’ll suggest session formats, themes, and a plan that fits your schedule and resources.