Deck for an ardent 8-year old boy

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 25 Nov 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Fudugazi	25 Nov 2004
Can any one suggest a deck for my 8-year old nephew to start with? He has watched me with my cards and has become very interested. He spends hours going through one or two of my decks, and treats the cards very well. He is passionate and romantic, has a sense of drama, loves history (he loves looking at the websites of place like Versailles and Chenonceaux, as well as visiting those places) and stories of princesses and knights, and castles, greek mythology and also ancient paintings. He is also a fan of great Japanese cartoons like the Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke or Chihiro's Journey. He loves my Mythic tarot, and I thought of giving a deck to him, but although I love it myself too, I think it too removed from "classic" tarot to start with. He is also very attracted by the psychological and occult side of it, and does not seem to find it at all unfazing (not surprisingly, he is a Scorpio). I think him very intuitive and able to learn to read at least simple spreads, though he might keep it secret (his sister, a lovely Leo girl, would show the whole world!). I have looked at threads of books for children, but mostly they advise sweet decks, which I think would bore him very quickly. He is quite used to nudity, as his parents (and his auntie!) have taken him and his sister round the Louvres a few times (he loves it). He is also a boy, so sweet angels are not really his cup of tea, though beautiful princesses are (déjà!) Oh, and he's French, although familiar enough with English. Any ideas? Also - do you think it better to start with a Majors-only deck, to give him the feel of the archetypes? Merci!

Flavio	25 Nov 2004
Here is my suggestion: The Hanson Roberts deck because: - Is a good RWS clone, he can move to a RWS in the future. - Card size is smaller than regular decks, so no problem for children to shuffle. - Title name of each card is in 5 languages including French. - Characters appearance is cute but also appealing. - Great colors to keep children's attention. Maybe any of the dragon theme tarots can be good for him. Let's hear some other suggestions. :)

blue_fusion	25 Nov 2004
lo scarabeo has a nice children's-themed deck. i fergot what it's called, though. :)

spoonbender	25 Nov 2004
Hey Helvetica! Your nephew sounds like a really cool kid! Have you thought of the World Spirit Tarot yet? This is a really fun, vibrant deck and closely based on the Rider-Waite tradition... Other than that one, I'd also recommend the Radiant Rider-Waite. I think blue fusion is referring to the Tarot of the Children, but that one seems to be REALLY cute... Spoon

Sulis	25 Nov 2004
I agree with Spoonbender - I think The World Spirit would be and ok deck for an 8 year old boy - my daughter who's 5 loves the World Spirit :) Depends whether you want something faithful to the Rider Waite deck though. If you do then I'd have to agree with Spoonbender again and say the Radiant Rider Waite; even though I don't have that one I do like the colouring. The Morgan Greer would be another good one I think - borderless cards and rich, deep colours. Love Sulis xx

Diana	25 Nov 2004
As your nephew is French, he may feel easier working with a French tradition, as if he is interested in Tarot when he gets older, he will probably find more people who are into the Tarot of Marseilles than a Rider Waite or Thoth tradition. Twice today, members have reminded me of a lovely Majors only deck (the minors are done but not yet published) called Le Tarot d'Or, by Joëlle Balle. If you go to The Tarot Garden , and type in "Tarot d'Or" - it's the second deck on the page (the first one is out of print unfortunately). Joëlle designed her first deck originally when one of her children were interested in the Tarot, and Joëlle thought that the Tarot of Marseilles was a little bit too "heavy" for her. Children (and adults who are all children at heart, right?) relate very easily to this deck and it is FULL of symbols and little hidden things to be discovered as one goes along. The cards are lovely and smooth to hold - although they are quite large. But that doesn't matter, because young children find it hard to shuffle anyway, and it's easier for them to swish cards around on a table.

Sulis	25 Nov 2004
Diana wrote: Twice today, members have reminded me of a lovely Majors only deck (the minors are done but not yet published) called Le Tarot d'Or, by Joëlle Balle. If you go to The Tarot Garden , and type in "Tarot d'Or" - it's the second deck on the page (the first one is out of print unfortunately). Diana that deck is gorgeous. I've seen it before (I think) but had forgotten about it. It really does look like a good deck for a child. I've never owned a Majors only deck, I really like the look of that one :) Love Sulis xx

Diana	25 Nov 2004
Sulis wrote: Diana that deck is gorgeous. I've seen it before (I think) but had forgotten about it. It really does look like a good deck for a child. I've never owned a Majors only deck, I really like the look of that one :) The LWB is in French. But I translated it once (with Marion's help as well), and it can be found on the Tarot Garden web-site on the page: http://www.tarotgarden.com/library/decks/dorinfo.html

Fudugazi	25 Nov 2004
Diana wrote: As your nephew is French, he may feel easier working with a French tradition, as if he is interested in Tarot when he gets older, he will probably find more people who are into the Tarot of Marseilles [...] Twice today, members have reminded me of a lovely Majors only deck (the minors are done but not yet published) called Le Tarot d'Or, by Joëlle Balle. [...] Joëlle designed her first deck originally when one of her children were interested in the Tarot, and Joëlle thought that the Tarot of Marseilles was a little bit too "heavy" for her. Children (and adults who are all children at heart, right?) relate very easily to this deck and it is FULL of symbols and little hidden things to be discovered as one goes along. Thank you, my fellow lemanic-dweller! I had a look at the page and the deck seems intriguing. In fact, I think I might have been browsing with him a while back and we saw it. I think he liked it (it was some time ago). I also like the idea of a majors only deck, so he can get used to the idea of symbols and to human archetypes. In the Marseilles tradition (yes, much more French), the pips are not illustrated, so they are harder for children to interpret. That would come later, if he is still interested. But even if he isn't, the archetypes and the Fool's journey will give him some insight into his life, his destiny, human relations and many other gifts the Tarot gives us. I think he'd enjoy the different symbolistic tradition, too (Indian, Egyptian...). Tell me, is there a booklet that explains those symbols? Because different cultures will use signs very differently (think of the dragon, or the snake). Thank you also to the other suggestions - World Spirit looks fantastic, but I fear Alex will just groan and grin, as I am, to him and his sister, the unremitting "multi-cultural, love all humanity" aunt! (comes from having lived in so many places and knocked about with so many kinds of people). I'll try and find all these in a shop in Geneva, and look at them to try and imagine what he might love best. It's difficult, because he is unpredictable, almost an adult one minute, and a child the next. Yes, a cool kid (thanks!) but also a pain in the neck at times!!! (well, aren't they all?)

Sushi	25 Nov 2004
I would second the suggestion of the hanson roberts deck, for the same reasons.

WolfSpirit	26 Nov 2004
If he likes stories with dragons and knights as well, I would go for the Celtic Dragon. The pictures are not threatening or violent but not too sweet either. It is fairly standard...although a bit further from standard as for example the Hanson-Roberts. But it comes with a book as well. I think for a kid with a rich imagination, this deck has many stories to tell.

Tarot Sparrow	26 Nov 2004
Just a thought, Helvetica--your nephew seems to be so open-minded that it is hard to narrow it down to a certain deck for him. If at all possible, perhaps you should browse images of certain decks with him and let him choose his own. He seems to know what he's drawn to and might find just what he wants that way.

Lurea	27 Nov 2004
That's a good idea--maybe narrow it down to three and let him pick. The Halloween Tarot might be something he would enjoy. Great images, not too scary, no nudity, and bright fun graphics.

Melpomone18	27 Nov 2004
You mentioned that he loves fantasy movies about princesses and knights, have you considered Tarot of a Moon Garden? My 8 year-old niece is in absolute love with the same sort of stuff (Castle in the Sky is one of her all time favorites, and I can't count how many times she's made me watch Kiki's Delivery Service!) and she is entranced by this deck. This is probably my favorite deck for younger readers as It's based on RWS with a fantasy edge, but not so much fantasy as to overshadow the classic RWS. The pictures are very gentle without being sickeningly sweet and as they're all night-time scenes they have an air of mystery about them that could appeal to a young boy or girl who finds the occult intriguing. There are some that would say this deck tends toward the feminine (the colors are very soft with lots of pinks and purples) and that the many images of butterflies, dragonflies, unicorns, etc. could put off some boys. But if he loves fantasy this probably wouldn't be much of a concern at all, as the overall mood is magical and enchanting. Definitely check this one out.

Emily	27 Nov 2004
Like DeadStar suggested maybe let him look online and choose a deck - He might like the Rider Waite or one of the re-coloured clones like the Universal Waite or the Radiant Waite. My little 7 nearly 8 year old loves my Morgan Greer and the Golden Tarot.

NightWing	29 Nov 2004
Tarot of a Moon Garden might be a good choice for a young nephew. But in any case, here are two considerations. (1) Go with a 78-card deck, because he'll soon be there anyway, and you can always separate out the 22 majors to begin with. (2) Consider a child's hand size, and maybe go with a "pocket" deck. The choices are a bit limited, but a really good basic one would be the Universal Waite Pocket Tarot, with decent colours, good size, and a handy little slipcase box to put the cards in, plus nothing childish or feminine about it! Plus scads of beginner's tarot books that support the RW images. Good luck!

Diana	29 Nov 2004
I have to come back to this, because this thread keeps on recalling itself to me at the most unexpected moments. My strong advice is NOT to start a kid out with a deck that has "pictorial" minor arcana. I know I mentioned this in my first post, but I really feel very strongly about it. He is at an age where he is learning about Numbers at school with his first mathematical calculations. Numbers are part of the Mystery to be unravelled within the minor arcana. To explore Numbers, not ONLY as part of boring mathematical school exercices, but as Symbols of the universe which we can relate to in everything we do... along with Elements and Suits.... what a wonderful way to show this child what a Wonderful World we live in. By starting him out on pictorial suits, you are just showing him one persons' view of the tarot (which is usually just copied from someone else's view - most often Arthur Waite's idea) but you are limiting him to a very narrow view and at his age, those pictures will be embedded in his mind for the rest of his life, and for him, Tarot will mean those pictures. And they may not be his vision.... and it may distort things for him. (Just like Walt Disney - :( ). Let him learn first about the symbols behind the tarot, and then he can put his OWN pictures onto what he has discovered. And then if he finds a Tarot deck that suits his vision with pictorial minors, all well and good. But don't try and fashion his mind by forcing someone else's vision. Kids are brainwashed enough at school and in society. At least let the Tarot lead them to their own concept of freedom and not someone else's personal concept.

Fulgour	29 Nov 2004
An eight year old boy doesn't want a pack of cards, he wants someone to play with him and share his time and thoughts :) Tarot today, sports tomorrow ~ and soon enough, them girls.

Diana	29 Nov 2004
Fulgour wrote: An eight year old boy doesn't want a pack of cards, he wants someone to play with him and share his time and thoughts :) Tarot today, sports tomorrow ~ and soon enough, them girls. Fulgour: How old are you? Eight year olds of the 21st Century are VERY different to eight year olds of just twenty or thirty years ago. Eight year olds today know things and see things people of my age (45) would never have DREAMED existed. They live in a completely different world than we do. Playing with his Tarot cards will balance out nicely with the relationship he has probably with his GameBoy and PlayStation. Today, kids relate to machines. The Tarot, even if he only PLAYS with his cards, will hopefully help him relate to his own soul. Kids today can lose their souls very quickly. They are fed junk on TV, fed junk on their PlayStations, fed junk on their plates from micro-wave ovens, and fed junk even in their music on MTV. We cannot turn back the clock.... saying "In my time, kids didn't do this, and kids didn't do that." But when a kid shows an interest in something a little beyond his electronic world, it's good to encourage it. IMHO.

Fulgour	29 Nov 2004
I of course was only speaking from my experience, which lately includes a great deal of Chess playing with my nephew. And yet we don't worry too much about things, rather we have something we enjoy sharing together. As for kids today, I do wonder why I don't see more of them outdoors, rambling through the woods. My nephew is also a championship swimmer, and whether he likes it or not, the girls are beginning to show an interest he squirms at :)

Diana	29 Nov 2004
Fulgour wrote: I of course was only speaking from my experience, which lately includes a great deal of Chess playing with my nephew. And yet we don't worry too much about things, rather we have something we enjoy sharing together. As for kids today, I do wonder why I don't see more of them outdoors, rambling through the woods. My nephew is also a championship swimmer, and whether he likes it or not, the girls are beginning to show an interest he squirms at :) Ah... Chess.... a great esoteric game that one. Good for learning the Art of War as well. (Very useful thing, the Art of War.) Do you remember that long long long thread about Chess and Tarot in the Historical Section? (I got lost after a while though - my brain-cells are sometimes limited when it comes to those Historical discussions.) Kids ramble today through the internet and on computer games. Woods and forests bore most of them to tears. Although there are some exceptions... (My kid has asked me a few times what I did as a kid without a computer. When I tell him, he stares at me in disbelief. When he asked me again a couple of weeks ago, I told him "Why the hell are you asking me again? I told you already. Have you got holes in your head?". And he said: "Because I can't believe you actually ENJOYED doing those things." :D :D ) He used to be interested in the Tarot... and still stares over my shoulders sometimes making smartass comments when I'm doing a reading. But he never pulls cards for himself anymore. He used to though... when he was younger. And I reckon it was good for him then.

souljourney	01 Dec 2004
Kids love to "play" with a deck of cards. Why do you think Pokeman, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Magic:the Gathering are so popular? Yes...these you "play" with someone, but you can do that with a tarot deck too. I mean you gotta have someone to read for sometime other than yourself. I like the idea of narrowing it down to a few...just so he doesn't pick one that is really odd in symbolism or difficult for a beginning deck. Maybe go to a store that has the decks open so he can see them like he does yours. I can see advantages for both pictoral pips and the number only types. Why not do a reading and see what it says? Maybe he'd like to be involved with that?

Fudugazi	04 Dec 2004
Thank you for all your replies, and the stimulating debate - very informative and full of ideas. As a postcript, I'll suggest that an intelligent boy (who likes girls and forests, but not gameboys) should be able to take on board both Marseilles-type decks, with their sense of mystery and ancient meaning, and the British-American tradition, which is so visually rich, varied and imaginative.

souljourney	04 Dec 2004
Let us know what you got him. If he helped pick or whatever. I'm just naturally curious. :)

tarobones	15 Dec 2004
I must respectfully disagree with Diana regarding Pictorial Pips versus Marsellan style. Kids get enough of math in school. I think the pictoral style pips encourages imaginative and creative thinking. Just my 2cents. BB, Michael

The Deck for an ardent 8-year old boy thread was originally posted on 25 Nov 2004 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.