children and the Tarot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 01 Apr 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

azuremariposa	01 Apr 2003
i have a question, especially brought to mind after reading the post "why & when did you learn tarot?" in this section...my son has a fascination with my tarot cards...any and every chance he can get his hands on them he wants to play with them...and every reading i do gets scrutinized by him as well...he is only going to be 3 yrs old in July, and he doesn't even read books yet...i don't have any problem w/him watching me or anything, but i'm wondering if, and more importantly when, i should teach him...if anyone has any thoughts on this i would appreciate it... many blessings to all...

Kiama	01 Apr 2003
Well, I started learning Tarot at the age of 9, and I have since taught children as young as 7 to read the cards, so I don't see any problem with teaching Tarot to children. When is another matter. I think possibly when your son starts becoming mature enough to be able to understand the concepts and issues raised by the meanings of the cards... Sometimes we come across things in the cards that would be difficult for most children to grasp. I certainly realise now that there are some cards (Empress, Lovers for instance) that I never really understood til I had experience of their concepts between the age of 13 and now! On the other hand, I doubt your son would be using the cards for anything but quite simple mundane questions... When I was younger I'd use them to ask questions such as 'How will Maths be today?' So he might not come across the really tough issues until he actually starts facing them in real life anyway. I have always found that Tarot has enriched my life since I first started studying it, especially in English Literature.... Since I had such experience at analysing symbols and metaphors alreay cuz of Tarot, I could easily analyse poetry and Shakespeare better than most on my class... So, whist I don't think I've helped much cuz I haven't really answered your question, I suppose I have given you some points to think about when trying to work out when to teach your son Tarot. Kiama PS- If you want to start him really young, but not go the full hog, you could try using the cards to 'play'. You could spread some cards out and get him to tell a story by putting the pictures together... Like he might when looking at a picture book without any words. :D

azuremariposa	01 Apr 2003
thank you Kiama...i had the feeling you might be one to respond since i had noticed on previous threads that you had started reading Tarot early on in life ;) and of course you helped! i know that no one will be able to tell me exactly "when" to start him off, b/c no one here knows my son or his level of cognizance in these things... i guess the main issue is the fact that i don't want him to get ahead of himself w/them or get in over his head... your suggestion: Quote: If you want to start him really young, but not go the full hog, you could try using the cards to 'play'. You could spread some cards out and get him to tell a story by putting the pictures together... Like he might when looking at a picture book without any words. is actually something i had considered previously since his main fascination seems to be with the images on the cards... :D thank you, again, for your input...i appreciate it greatly! many blessings... p.s. i especially like your signature, btw...i was thinking of going to stickernation.com to get it put on some bumperstickers!! :D

zorya	01 Apr 2003
as my children have asked questions about the tarot, i have answered them. that way i give them information when they are ready and curious. i think this may have started at the age of two. .. but i don't give out more information than they want to know at the time. when they've asked what a particular card or spread means, i respond by asking what it means to them. i don't want to take away from their intuition by giving them lwb meanings before they've even had a chance to develop their intuition.

azuremariposa	01 Apr 2003
thank you Zorya...very good advice, i will definitely follow it... many blessings to you and your children! :)

Demonesse	01 Apr 2003
Some people would probably be horrified at the thought of "corrupting" younguns with the "deviltry" of Tarot, but what better way to expose them to inner creativity as well as the basic tenets of human psychology and critical thinking? Azuremariposa, perhaps you could just let him watch for the moment and let his natural curiosity take over...and (since you stated his fascination is with the images) ask him what he thinks of the pictures, which ones he likes, what he feels when he looks at them....when he gets a little older maybe you can get him a more child-oriented deck like the Inner Child/Whimsical and start teaching him how to actually read them. And as zorya says, developing his natural intuition is paramount. :)

Kiama	01 Apr 2003
Quote: Originally posted by azuremariposa i guess the main issue is the fact that i don't want him to get ahead of himself w/them or get in over his head... I don't think there's a danger of this with Tarot. If anything he'll be a little wise for his years, but you may find that the concepts in the cards will actually prepare him quite well for the corresponding life experiences... True, he may not fully understand it all at first, but then when he does get to an age when he would begin to understand them, he would already have tried to understand it, so he'll have a sort of head start, if you get what I mean... I agree with Demonesse's deck suggestions too... The Whimsical especially, since it gets across the meanings of the cards through fairytales, nursery rhymes, and famous children's stories. I love it to bits, so I'm sure children will love it even more! The images are also very children-friendly, and easy to read. Best wishes, Kiama

azuremariposa	01 Apr 2003
thank you all so much for your input! i am truly elated that i found this forum!! thank you Demonesse for the deck recommendations...i use the RW deck (as it's the only one i've owned for the past 15 yrs...hehe), but have recently ordered the Sacred Circle & Osho-Zen decks (and i have many more on my list!!)...i will have to add the Whimsical deck to my "wishlist" now ;) i agree that he will definitely benefit, if from nothing else than the psychological aspect of the archetypes in the cards...he will probably have a good dose of natural intuition if he is anything like me and his daddy...not to get off topic, but i'm thinking my daughter might turn out to be more "talented" than myself...she has a stellium (3 planets & her Ascendent) in Cancer...so, it will be interesting to see if she develops an interest in the cards as well... thank you again! this really does help me alot!! many blessings...

Khatruman	01 Apr 2003
Everyone here has offered wonderful advice. At your son's age of three, it would be a wonderfully stimulating activity to let him have a set of tarot cards to play with. Let him be your guide. He may want to sort them, see relationships between them, the pictures, the numbers, etc. Challenge him buy associating words with the pictures (a beginning reading activity), to order the numbers so that he knows his numbers. Have him play with colors, do an Eye Spy game (I spy with my little eye, something that begins with "E"). My son was diagnosed with a learning disability, and I got him all sorts of cards with words and pictures and shapes and numbers. He was just re-evaluated at 5 years old and the doctor said he will be de-classified before second grade (he's in kindergarten now). He reads amazingly well. I wouldn't go into esoterica or anything metaphysical with him, but if he should ask, try to explain in his terms what you are doing. Is it possible to get him a set of cards to play around with? Maybe one of the cutesy decks (i.e. some cute fairy deck or so forth) and let him just feed his fascination. At this point in his development, he is learning from you on procedures of how the world works, how people behave. If he sees this is fun, normal stuff, not some secretive over his head stuff, he will have that spirit of excitement and will probably be catching some of the nuances quite quickly. And Kiama's observation about being able to read literature more critically and intuitively makes a heck of a lot of sense. Enjoy and have fun with him. So precious at that age!

azuremariposa	01 Apr 2003
thank you Khatruman! excellent suggestions...i will definitely "file" this information & put it to use...very helpful, thanks so much! and how wonderful that your son will be "declassified"!! :) i think sometimes what people take as a learning "disorder" is really just another way of looking at things...and if you can find that way and connect...well, it's a beautiful thing...congrats!

Kiama	02 Apr 2003
Oh, on a more practical note... If you are going to get your son a deck of his own, you might want to laminate it or something, or buy a really cheap one, because you'll end up with all sorts of gunk over the cards otherwise! (Wheatabix is a favourite if I remember correctly) I know people my age who can't keep food and drink off Tarot decks, let alone toddlers! (Lager and tomato sauce... Not good on decks) If you laminate the cards, they be quite difficult to handle, but they'd be wipe-clean! :D Kiama

coldsuns	02 Apr 2003
Azure, maybe babies and children just like to play with any things get onto their hand? Especially things that their parents often use. They will hope to know why their mother like to play with the cards so much and "exploring" them. I wont really suggest that 3yrs should get with Tarot Cards. Let him be a normal kid until the age of 10yrs? When he understand things and wont really abuse Tarot Cards. Hm..i'm not saying that playing Tarot Cards arent normal. But i think a kid should have a happy life outside jumping about, having fun at playgroud. If he learnt Tarot Cards, it might take time from his childhood. There are a few ways to abuse Tarot Cards. Some disadvantages are that your kid might go to school and say to his friends,"My Tarot Cards tell me you will die tomorrow." They might also make some lies and abuse it. Maybe at the age of 10yrs, lets see whether he is interested in Tarot Cards. This is just a view of my point as a kid? ^_^

Melissa`	02 Apr 2003
Quote: Originally posted by coldsuns Hm..i'm not saying that playing Tarot Cards arent normal. But i think a kid should have a happy life outside jumping about, having fun at playgroud. If he learnt Tarot Cards, it might take time from his childhood. I'm sorry, I have to disagree with you on this point. I have an eight year old sister who would be so happy just to sit inside all day and work in her math workbooks, or reading workbooks, that she picked out own her own at the bookstore. She has been like this since the age of 3-4. I don't think that in anyway takes away from her childhood, she is happy. She also has a 'social' childhood and playmates. Still very active. Just she enjoys these other things more. Childhood is about happy times.. long days.. no worries..the good life :) . I also don't see how learning Tarot 'pictures', or playing games with the cards, and building intuitive abilities at a young age is taking away from the childhood. If a child is happy doing these things, and t isn't harmful, why alter them? They are learning something while having fun. just food for thought. Amaya

Kiama	02 Apr 2003
Quote: Originally posted by coldsuns There are a few ways to abuse Tarot Cards. Some disadvantages are that your kid might go to school and say to his friends,"My Tarot Cards tell me you will die tomorrow." They might also make some lies and abuse it. It has been my experience that this only happens if the child in question has only just been exposed to Tarot cards later on in life, say, at teh age of 10 years. Whereas if they are brought up all the time with Tarot, it is just as normal to them as TV or knitting, and thus they are far less likely to go around abusing the cards or saying things like 'My Tarot cards say you'll die'. Its the same with kids who suddenly get interested in the occult aged 15, without having seen it at all before: The experiment, they boast about their new hobby, they abuse it. Kids that grow up with it from Day 1 don't boast about it, don't abuse it, etc cuz they've grown up with it and it is normal, evberyday, boring stuff to them! Since Azuremariposa's son has been brought up with Tarot, I doubt he'll abuse it later on in life. Kiama PS- I also agree with what Amaya said... And would like to add that you can use Tarot cards OUTSIDE in the sun, playground, etc... And you can't spend all your time outdoors... On those cold, dark, wintry evenings, what better to do than Tarot?

coldsuns	02 Apr 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Amaya I'm sorry, I have to disagree with you on this point. I have an eight year old sister who would be so happy just to sit inside all day and work in her math workbooks, or reading workbooks, that she picked out own her own at the bookstore. She has been like this since the age of 3-4. I don't think that in anyway takes away from her childhood, she is happy. She also has a 'social' childhood and playmates. Still very active. Just she enjoys these other things more. Childhood is about happy times.. long days.. no worries..the good life :) . I also don't see how learning Tarot 'pictures', or playing games with the cards, and building intuitive abilities at a young age is taking away from the childhood. If a child is happy doing these things, and t isn't harmful, why alter them? They are learning something while having fun. just food for thought. Amaya Ok. ^_^ Is rather obvious that your sister has chosen the path herself. But Tarot Cards is a skill that need someone to teach. Azure's child might not want to learn and to choose the path. Unless Azure's child tell Azure that he/she wants to. And we are grown up, we can learn it by interpret the pictures, i dont think 3yrs to 4yrs kids can pick up the skill easily. Hm..playing Tarot Cards outdoor, but alone. Even if Azure's child is interested because of influence of Mum, but not other children. The other children might not understand why Azure's child is playing those cards and stay away from him.

azuremariposa	02 Apr 2003
what a pickle, eh? well, coldsuns, i would hope that through watching me and by asking questions my son would learn that Tarot is not something to be taken lightly (i.e., lying about what the cards say)...nor does it predict death (though i have seen indications of major accidents, i've never come across "death" in a reading, and i hope not to), at least in my experience... i think the suggestions i have received so far have been very helpful, advocating him learning at his own pace and not to interfere w/his natural intuition...as for him spending time outdoors rather than playing w/cards, i wouldn't force him to work with them or use them if he didn't want to...and living where we do (central texas...kinda south-ish), and having weather like we do, trust me, he spends plenty of time outdoors! so, i don't see it cutting into his playtime...i, myself, was a rather "bookish" young person and preferred spending time alone w/books...but that was me...whether he will turn out to be the same, i don't know...i advocate his choosing what he would like to do and constantly give him choices in his daily life (i.e., would you prefer eggs or cereal for breakfast?; would you like to go outside or watch Monsters, inc.? etc.)...i grew up in a family that was very psychic & included mediums, but often they were secretive of what they did, so i did not understand alot of it until i was a teenager...sometimes i wish they had explained more to me, and helped me develop some of my talents earlier rather than let me develop them on my own...but such is life...i will most definitely explain things to him in deference to his age level and understanding...and if i feel he is not ready for the cards, i will not push them on him...but if he chooses to learn, i can't see keeping it from him... thank you all, again, for your input...you've given me alot of "food for thought"...and i appreciate it!

Kiama	02 Apr 2003
Coldsuns: The reason why this thread was started is because Azuremariposa's son IS showing an interest in the cards! So we are just giving Azuremariposa some suggestions as to how she can work with that. As for Tarot and being outdoors... I see no reason why one cannot enjoy using Tarot aswell as being outdoors. When I was still in school I ran the fastest cross country out of all the girls in my school. I know plenty of Tarot readers who also really enjoy hillwalking, mountain climbing, trekking, rambling (In the walking sense!), but they also fit Tarot into their lives. Kiama

azuremariposa	02 Apr 2003
thanks, Kiama, that is correct...he is showing interest therefore i was looking for suggestions on how to let him explore and what people thought of "how young is too young?" kinda thing...he is very interested in my cards and i see no reason to keep them from him...at least not as of yet...hopefully, mindful teaching will produce a mindful child...i'm hoping, at least! ;) thanks again!! many blessings to all...

cjtarot	02 Apr 2003
hi, hehe we have converted another to our "Taroholic" ways. "as it's the only one i've owned for the past 15 yrs...hehe), but have recently ordered the Sacred Circle & Osho-Zen decks (and i have many more on my list!!)...i will have to add the Whimsical deck to my "wishlist" now" NOW.. The cards used to tell stories is a great idea, infact I think some ouf the people here have done that themselves. Teaching with the cards. The cards are a journey thru life..true, but how much of that is a small child gonna get.. what they do get is the words and numbers on the cards. My oldest daughter and I play go fish with the cards (started when she was about 6), this has taught her her roman numbers, the fact that the majors rule the "Go fish"world. and occasionally she will pick up a card and ask what it really means... Small Child and cards..Have you ever played 78 pickup with a 3 yr old who claimed she just wanted to "Count Them"..them being about 4 of your decks all at the same time. If you buy your son his own deck, keep in mind 78 cards will dwindle to 76, 74. and so on so dont go expensive or if possible go used. Blessing to your and your son, CJ

azuremariposa	02 Apr 2003
CJ, thank you for your input! yes, i'm sure if i buy him his own deck they will eventually dwindle down...i still have an old RW wrapped up that i have offered to gift to others for learning/teaching, and even though they have shown interest, the answer was no...so, perhaps this deck is meant for him? who knows?? the RW deck is rather large and cumbersome (at least for my small hands, though i've gotten used to them over time and find regular playing cards to be rather SMALL! lol) but it would be good for reviewing and storytelling...and given his sister's penchant for chewing on anything paper, i will definitely have to take Kiama's suggestion and laminate them!! lol "Go Fish" is an excellent idea as well! thank you CJ! many blessings to all! p.s. yes, i've been "converted"...;)

LadyMedusa	02 Apr 2003
My 9yr old step daughter can be found hanging over my shoulder anytime I have my cards out when she is around. I was working on journaling the other day, and was interupped once again :rolleyes:. She asked what it was I was writing about so I explained to her I was writing a kind of story about the cards. She asked to see when I was done, sat down across from me and started looking thru the other cards in the deck. (We have had the conversation about how to be careful not to hurt them and she is always very careful). When I looked up I noticed she was studying one intently. I asked her to pick out a couple and tell me a story about what she saw in them. The child was absolutely dead on on several of them. We had a nice chat about several others she even had brought up a couple of points to me.:) Then she asked if she could have her very own deck. After talking to a couple of people here, and some looking about, I showed her a few decks that I thought she might like. She didn't like the RWS...to scarey and I must admit I dont blame her in the least. I'm almost 40 yrs old it gives me the creeps. She really liked the Whimsical. When she saw the price she ran for her bank counted it out and declared she must have a ride to the bookstore. Then practicality hit her she wanted to know if we could find it cheaper on-line? Where do they get these ideas?:confused: We sat down at the computer and found a way to knock it down a bit even with shipping costs. I am looking foward to having a study buddy in the house:), and maybe the journaling will help with her writing skills. ;) LadyMedusa

coldsuns	02 Apr 2003
Hm..ok. Thats what you guys believe in. And what i stated are things what i choose to believe in. But still, 3yrs to 4yrs kids usually show interests in all things. Kids that are younger than 13yrs are usually rather immature and actually show interest in a thing for a year or less and then keep it in the closet until being bored use it once and keep it inside again. Or they might use it until a age when they are mature, they might feel that it is childish. Hm..if they are really interested in Tarot Cards, they will use it forever.

azuremariposa	02 Apr 2003
well, i respect your beliefs coldsuns, and if he loses interest i'm not going to push him along...he also loves to play w/my makeup and such, which doesn't necessarily make him a future show-stopper at the Sands in Las Vegas...so, an interest NOW in tarot does not necessarily mean he will choose to read Tarot in the future...i think the idea of telling a story w/the pictures perfectly illustrates how it may be useful for us to use the cards together...as a mother who is planning on homeschooling her children anyway, looking for new avenues of learning always interests me... thank you LadyMedusa for sharing your experience w/your step daughter! that is wonderful that she has expressed an interest and that you will have a "study buddy" in the home! and what a way to have an even closer, deeper relationship w/her!! i think that is just wonderful... everyone has their own beliefs, and chooses to live by them...i respect all of you, and i do not dismiss any advice, whether i agree w/it or not...thank you for offering your voice to this discussion, coldsuns...please do not think it was in vain :) many blessings to all!

Diana	02 Apr 2003
I wrote a Tarot story once for children. It can be found here: http://www.aeclectic.net/articles/bateleurs_tale.html Kids should always be encouraged to be curious and discover the world. Your child may very well lose interest in six day, six months, or six years, or never. It doesn't matter. But if your kid is interested in Tarot, let him enjoy it! You can make up stories together. Why, he can even make his own cards! You could both sit down and draw a Chariot for instance and pretend you're Charioteers and what it would feel like being a Charioteer. Or dress up like Hermits and make lanterns out of paper. Make a gold crown for him to be Emperor, and you could make yourself a silver one and be the Empress. Stuff like that. Could be really cool. Great for learning counting too. My kid was fascinated by Tarot. Now he's not interested at all. Doesn't even glance at my decks anymore. I had thought of buying him a Tarot deck for his birthday, but I think he'd much prefer a computer game - lol - .

Dark Inquisitor	02 Apr 2003
Quote: Originally posted by azuremariposa ..i grew up in a family that was very psychic & included mediums, but often they were secretive of what they did, so i did not understand alot of it until i was a teenager... Did they ever say why they did that? Tarotphelia

Kiama	02 Apr 2003
Quote: Originally posted by coldsuns Kids that are younger than 13yrs are usually rather immature and actually show interest in a thing for a year or less and then keep it in the closet until being bored use it once and keep it inside again. Or they might use it until a age when they are mature, they might feel that it is childish. Hm..if they are really interested in Tarot Cards, they will use it forever. Very true, though I doubt it will do any harm even if they do just leave it in the closet after less than a year. All of this reminds me of my little sister... I have been teaching her about Tarot on and off since she was about 7 I think. She's 11 now, and when I went back home for Christmas, she was watching me looking at my new Hanson-Roberts deck. She started asking more questions about it, and eventually she asked me how I knew all the different meanings of the cards. I promptly handed her the Hanson-Roberts deck, told her to shuffle it, and give me a reading. }) She was nervous as hell, but she spread the cards out. Amazingly, off her own initiative, she had positioned three cards to represent the past, three the present, and three the future. I can't remember all the cards, but I know there was the 2 of Cups and Lovers in the present, and some other nice cards in the future. She asked me how on Earth she was going to give me a reading if she didn't know the card meanings. I told her to simply say what she saw in the images. So she did. She pinpointed many things in my life spot on. Most of the meanings of the cards she was dead correct on too. Then she said something that amazed me... A few months before that, my boyfriend and I had decided to get married in a couple of years time. We are not officially engaged, and he is saving the proposal for a special time, and after he has asked my Dad for my hand first! (Old romantic that he is!) My little sister looked at the cards and said, 'I think you're going to get engaged'. And because of this 4 year-long interest in the cards, I've decided that this Christmas she will be getting a 'Complete Tarot Kit' full of different decks, a journal, some books... Everything she needs to get going with her Tarot studies. Gotta love the kid! Kiama

raeanne	02 Apr 2003
Hi all, I am very much in favor of using tarot with children and in let children use the tarot. The only reservation I might have is the way this might affect your child in social situations. If you live in the Bible belt, you need to make sure your child can handle the insults and derogatory comments from the “born again” folks. Other children can be viciously cruel! Schools also put pressure on children to “tell a teacher” if a parent or other adult tells a child to keep a secret. It is hard for some children to tell the difference between just not talking about something and keeping secrets. Otherwise, I agree with most of the comments others have made. I particularly like the Whimsical Tarot better than the Inner Child because the colors are softer. The bright colors of the Inner Child Tarot is just too loud for me. Kiama, When I am reincarnated, I want to come back as your little sister!

Major Tom	02 Apr 2003
I highly recommend a book called Tarot Games - 45 Playful Ways to Explore Tarot Cards Together by Cait Johnson & Maura D. Shaw. It has an entire chapter entitled Games Especially (But Not Only) For Children. Many of these games are perfectly suited for younger children. :)

azuremariposa	02 Apr 2003
thanks again to all the suggestions...i'm gonna hafta start taking notes!! lol :D thanks Major Tom for the book recommendation...i'll hafta hunt it down in amazon ;) and to answer your question in regard to why my family was secretive about the psychic stuff they did, Tarotphelia... Quote: Originally posted by Tarotphelia Did they ever say why they did that? Tarotphelia basically, you'd need a history of my family and certain esoteric religions to understand, but the short version is that what they were practicing was not (and probably is still not) accepted by the mainstream of society...they basically didn't want people burning our house down or some such ridiculous thing...so, even though i was a part of it, it wasn't truly explained to me...my grandparents were both mediums & i have inherited that gift...my grandmother "reads", though not Tarot...she is also very intuitive...my mother works with energy (similar to Reiki, but not Reiki) and i have some talent in that area as well...i saw auras from an early age, but no one explained what i was seeing...i "knew things" about people that they were either secretive about or did not even know themselves, no one explained why that was so, and yet both parents often asked me about people to gain my insight...i think the main problem was my father's side of the family...while Tarot was ok, other things were not, and they were rather closed-minded and rigid thinkers...so, b/c my parents split when i was young, my mother probably kept me "in the dark" for fear of what i'd say to my dad's family...i could go on, but i think you get the gist of it...it was strange...but i did fine, and i'm hoping my son will have an easier time of it... raeanne, you brought up a good point about the Bible Belt (where i currently reside), and even my in-laws have negative connotations about the Tarot...so, it will be challenging, but i have my hubby's support...hopefully things will work out in the end! thanks again for everyone's input...this is really fantastic all the ideas i'm getting from everyone!! :D many blessings to all...

zorya	02 Apr 2003
azuremariposa, i saw that you were planning to homeschool. i homeschool my children and am a member of three different homeschool groups. one of the groups is for pagan homeschoolers. many of the children are as young as yours. another group is a group that is homeschooling for 'non-religious' reasons. this group also includes some open minded people. you might want to try to google homeschool groups in your area, even at this young age. maybe you'll find some folks that share your tarot interests or at least will not treat your child negatively.

azuremariposa	02 Apr 2003
yes, Zorya, i will be homeschooling my little ones...and thanks for the advice...my mother-in-law was a teacher at a private school and has pointed out several groups in the area, but i'm looking for some that have no religious affiliation...i, myself, am not christian (oh the horror! LMAO...and i live in TX! how could i?? hahaha...my hubby jokes i am a heathen! :D), so i do not necessarily want christianity pushed upon my children...if they choose it later on, that's fine, but i'd rather give them that choice...(sheesh, i sound like my mom! haha) i will definitely "google it" :) thanks again!

Khatruman	08 Apr 2003
Quote: Originally posted by azuremariposa ...i will have to add the Whimsical deck to my "wishlist" now ;) Just an update to this. I just ordered the Whimsical Tarot for my 5 year old son. He has never really seen my tarot cards at all, or seen me use them (I am divorced and he's with me really only on weekends, or about an hour a day during the week). He loves using cards. He has many sets of flash cards and he likes to sort, look at shapes, colors, pictures, words. We played Uno for the first time last week, so he is getting into the playing card idea. He is just a voracious visual learner. I wanted to get him a deck that wasn't religious or dark, or that had any nudity or adult ideas. I was going to ask advice here, but then I came upon the Whimsical deck, with fairy tale/nursery rhyme imagery, and I thought: perfect!!! I checked out Amazon, and a deck was available from a third party for less than $12 (other criterion: not too expensive, because he is not yet really careful with his cards...:D). Well, they are on order and I will keep you posted on how he does with them.

azuremariposa	08 Apr 2003
thanks for sharing, Khatruman, and definitely keep me updated!! on my hunt through cards recently (look in the tarot deck forum, you will see my post on my latest acquisition :D) i showed the Whimsical deck to my hubby and he said it was "silly"...but he has no problem w/me teaching our son to read when he is ready...for now, he still watches me as i do different layouts and he still "steals" my box w/my RW deck on occasion...i don't mind though...so long as he doesn't tear them or lose one, it's all good...:) many blessings to you and your son!

The children and the Tarot thread was originally posted on 01 Apr 2003 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.