tarot for a ten year old

catlin

I'd suggest either the Tarot Nova or the Tarot of the White cats (the latter follows RW so she can use a standard RW based book to go with).

What about the book by R. Pollak for young readers? I don't know the English title (I think it was something with "seeker") I only have seen the German translation some days ago when I was browsing my local book store.
 

whipsilk

Book or No Book

There seem to be two schools of thought on an accompanying book. Some recommend, others go intuitive. Why not ask her? Maybe when you give her the deck ask if she wants a book that explains a little more, or if she wants to have a go with the deck on her own, very much as Sulis' seven-year-old does (what a great way to start in Tarot!).

Then, if you want to give her a follow-up, let her choose between another deck and a book. Whaddya wanna bet she'll choose the deck every time. Kids are so adventurous!

And do let us know how it turns out.
 

MCsea

I will add a vote to let her come choose with you, go to a good store
where they display the cards and seh can see which ones speak to her, I started with a deck of normal cards - no LWB at about 6, but finally got to choose some at 15 - way too late as far as I was concerned at 15 ;)

Godd luck and I hope you all enjoy

MARINA
 

AbstractConcept

Scion said:
Hey!

I'll second the suggestion for the Ator as a superb choice for a small reader... in fact that seems like the ideal choice for someone who isn't freaked by Tarot but is. If you're gonna go with cats, I would strongly urge the Baroque Bohemian over the Medieval Cats. No question.

I teach playwriting to 10 year olds and I feel like the Hanson-Roberts & the Whimsical may be too twee (more like the idea of a child's deck than a deck for a child), but then again it depends on the 10 year-old. I just had a conversation with a 10 year-old who finished a book report on Stoker's Dracula which was titled: "Thicker than Blood: The Myth of Penetration"... All 10s are not the same.

You can also check out Tarotpedia's list of kid-friendly decks.

I think study with a text sounds like a great idea, though I think you'll wnat to keep it manageable and focussed so she doesn't feel overwhelmed... I was trying to think of a kid-friendly text for Tarot study, with the caveat that it should be illustrated sans nudity and not be SO massive that she can't carry it around: here is a list of Teen focussed ones, but they may be a bit much. The Whimsical Tarot has a fantastic companion book, but is too focussed on the deck's imagery and stories to make it useful separately.

That being said, even if you don't buy her the Hanson-Roberts deck which illustrates it, Laura Clarson's Tarot Unveiled is an friendly, concise intro to reading with any Waite-Smith clone, and introduces the basic topics from which meanings are derived. Since it isn't illustrated with the RWS, she won't get icked out, but it's coverage of symbolism is generic enough that any RWS deck will be supported contexually. It starts out with broad concepts of numerology and elements and builds to meanings for each card and a guide to spreads and reading... all in 140ish pages.
a) No sexual references
b) No religious references
c) Simply articulated and clearly organized.
I was not expecting much from this little guide, but it's terrific.

Would love to know how it turns out.

Scion
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No sexual references? No Religious references? two excellent reasons why tarot isn't for minors.
 

LadyMedusa

My daughter is 12, and she has had her own deck for 2 years now. She chose the Whimsical set.
I wasn't comfortable with some of the material (for a child) presented in the book from the set, so I bought her a couple of books that had the fairy tales the deck referenced that she wasn't familiar with to use as a guide for the card meanings.
We started by reading the tale that each card was taken from, paying particular attention to the character featured on the card. She has several 1-3 card spreads she uses, and the lesson or challange the character faces in the story is the basis for her interpretation.
At your sister's age she has the advantage of imagination and intuition, the guides many of us struggle to unblock. The books can wait.

LadyMedusa
 

satinangel

The Gnomes is a fun deck, only one little Gnome bottom showing...fun art work.

Just a thought.

My 14 year old LOVES the Gilded and my 16 year old ADORES her Fey! Also, good choices.
 

MarkMcElroy

Decks with Young Children in Mind

The often-mentioned Ator -- or even the International Icon Tarot, by the same artist -- would be a fine deck for a child who "thinks nudity is gross."

You might consider my own Bright Idea Deck, a contemporary Tarot with no nudity or overt religious symbolism. Several programs for young children have adopted the deck for classroom use, positioning it as a source for "story seeds." (What are these people doing? Write a story about it!)

I must second the references to Joan Bunning's book (Learning the Tarot) which remains an excellent choice, especially if your daughter would feel comfortable with its structured, lesson-based approach. I've given copies to more than 40 people. Other good choices include:

- Mary Greer's Tarot for Yourself (especially good for those who might enjoy a workbook emphasizing a metaphysical approach to the cards)

- Rachel Pollock's 78 Degrees of Wisdom (great for those who enjoy learning about each card's story and symbolism by reading essays on each one)

- Teresa Michelsen's Complete Tarot Reader (great for those looking for exercises designed to help you explore the cards for yourself

For fun, consider my own, hands-on "What's in the Cards for You?", which taks an experimental approach to learning Tarot, or The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Tarot, which honors both practical and mystical approaches to the cards, and includes a comprehensive guide to card meanings.
 

KaiMoonshadow

amysquie said:
Wow what a cute Tarot deck! I love it... straight onto my wishlist list it goes :)

Amy x
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I second that! WOW! How utterly adorable... I'm very fussy about my decks too, so finding one I like it quite a stunning prospect in itself!
 

levannah60

Ever thought about starting her out with playing cards? Hedgewitchery.com is a good place to start...or maybe even an oracle deck...then move up to tarot
 
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