One Child's Heart

There are pivotal moments in every child’s life that shape who they become. One Child’s Heart is a tabletop roleplaying game that invites players to take the role of child welfare professionals participating in a new mental health care memory exploration experiment. The Central Limbic Engagement Recovery System (CLERS – pronounced, “clears”) brings characters into the memories of these key moments to give support and guidance to a child who needs both.

Professionals help create connections and teach resilience to children who desperately need someone to care about them.

During the Memories, the Professionals interact with the child through conversation, finding ways to get the child to open up and hear the support the professionals are offering. The Professionals walk into the middle of a memory that they don’t have any context for, especially at the beginning of the game. They need to move beyond the surface of what’s happening to discover why the experience is so impactful to the Child find a way to build trust and get them to open up before the memory ends.

This unique game uses its own innovative dice mechanic and token system to symbolize the Professionals forging meaningful connections with the Children. Each Professional is specifically equipped to build a connection with the Children through their Approach – leading with their Heart or trusting in their Mind – and individual Qualities. The facilitator takes on the important role of the Advocate, guiding the Professionals through the Memories of the Child, and portraying the Children in some of their toughest moments.

The heart of this game centers on the power of a conversation. People that have a willingness to reach out to another human being in need have the power to effect real change. In this game, as in life, connections start by being brave and having a conversation. That can begin by simply asking, “Are you OK?”

Easy to learn and focused on creating emotional connections, One Child’s Heart allows for heartfelt roleplaying focused on hope in the face of despair. Will you make a difference, show compassion, and touch one child’s heart?

What You Need to Play

A minimum of 3 six-sided (d6) dice

2-5 people including the Advocate

A pencil or pen

Character sheets

2-4 hours

Optional: Physical tokens to act as Connection Tokens