Activities

Youth & Teen Activities

“We’ll provide some fun so you don’t have to pack it!”

Calling all youth and teens of the known realms, come join your peers and make new friends at Youth Pointe and Teen Pointe! Come back and check the schedule for family-friendly classes, open play, craft sessions, and other fun activities!

Youth Pointe is open 9am-4pm, with activities designed for ages 2-12. Teen Pointe is open later til 9pm, and will have teen-centric activities tailored for ages 13-17. (Please note there will be a midday lunch closure to allow our volunteers to rest)

Below you fill find Activities, Volunteer Opportunities as well as the Youth/Teen Policies and Waiver Forms. Please read the guidelines below for having youth attend War.

Contact the youth coordinator

Activities

Youth of all ages can dive into a world of fun and adventure! Little m’lords and m’ladies can enjoy a Royal Tea Party with treats and storytelling, while aspiring archers test their aim in archery sessions. At Youth Pointe, ages 0-12 can explore games, crafts, and history-themed fun, while teens 13+ have their own space at Teen Pointe to connect and participate in special activities. Teens can also enjoy select arts and sciences demos and classes—details will be listed below. There’s something magical for every young adventurer to discover!

Volunteering

Make a difference by helping to provide appropriate and engaging activities for youths aged 0-17! Your involvement ensures that every young attendee has a memorable and enriching experience. Together, let’s spark their curiosity, ignite their imaginations, and create lasting memories they’ll cherish for years to come.

Youth combat boffer fighting

Youth & Teen policies

The designated areas, known as “Youth Pointe,” “Youth Corner,” or “Teen Pointe,” and other youth activities at War of the Phoenix are not babysitting or childcare services. All youth must be supervised by a parent or guardian. Whether it’s arts and crafts, fighting arts, archery, or other activities, a parent, guardian, or designated caregiver must stay with their minor(s) for the entire duration of the activity (see “Sight and Sound Policy”). Parents and guardians are responsible for their child’s behavior and welfare and must always ensure proper supervision.

In accordance with the Seneschal Handbook (2021, SCA, Inc.), all official or publicized SCA Youth Activities must have at least one background-checked adult member serving as the official coordinator. All youth activities at War of the Phoenix follow SCA, Inc. and event rules for minors, including background-checked youth officer supervision and the two-deep model (e.g., Two-Deep Rule). If this requirement isn’t met, the activity will be canceled. When possible, craft-type activities will be offered as “takeaways” to complete elsewhere during the event.

Further details regarding Minor/Youth Related Policies can be found in the Seneschal Handbook (April 2021), by The Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.

A&S class participation

Youth (minors under 18) may attend regular A&S classes that are not necessarily designated for youth as long as the following 3 conditions are met: 1) the content/subject matter is appropriate for the youth’s age (as determined by the parent/guardian and instructor), 2) the youth is accompanied by a parent/guardian/caregiver for the duration of the class, and 3) the youth behaves appropriately without disrupting the other participants.

Gate Policies - Bracelet & parent forms
Minors must wear the bracelet, wristband, or other form of “name tag & parental/guardian contact information” issued by the Gate at all times. Parents and guardians are responsible for completing and submitting all minor participation waivers and forms as appropriate for attending all SCA, Inc. events.
Neglect of parental/guardian responsibility for minors
Youth under 13 years old should not wander freely at this event and all minors, regardless of age) should be checked on periodically by their parent/designated caregiver to ensure their safety and suitable behavior. Failure to do so may result in sanctions ranging from expulsion from the site to notification of modern authorities depending on the circumstances.

On a first offense at a given event, minors whose behaviors violate SCA Governing Documents, Kingdom Law, Officer Policies, or site rules will be escorted to their parent/guardian and issued a verbal warning for the first offense at an event. The matter will be reported to the Kingdom Seneschal.

On a second offense at a given event, the parent/guardian will be required to keep their minor(s) with them for the remainder of the gathering. A report will be tendered to the Kingdom and Society Seneschals.

For a third offense, the minor(s) and parents/guardians will be expelled from the event, and the matter will be reported to the Kingdom and the Society Seneschals.

Habitual offenders will be subject to review by Kingdom and Society level for possible sanctions.

Martial Activities for Minors

“The parents or guardians of the minor must witness SCA combat, discuss with a witnessing marshal how it relates to the participation of their child, and execute a Minor Waiver prior to the minor’s being allowed to participate in fighting activities. Fighting activities include armored combat (heavy weapons), fencing, combat archery, marshaling, scouting, youth combat [and/or archery], or banner bearing in combat. In this case, parents should be carefully informed of what is going on. Witnessing marshals must be explicitly authorized to perform this function by the Kingdom Earl Marshal. Authorization for combat in any of the forms listed above by minors can be performed only by the Kingdom Earl Marshal or those explicitly authorized to the task, with the exception of rapier combat, which must be authorized by the Kingdom Rapier Marshal or those explicitly authorized to the task.” (Seneschal Handbook, p. 33)

Further details regarding Minor/Youth Related Policies can be found in the Youth Martial Handbook, by The Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.

Medical Treatment of Minors

“Medical treatment of minors is subject to the appropriate laws of the state, territory, province, and/or country where the event is held. In the case of a medical emergency involving a minor, the parent/legal guardian or, in the case of a minor attending with a non-parent/legal guardian, the temporary guardian with the Medical Authorization Treatment Form for Minors  [will] be located.” (Seneschal Handbook, p. 33)

Sight & Sound policy
In Atenveldt, minor youths less than 13 years old must be in eyesight/earshot of their parent/guardian or a designated caregiving adult or teenager (as determined by the parent). This “sight and sound” policy does not include the use of electronic means of communication, i.e., cell phones, walkie-talkies or FRS radios. Parents/guardians are responsible for knowing where their youth are at all times. Neither the watch constables, youth activity hosts/coordinators/teachers, nor the merchants are responsible for unsupervised youth, although a watch constable may return unattended youth to their parent’s camp. There will be no “babysitting or daycare services” provided at youth or teen points or other events designated for youths hosted during War of the Phoenix. Check the gate book for a list of youth activities during the event.
Two-deep Model (e.g., 2 Deep Rule, Rule of 2)
In compliance with the Seneschal Handbook (2021, SCA, Inc.), and to ensure a safe and supportive environment, we require a minimum of two unrelated adults (18+) to serve in an official capacity during shifts at the designated spaces often referred to as “Youth Point” or “Youth Corner” or “Teen Point” and other activities advertised to encourage youth participation at the War of the Phoenix. However, we aim to have more than two helpers whenever possible, and we’re committed to involving teens and all youth in greater capacities throughout the event. Your participation is highly encouraged and valued!

If the two-deep requirement is not met, the hosted activity will have to be canceled (if possible, craft-type activities will be made available as “takeaways” to be completed elsewhere during the event).

Additionally, all official or publicized SCA Youth Activities must have one background checked adult member who acts as the official “coordinator” for the SCA Youth Activities during the overall event (e.g., War of the Phoenix).

Participation forms

Minor Participation Waiver Form
Minor Waiver: Medical & Travel Consent Form
Family Minor Waiver Form (Multiple Children)
Minor Medical Authorization Form
Society Youth Combat Information

Youth & Teen Pointes Disclaimer – to ensure a safe and supportive environment, we require a minimum of two unrelated adults (18+) to serve in an official capacity during shifts. However, we aim to have more than two helpers whenever possible, and we’re committed to involving teens and all youth in greater capacities throughout the event. Your participation is highly encouraged and valued!