Experience, no. But I've started thinking about it, my son is 5, maybe soon I'll have someone to play with again? (not likely, but a Dad can dream.....after all, how big a step is it from nightly improvised bedtime stories where he is adding in elements to role playing?)
It so happens that I just finished reading Stephen Brust's "The Paths of the Dead" and in the afterword he mentions that whenever he is writing, he sticks a sign on the wall in front of himself reading "and now I'm going to tell you something really cool." It struck me that this is a good general principle for running games. (also for telling bedtime stories!).
The issue is, finding some common ground between what you think is cool, and what they think is cool. Without knowing the kids in question, this is hard.
Off the top of my head, a lot girls that age seem to like horses, so Redalda stories come to mind....and letting them start with really cool horses, of course :)
Actually, Heortlings probably aren't very accessible to most kids. You might do better with Lunars--the whole story of the brave rebels bringing back a new goddess who brought understanding and peace should make a pretty good myth. The lunars have some cool gee-whiz magical technology too, like moon boats.
Whatever you do, I'd love to hear how it works out!
--Bryan
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