Lots of replies! Thank you for all the help.
Dwarf Fortress is rated TDH (Too Damn Hard) for 8/9 year old kids to learn, what with the interface, regardless of any mutilations that take place.
This simply isn't true. We've played it as a whole group twice and they are already prompting me with the correct key to press. I'll also be on hand but I'm pretty confident they'll be ok.
Seriously? You're using dwarf fortress as an educational tool? Somehow, I doubt that's a good idea or will go over well with yer commandants.
Play Dwarf fort on your own time.
hahah no. I wouldn't be using it to indulge myself. I do play it on my own time. However, this game enables me to teach several objectives and does it in a far more fun way than me standing at the front talking about how people first settled in the area. It works, trust me. And my higher ups have given me permission to put it on the school computers independantly. Please don't make assumptions that you don't know much about. I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't going to benefit my children.
Drunken - I love the idea about "Blowing chunks" but as we're in the UK we don't really use that expression. I may try introducing it.
With regards to censorship, I don't believe in it myself. I'd just rather the kids didn't go home and say "HEY TODAY GEORGE GOT RIPPED IN TWO BY A WOLF" "What?" "We were playing this game and a wolf grabbed him and split him in half". "I think we'll go have a word with your teacher.." If that makes sense.
thanks a lot guys, this is awesome