Singapore Expats

Hi,

I need a bit of help here. My son is turning 5 soon and wants a Nintendo DS for his birthday. I have only seen older kids playing them and was wondering if he is too young for this kind of thing?

I have never had a look at one closely and would love some opinions on the types of games/levels/appropriateness... before I start looking into them myself.

Thanks for your help.

IMHO, 5 years old is still too young to get into a game console. once they are into it, there's no turning back! when the first gameboy came out, kids were playing so excessively that they nearly go blind!

if you still want to get it, dont limit to games only. there are other educational apps for the NDS too.

My 6 year old has been asking to play video games since she was 3. I don't think they are a great development tool as they are too addictive, thats without the violence and appropriateness at such a young age.
However recently we started using the Xbox (that came free with Starhub installation) and I checked out some age appropriate games. She now absolutely loves the Lego Star Wars game and amazes me with the dexterity of her use of the controls and her strategy.
We limit her time on it to 45 mins twice per week - no exceptions!
I think all video games at all ages should come with an enforced time frame to play them in (set by the parents) as they are so all-consuming its easy to get lost for hours and hours.

My 9 year old has a DS Lite. My 5 year old plays with it as well, when her older sibling lets her. We plan to buy the 5 year old her own this Christmas. It's almost unavoidable as technology is so pervasive with kids, if not at home, then at school. There's only so much you can keep away from them. We first started them with Nintendo-like toys such as Leap Frog which are more educational. However, they've slowly "graduated" from this to the mainstream Nintendo etc. They are allowed to play with them, but more as a reward if they do their homework etc and for a limited time. They are also active with swimming, tennis, bike riding, and Kumon. Type of games are also controlled - nothing overly violent such Grand Theft Auto (do not even know if this available for a DS Lite, but it has a violent reputation). If the games are purely for fun, then supplement it with activities such as sports.

If the time is limited appropriately and the game content is acceptable then maybe. But with portables its harder to control them until the batteries run out. My kids can play games but its limited time and is subject to good behavior, worked so far.

For a 5 Yr old a DS? not really.

Once that technological genie is out of the bottle there's no turning back. I'd put it off a little longer. Can he afford to replace it of he loses it? Then he really shouldn't have it.

thanks for all your replies, much food for thought (as I write this the 5 y.o is hassling me to get off MY computer so he can get on and play his games!!). So.. still undecided about the Nintendo DS.

More research it seems...

My friend from the UK got a DS lite for his 5 and 6 year olds last year..games i believe they have some sort of exchange system over there.. i mean there are educational games and simpler games for that age group..Apparently the 2 gals love it and yap! one lost it and we just went to get a replacement one the other day when he was in town..
Just check out the prices..there are alot of gimicky prices where the shop will quote you a low price provided you buy 3 or 5 games along with it.
Hope this helps..

We got my 6 yo a PSP last year for Christmas. I play it more often than she does. She does have her own computer and plays games with her father on that, but we also "graduated" her from a Leapster and other electronic toys as a baby/kid. Our feeling is that this technology is only going to become more pervasive and we'd like her to be as comfortable with it as soon as possible. But she'd prefer to playing on the playground ith the kids than sitting inside with the PSP. But it is a lifesaver while queuing and on the plane!