Nintendo DS

[MadameBabawic]

We are looking to get one for DD who will be 6 for christmas (and also so i can use it too!) but have no idea what to start looking for, anyone know how much they cost? games and stuff for a 6 yo girl?

I'm abit useless at this kind of thing but would like to sort it out soon so it's done and dusted.

Any tips on what to look for? where? (pref somewhere that does oveseas delivery) I feel so oooooold just writing this not having a clue!

[orangepippin]

We have just bought a Nintendo 3ds for ds who is 6. We bought it from amazon and it was £113 which seemed to be the cheapest we could find and free delivery. They have them in lots of colours.

[MadameBabawic]

eek, luckily i've been thinking about getting it early then!couldnt pay for that at christmas time!

she'd better love it at that price! (even though she has been harping on about them since last summer.. she does seem to have grown up a fair bit and will take good care of it (said the optimisitic mother).

[lljkk]

£20-25 for new games, £3-£15 for 2nd hand games on Ebay.

You want a DSi, not a simple DS, probably. Kidproof Internet access against naughties, see simple instructions online. Makes it easier to play with others.

DS dislikes the DS XL (too big) & the 3DS (you hear weird things about the 3DS not living up to hype).

We've bought all our DS & DSi 2nd hand on Ebay, but may not be option for you.

[coppertop]

I think the 3DS is only recommended for children who are 7+, so your dd might be better off with an ordinary DS. Much cheaper too! :)

[MadameBabawic]

Stupid question alert, what's the difference between a DSi and a 3ds?

[MadameBabawic]

Aha, I like your thinking Coppertop

[lljkk]

DSi has a camera & Better wireless connections, Madame.
Some other options, you can download games from online, maybe?

More detail here.

I just have a gut feeling that plain DS is increasingly obsolete, potentially.

[TheMonster]

A 3ds has a 3d screen. My son got a dsi for Christmas when he was four. He turns six next month and this Christmas he wants to upgrade for a 3dsXL.

The games all have a lower age range on them, so start with some that are age three.

[MadameBabawic]

thanks for that link lljkk, most informative.
I'm sort of undecided, don't want to get her anything thats going to be way too much for her or something she's going to grow ou of in a year or so.

Shall carry on looking before i decide, but glad i asked here first!

jingle bells...

[SpanishFly]

my DS is 7 and he still plays with his "old" DS - he's had it for 4 years, I think, and still loves it, but wants to upgrade to a 3DS XL - the new bigger 3D one. I'm happy to do it cos I know he'll love it.

He's not the most careful of kids, but this has done well. Just make sure you have a dedicated "place" for it, so it always gets put back in the same place. We have a nice box where the DS and all its games are kept - and whenever he finishes playing, it all goes back in the box, so no accidents, no getting lost etc.

[TwiggysGoneOnHolidayByMistake]

You will actually find it very hard to buy a 'plain' DS now, nowhere sells them. It seems the 3DS has taken over, though you can still get the DSi.

[StaceymReadyForNumber3]

The 3d function on the 3ds is not suitable for children under 7 but it can be turned off.

My dcs (7 and 5) have a ds each they bought them with their own money when oldest was 5 but have only really started using them in the last year. They are a godsend on long car journeys/flights. We got ours second hand off eBay, they were much cheaper and perfect condition. I buy their games second hand too as it makes no difference to new ones. We have a special ds shelf where all games etc go so they don't get lost. It doesn't always work but usually it does.

Watch your dd doesn't chew the end of the stylus though as it stops it 'staying' in the ds when not in use and they get lost, my children have now been threatened with death warned I will not buy more replacement stylus' for them.

[picnicbasketcase]

I bought a second hand (but looked like new) DS Lite from eBay, in its original box for £38. Obviously you have to look at the listing and feedback carefully and decide if you want to risk it, but it can pay off.

[GusTheOneEyedPolarBear]

I've brought DS1, 4, a second hand ds for Christmas from Ebay. They seem to go for about £30-90 quid there depending on quality and age.
If you're mechanically minded, you can pick up one a slightly damaged one,marketed as spares or repair, for £10-20 and carry out the repairs yourself. The one we got DS1, had a cracked hinge and slightly damaged screen. Replacement parts and tri wing screw driver kit, which is needed to repair any Nintendo product, cost £17 pounds, ds cost £10 and it took a couple of hours for me to repair. There are some brilliant guides on ifix and youtube on how to do this.

[sunnyday123]

Have you thought about an iPod touch as they would work out much cheaper in the end as the games can be downloaded fairly cheap and many are free. They start at £139. My dh has an apple mac for work anyway so we were advised to skip the DS as it'll be more costly in the end?

[NoComet]

iPod touches are beautiful, I'm on one now, but I'm not sure they are 6 year old proof.

I hate DSs, the games are a load of over priced rubbish, but they do stand up to a lot of abuse.

The DDs must be 4 probably 5 years old.

iPods also need a certain degree of geekyness tolerance from the adult administering the account.

I hate iTunes!!!!!

[ErnesttheBavarian]

I prefer the iPod touch over the nintendo because the games are downloaded directly onto the iPod, as opposed to the games cartridges of the nintendo which are small and some inevitably get lost. As mentioned, the ds games are maybe 25 pounds, while the iPod games are 1 or 2 pounds, or free. the kids go through phases and get bored of games so quickly that a cheap lots of quick cheap ones are better than 1 or 2 expensive ones imo.

Alos, the iPod can age well with your ds. My 3 (now 4 ) year old dd can find her way easily round one, so it would be no problem for a 6 year old, and it's also great for older children/teens/adults, so she won't ever outgrow it iyswim.

then she can also take her own photos and listen to music

[NoComet]

Do your small DCs have cases for their iPods?

I know one of the mums at school has a really grippy one for her iPhone (slowing it to be played with by her toddler DS).

As supplied they are very small and slippery. Vanishing down sofa cushions with the greatest of ease.

The cry if can you face time me often goes up here, purely to make a lost iPod bleep.

[TheMonster]

Part of the beauty of the ds is that it can be dropped without harm.

[SpanishFly]

yep, the DS is much more child-friendly, and will last them for years. I personally wouldnt be keen to get an iPod Touch for my 7yo - it sort of sets a precendent among his friends, and he'd expect an iPad next year as the natural progression.

[SpanishFly]

And what are the games like for iPod? Are they "proper" long games, like Lego Batman, for example, or are they all a bit Angry Birds - fun but basic?

[sunnyday123]

What she wants now

[sunnyday123]

Not sure what happened to my message then but I'd typed that dds friends who are 7 got a DS last year and their parents tell me they've outgrown them already and as theyre getting the iPod, dd now isn't interested in a DS! I think it'll be great for movies, FaceTime etc

[Amiable]

DD is 6 and we got her a Ds for her 4th birthday (I know, shameful! ) We started off with a peppa pig game, which she loved, and have gradually increased her library, so she now has several including sonic, zhu zhu pets and tinkerbell - we've also bought her a couple of educational games, to help with learning german (she is bilingual). It is one of the few toys she has played with consistently over the last couple of years - fantastic for car and plane journeys.

I was initially a bit sceptical (due to her age), but would highly recommend one - it's "grown" with her, and we have certainly had our money's worth! do a bit of research online about the games though - some are so much better than others (the tinkerbell one is a bit rubbish tbh!)

[ByTheWay1]

Definitely research the games you want on line - some of them (Little blinking Mermaid) requires the kids to be able to read great reams of stuff - so not really aimed at younger kids - though the subject matter is?!?!

Also recommend a headset with microphone - stops the internal mic being "spitted up" and breaking - you need it for some games and it is a lot easier to replace a £5 headset than the internal gubbins.... Also means they can turn it up and listen - without YOU having to listen!!