That I think DH is being daft over this....

[Consoleme]

We have a 3 year old. DH wants to buy an XBOX Kinect thing "to play with our DS" for DS' up coming birthday as he keeps saying he will get a lot out of it. Am I the one being unreasonable to think that I don't think he will get much out of it? Are there any of you with 3 year olds (mine is just a "normal" bright button boy) who get much out of these? Or (and I suspect) is DH getting a toy under the excuse of it being for DS? If that's the case then it's a different discussion to have with DH but I wanted your wise opinions and experience first so I'm clued up about this bit of kit. As you can see I've not much experience with them.....please tell me what you think?

I think it is way too young for any console etc tbh. my 3 yo is very happy playing with his lego etc, and has no need for any of that kind of stuff yet. And I am speaking as a parent of older children who all have ds's, a wii and an xbox - my ds1 just got one of these for his 13th birthday. Plenty of time in the future to be playing with electronic toys imo.

(your dh just wants one for himself doesn't he?).

I think it is as suspected then....?

I agree he is to young. My nearly 3 yr old ds is not interested in our WII. While dd1 & dd2 nearly 8 & 4 do play with it.

Could you call your DH bluff and and agree but with a strict time limit say between 2.30pm and 3pm and it will be put away at all other times .

I think your DH wants it for himself.

Kinect is good....but give it a month and y9ur DH will have signed uop to xbox live.

I would bet money on it.

Is XBOX Live like the Call of Duty type games? That's really what I'd rather avoid. Not my idea of domestic harmony.

DD didn't get a ds until she was 10! Very insular, and not to be encouraged at such a young age as your ds.

I also wouldn't have had a Wii or any other game thing of that ilk until older, as I think it interferes with their ability to amuse themselves and use their imagination, engage with the real world etc. (My opinion, I have no references to scholarly articles!) Also, likely to take over time which could otherwise be spent reading books (when he's older obviously). By the time he's in y2 he'll be well and truly hooked, he'll have consoles in his room, not get enough sleep, yada yada yada.

Leave it 'til he's older, and then limit the time anyone gets to spend on it.

What LunaticF said, it's a prezzie for DH.
Plus - what happened to the innocence of childhood? He's three FGS! He doesn't need to learn computer skills yet. And as someone commented upthread - it's junk food for brains.

Leave him be and let him be a bairn. Get him a Like a Bike instead - he'll learn a lot more about hand/foot eye co-ordination.

Too young to have that gift 'for him' IMO - think your DH is pulling a fast one!

DD has been 'playing' the wii very occasionally since she was 2 - stepping on and off the balance board, very cute :o but although she joins in properly now at 4.6, I am still holding off getting her some just-for-her games. It's unnecessary. IMO.

Manatee is right, I think your DH is just following a pattern. My DB got a pool table (full size) for his first birthday

Can you afford it? Will you monitor the types of games he plays?

FWIW it's not the worst console you could get him, at least it's interactive. I'm from the Sega Gamegear generation where we literally sat and stared at a small screen for hpurs, far worse in my oppinion. DD is 2.0 and loves to play on our Ipad, and has a few apps on it. She thinks it's a giggle, she cuddles on my knee when she plays and leys face it, do they need to be educated every second of the day?

A 3 year old might well be too short for it to work well. I think anything under a metre tall or so will be problematic.

The XBOX Kinect is quite good for young children, as can the wii.

Obviously it's also a present for your OH, but it could be for you too. I often join in the wii sports, for example.

We got a wii when DS was perhaps 4 and it was for the whole family.

Personally, I'd make it a Christmas present for the family next year.

And yes, a lot of games on Xbox are definitely not suitable for a 3yo! I misunderstood, I assume you already had the Xbox and DH just wanted to add the kinect - if he's buying the actual console too, that's a heck of a lot of money, and a bit mean as DS wouldn't really have much to play with straight away - I'm sure he'd be happier with a toy car than a mystical bit of machinery.

Your DH doesn't seem to actually be considering what your DS might like

This is soooooo for DH! XBox games for little ones are very few and far between. The Xbox is a console aimed at men (believe me I am an Xbox widow) and some of them are really awful! And by awful I mean graphic violence! Since we bought the Kinect honey I can talk to my freinds on it...I might as well get Xbox live....I remember this conversation! How about saying yes to bying a movement console but try the vsmile motion (40 quid new much cheaper too!)its games are tailored to children. Gadgets + men = its for the kids. Do not allow Xbox live into your house...its like he's having an affair honestly!

The kinect's pretty good, I'd say it's aimed at children much more than the x-box itself is...

but he'll not be co-ordinated enough to work it very well, my friend's 3 yr old can play with it - with my 11 yr old helping her, but not by herself

I agree with Lunatic -- I think the 'kids need computer skills' argument is pretty weak.

I never used a computer or games like this til I was at least 10, had no problem acquiring the necessary computer skills afterward for uni and work.

No way! My dc only got a Wii at age 10 and 7 (pressie for older one).
I am very old fashioned like that and think that what a three year old should be doing with his dad - is READING BOOKS.

We've just got a Xbox/Kinect for christmas for me and DH.

We have 3.5yr old and 5.5yr old DDs as well.

The elder one LOVES it, is very good at it and is always sweating she works so hard on it. The 3yr old tries to play the rafting game on Adventures, but hasn't really got the hang of it at all. Makes her smile when she accidently gets a medal, then she's happy to let her sister carry on playing and she goes back to her My Little Ponies.

We didn't get it for our DC, it was for us. Just turning 3 is too young.

We have a Kinect. Wouldn't have bought it, won it in a raffle. Games aren't our thing but kept it for DD. I should have sold it.

DD gets too frustrated with it (she's 6). The controller has a problem seeing her and it picks up anything else in the room (like when the dog walks past). She plays adventures, but only the raft one. We got Sonic Sports with it and it's too hard for her. The controller loses her mid jump and waving / talking works when it wants to.

Plus I hate having to rearrange the living room to play it (you need quite a lot of space).

Had we paid £300+ for it I'd be raging. Just wish I'd trusted my instincts and ebayed it last Xmas - could have done with the cash!