To think that 6yo ds is too young to get a play station ds4 for Christmas?

[Willuplsgotosleep]

First time post, I've joined to ask this.
So the Christmas requests are starting, never had much before (last year was easy-age 5) and until this week it was just a gift + surprises same as last year. But the gift request from ds has now changed to a ds4. I think 6 is too young for this and told him so. He says classmates have one. I said not all of them and that Santa has special powers to reads mum's and dad's minds and will know we don't approve till he's at least oh 9 (me) my husband told him 13! (But I think he's winding him up). FYI we could afford it, it's more a question of whether it's appropriate....
So....wise mumsnetters when would you consider your dc old enough for a ds4?

I would get him one.

I knew a child that had a 3DS at around 6 years old

Don't have DC, but lots of nieces and nephews. No way were any of them allowed a gaming system that young.

In fact, my nephew who has just turned six wants an Xbox this Christmas. Won't be happening.

I can't see why he would be too young at 6? My thinking would be more based on whether if a particular child gets one they will be glued to it and it could become an issue. If they are pretty happy with smallish amounts of screen time then I can't see a problem.

What is your particlar worry about it?

Both my boys had the original DS at age 3, they had a PS4 last year (age 7 & 5) between them and have a Wii from a couple of xmas's ago. We rarely have to limit screen time as they have lots of other interests so it's not an issue and there are lots of age appropriate games for under 7s so thats not an issue either.

I don't think it's too young, at least he can only play the games that he has. Ds had a psp at that age and was fine as I could control the content.

In my own (bitter) experience, don't be too heavy with the kidding as it can lead to high expectations in later years.

Oh, and ignore the 'every kid's got one'. My 12-year-old niece is adamant that every kid in her class except her has had an iPhone for two years. YeahNo.

Will you end up buying him one anyway at a later date? May as well buy it now and get your money's worth IMO.

Of course it isn't too young! My 5 year old plays Lego Star Wars, minecraft and FIFA with his older brother and me.

What exactly has he asked for? A 3DS or a PS4? Tbh I don't think either are great for that age. 3DSs are not recommended for under 7s because of vision concerns, and PS4s are unnecessarily expensive for a 6 year old who really won't care less about the latest games - he could have just as much fun playing the year before last's age-appropriate games on the last generation console for half the price.

There is no such thing as a ds4 so do you mean a 3ds or a ps4? You can turn the 3d effect off on the 3ds btw as neither of mine use the 3d.

Do you mean a ds (DSi, 2DS or 3DS) or playstation (ps4)? As pp have said 3DS isn't recommend for under 7s and I've tried them and the 3d picture made my eyes hurt, a DSi or 2DS would be okay and IMO ideal for this age group.

My DCs have had ds consoles since they were 4, dd got my old one and ds got a second hand one the year after. They now have a DSi. They play with them for an hour on a Saturday and Sunday, after the first week I've never had to limit them as they put them away themselves and play other games.

They're 6 and 7 and have asked for an Xbox but its too expensive so they've got some age appropriate games to play on DHs Xbox instead.

I wouldn't get a 5 year old a play station 4 as they're very expensive and set a precedent for expensive presents and we just can't afford it.

I thought the 3DS was fine without the 3d switched on? Admittedly I don't know a lot about that one.

I would get him a DS. They're not that uncommon at that age. But I would not set it up for internet, only allow for games bought ie without chat boards etc.

Do you already have a games machine? If not then I would consider getting a PS3 instead of a PS4. There are far more games for the ps3 and you can still play very old ps2 games on it. The ps4 only plays ps4 games and nothing else and forget picking up cheap stuff from game.

Dd2 has been playing the Lego series of games and sky landers for years, she has recently begun playing minecraft on the play station too.

What do you think the problem is?

If its the 3ds that would be ok I think as there is a large catalogue of family games and games great for kids. 3d can be turned off or the 2ds bought which doesn't have the 3D feature.

I think 6 is too young for a ps4 because most of the games are too old for that age group. (If that's a concern, it's not for everyone) But i suppose it depends on if anyone else in the house would use it.

I don't have problems with games consoles for children. But i cringe when my nieces and nephews come to mine and demand to play GTA because they are allowed to at home. They are 8 and 5. They have had 3ds consoles but broke them. So I suppose there's that to consider as well.

Would he enjoy it, and would he get good use out of it?

I can't get too worked up about a 6 year old having a games console. We have a Wii, and have done for 3+ years! and my dc are 10, 7 and 2. The older ones also have an ipad (and the youngest uses dd1's old ipad).

It's not all they do, by any means, but we do all play on the wii as a family, and have a good time doing so.

But if you don't want your ds to have one, then wait a few years.

ds is 7 and wants one too or an xbox

I agree he is too young, he has an ipad to play on. I limit time on this as it causes arguments he would be on it all day and he becomes totally absorbed when staring at the screen though at times useful

plus i do not think he needs to be playing screen games so much i prefer him to use his imagination and be creative and once the screen game is taken away and the tantrum has stopped he does

Why why why shouldn't he have one.

My ds had a play station for his 5th birthday, and a Gameboy as was around that age. He's at university now, and is a delightful sociable well rounded young adult.

They obviously did him no harm. Isn't this just Luddism?

You're not being clear on the console, but with age appropriate games the can be good for hand eye coordination.

I assumed OP meant PS4 since she said "playstation" in the name of the thread.

I would be reluctant to get a 6 year old a PS4 too, OP. People are comparing it to little kids getting DS's but they are about a third of the price of a PS4, and Nintendo takes up way more of the children's game market because of Pokemon, Mario, Animal Crossing etc. Frankly I don't think a PS4 is worth paying for for the actual age appropriate games a 6 year old would be able to play on it.

On Amazon they are £329 and I think that's a silly amount of money to spend on such a young child, it's the kind of thing that should be a shared family present to me.

because some of us do not think children need such toys st such a young age

take them away and you will see that they don't they are quite able to use their imagination to make up games and have just as much fun

ds is quite able to work a computer as they do at school and use an ipad a playstation or an xbox is not going to improve his use of modern technology

I wouldn't worry about it, all things in moderation. Mine all love computer games and allowing them access or withholding access is the most potent part of my repertoire of reward and sanction, well apart from my disappointed face .

I wouldnt get a PS4 for a 6 yr old, there isnt alot of games out for that age range.

Maybe for a teenager, but I dont think I would for 6 year old.

I've told DD(6) she's too young for a PS4, she has a tablet and a basic PC (with a password on the internet so she can't go online without me knowing) and I let her play on my DS but there just aren't enough games she'd want/that are suitable for her on PS4 to justify the cost, plus the games cost a fortune.

Thanks for all your answers everyone, I can see that I'm pretty ignorant about all this. I've got mixed up with ds and ps.... I think he means ps4 actually. We have an ipad and my son is ADDICTED to minecraft I have to peel him off it so I think if I let him have a ps4 it will be a battle to ever get him off. He wants the ps4 because it apparently has a better minecraft? When I met my now husband he was a gamer addict and has now not used them for nearly 15yrs (he says there's no halfway house for him and got rid of everything). I guess I'm maybe over worrying.....but I don't want to lose him to the world of computers so young I guess.
Do u limit playtime crazycat, mrspmut, zanymobster, orangeanddemons?