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?

Ps - u can probably tell I know nothing about these games/machines myself......

We limit play time partly because it's on the main TV in the sitting room and partly because she has loads of other activities during the week.

She probably gets about an hour or so 3 times a week, maybe more if she has a friend over playing.

DS is just turned 5. For his birthday last week he got Disney infinity for the wii (which has sat unused for years!) which he loves. He still loves his other toys as much though. I am considering getting him a Lego game for the wii for Christmas as well (if they will work on our ancient model)

The problem isn't the consoles, it is the games they play and the time they play for which are potential problems but easily managed ones whilst young

What's the difference between sitting playing a game on an iPad and playing on another console?

Our 5yo is blissfully unaware of games consoles. We let him play an occasional game on the iPad but he doesn't really ask that often if we keep it out of sight.

DH and I are agreed that in future any games machines would be ours that the boys could borrow, makes it easier to restrict time then. Plus these things are far too expensive for a child's present, especially when you add on all the latest games etc.

Wait until they are teenagers Earslaps. Not sure your plan will work then!

If they want their own then they can save up the money .

Ds had an xbox at 6, we used to play Lego star wars on it.

No, I wouldn't. DS is 6 and asked for a wii or his own iPad! He has enough screen time between tv and occasionally playing on my iPad, no way am I getting him a game system.

I would go for a wii u st that age rather than a ps4.

I wouldn't get the PlayStation 4 it's expensive and hardly any games for children plus their twice the price of the PlayStation 3

I don't see the problem with console ethier.

The best version of minecraft is on the pc so if you have a computer you would be better off getting the game on that instead. There is an Xbox version too and Xbox 360 would offer a larger amount of games for his age group than the ps4 that has very few games for it at all

My dcs are 17 and 19 and i cant remember when we got the ps one but i suspect dd wss about 6 and ds may been 7 when he got a gameboy.
Its interesting as we didnt really limit screen time but have friends who didnt want their dcs to have screens etc
It is their dcs who are addicted to xbox ss teenagers, whereas we have an old wii and ps2 and neither dc are that interested in upgrading to ps4 etc. My dc spend more time out of the house volunteering and have jobs etc and they both like doing outdoors things

I would get him one and monitor his time on it. I don't think he's too young, and it's nobody's business but yours how much you spend on your child at Christmas.

My concern (which I'm dealing with now with 5yo dd) is if you get them a PS4/iPad/Xbox when they are 5/6 years old, what the hell do you buy them at 9,10,11 etc without escalating each year? Surely they won't be satisfied with a new game for the console?

My dc are 6 and 4. DH has a PS3 which they've started to use over the last year or so, so they have a couple of PS3 games (FIFA 15 and Skylanders) that they'd like for Xmas.

If I were you though, I would consider a PS3 rather than a PS4. From people I know who bought the PS4 they've said it's hardly different to a PS3, just a lot more expensive.

There are also some amazing deals around for PS3 games and not so much for PS4. I've just bought a Skylanders Giants Starter pack from Toys R Us for £9.50...reduced from £33!

We don't limit play time at all, we don't have to. They're active kids and spend a lot of time outdoors and doing sport. AND...I know some will disagree but IMO even the most unlikely of games can be educational. DS1's game of choice atm is FIFA 13 which we have. He plays football for our local under 7's club and takes it very seriously. FIFA on the PS3 has helped his knowledge of the game massively, far beyond anything the coaches are yet teaching them. He could sit you down and lecture you for an hour about red and yellow cards, the offside rule, how league tables work etc...all things he was finding confusing 6 months ago before he started playing FIFA.

You dont have to escalate each year. Some years mine had a ds etc and other years they got less, they never deemed that bothered about it.

I'm a gamer and my teenage son is also. He has a PS4 which he saved up for himself. It cost him £279 second hand.
The PS4 WILL have a better Minecraft as it's the newest console. In my opinion it's not worth spending just under £300 (secondhand, or over that brand new) to be able to play one game which is essentially what your son is asking for.
The PS4 is geared towards older children and I wouldn't get one for a young child.
We have an Xbox 360 also which myself and my daughter use. My daughter is 5 and likes to play Skylanders. This is much more suitable for a younger age group and far cheaper too- it also has Minecraft.

SouthernComforts Both of mine have been perfectly happy with just a new game for their console.

The escalation argument always makes me

My girls have an iPad each (not actually bought as Christmas presents), and are 10 and 7.

This year for Christmas (dd1 has had her iPad for 4+ years now) they are getting:

A parking garage with lots of ramps to push cars down and a nice board game (dd1) and a (hideous but she'll love it) interactive pet thing and some books (dd2).

Presents aren't about what they cost, imo, they are about what a person needs/wants/will enjoy. Why would I have to spendore than the cost of an iPad on either dd, when the things which they will enjoy and play with are far cheaper?

I agree with the suggestion about getting a PS3. If it helps, I keep ours in my bedroom and when it isn't playing games I can use it to watch Netflix or Amazon Prime.

PandasRock When DD was 6mo, we gave her nothing - but she got to eat some Christmas dinner, at 18mo she got a pair of socks, at 2.5 a book, Escalation is a worry!

(Nothing age inappropriate in a console, although personally I think a tablet makes more sense, power of the machines are plenty)

Pandas-completely agree. I have never understood the escalation clap trap.

We would definitely limit play time in we needed to however the boys are not constantly on it so we actually don't need to, they play lots of sport (13-14 hours outside of school) so have limited time. A lot of there friends are only allowed to play at weekends.

If you do have a child prone to tantrums if they cannot play on technology for hours on end then maybe it would be quite difficult so you may need to set ground rules.

The games on the PS4 for young children are great, my 6 YO loves Marvel Super Heroes, Angry Birds, FIFA, Putty Squad and The Lego Movie. He also loves Skylanders.

There are quite a few new games as well Lego Batman plus Minecraft (which I have just bought for 11.50 on Amazon for them for xmas). They are also getting the new FIFA and WWE (which is for older kids) for xmas.

DH also loves the marvel games and lego ones He has Assassins Creed for when the DCs are in bed.