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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think there are good things about children gaming on consoles?

137 replies

colourdilemma · 04/02/2018 16:42

I’m struggling with the idea of ds, 9, having an Xbox or similar. But, despite all the bad press for lots of screen time, they must have positives? I’m close to saying yes, but something’s holding me back.

OP posts:
strugglingtodomybest · 04/02/2018 16:44

I'm yet to find it. Unless you count peace for me? Speaking from experience, I would wait a couple of years if I were you.

JustDanceAddict · 04/02/2018 16:45

Nope! And it’s not peace and quiet as they shout into the headset to their friends.

TheQueenOfWands · 04/02/2018 16:46

They're awesome.

DS is on his now, chatting online with two friends and their building a club world on Trove as a team.

Team work, building stuff, social and his hand to eye coordination is amazing.

TheQueenOfWands · 04/02/2018 16:47

Ah, yes. They do shout into the headset when it all gets exciting.

Sony have yet to make a mute/volume control for the actual child.

Pull your finger out, Sony..!

Talith · 04/02/2018 16:51

I think they're great. Working together, strategy, puzzle solving, concentration, relaxing... They aren't my idea of fun personally but then I like wine and sex and thats not something my kids are gonna be permitted for a decade or so...

Also more interactive than TV.

Tipsntoes · 04/02/2018 16:54

DS1 plays (on PC actually, not console) using a headset to talk to his friends and it's great to hear him so animated, working collaboratively to solve problems etc.

missyB1 · 04/02/2018 16:54

No sorry I can't thing of any positives for a child of that age. My ds is 9 and isn't getting one anytime soon.

Laiste · 04/02/2018 16:54

I'm a massive technophobe (only just got an i phone) but i love a bit of mine craft/tomb raider/bandicoot/sims/bloodbourne ect. on PS4.

My eldest 3 were all born in the 90s and gamed from around the age of 4 ish. Time slots allocated carefully by me and no games consoles or tvs in their rooms. Social gaming - with other family members watching/helping ect. Good fun. They seem to have grown up fine.

DD4 is 4 and uses an i phone better than me! That's thanks to DH. She has had a dabble on some of the little kids games on PS4 and is getting very good hand eye coordination. No telly in her room. She's allowed about 30 mins a day on phone or console if we're stuck indoors. None at all if we're out and about. I imagine she'll be ok too.

TaurielTest · 04/02/2018 17:00

We got one when mine were 8 and 6. The games are brilliant, they self-regulate their time, they don't do any online gaming (yet) so no headset issues, but do like working on minecraft builds etc with each other and with friends. Love it, no regrets.

MulhuddartDrive · 04/02/2018 17:10

Dd and ds(8&6) are currently building a Minecraft world together. They aren't online but are working together and having great fun. I don't want to understand it, but they love talking about it outside the game play and will make up games in the garden/ park about Minecraft, so it's not completely deadening their brains.

LilQueenie · 04/02/2018 17:11

you can get educational games. you get a lot for the wii or ds systems. also the dance or carnival theme games are great for getting up and moving around. I love the quiz games. Other games can give good problem solving situations too. It really depends on the game being played.

IncyWincyGrownUp · 04/02/2018 17:12

No online console gaming here. No headsets either.

Eldest uses the computer rather than the console as she prefers modding her mining. The younger two use the xboxes or their handhelds. Gaming only when I say so.

Meanest mother in the world, obviously, but it works for us.

ArtfulPuss · 04/02/2018 17:12

DS (13) plays Xbox live with his cousin (also 13) who lives 100 miles away. I don't 'get' gaming myself, but I do love the fact that it is enabling them to socialise independently of us and DB/SIL (we only physically get together 2 or 3 times a year). They chat while gaming a couple of times a week. DS isn't able to self-regulate, though, so we have set it up with strict time limits! And we only allowed this from his 13th b'day. No way is youngest DS (8) having access for a few years yet.

Original poster
colourdilemma · 04/02/2018 17:18

I guess I’d follow similar rules to iPad games if we got one. I have a blanket no on anything with a chat room so I guess online gaming would be a no too. And I don’t allow headphones on devices because I feel I have a greater (not foolproof) grasp on what they’re hearing/doing if I can hear it too. And devices stay downstairs. If I allow iPad games, is there anything worse about, say minecraft, on a console? And is it more difficult to tear them away from console than iPad?

OP posts:
Mrscog · 04/02/2018 17:23

I think it depends on the games you allow. It’s nuch easier for gaming families to work out good boundaries etc. We’re a gaming family - we have 3 consoles in the main living room and it’s DHs hobby of choice. We’ve just started allowing DS1 who is nearly 6 some game time but the rules are-

  1. Must be sat with me or DH to make it a more interactive experience.
  2. Only certain games - minecraft, Jurassic world lego, zoo tycoon, mario kart or viva piñata.
  3. When we say it’s time to stop that’s that - any moaning and no games for a week.

Going well so far and the right games, with the right limits and right level of guidance can have tremendous fun and educational value.

falsepriest · 04/02/2018 17:24

Set boundaries, explain them, stick to them, and let them enjoy being kids.

BoomBoomsCousin · 04/02/2018 17:24

Minecraft is better on consoles/computers than the Pocket Edition on an iPad, but I think it's the servers that really make it, so if you aren't going to allow access to that I'm not sure how much point there is?

Mrscog · 04/02/2018 17:28

I think mine craft can be good off server boom boom but you do need a bit more vision/inspiration as to what to do next. Me and DH flattened a whole mountain once to play ‘god’ - took ages but it was quite fun!

Oblomov18 · 04/02/2018 17:30

I think There are lots of good things and don't understand all the negativity towards it.

Original poster
colourdilemma · 04/02/2018 17:31

Is it possible to do minecraft online but without any interaction with other people?

OP posts:
SwarmOfCats · 04/02/2018 17:31

My kids love playing Xbox (if they have headsets we set it so I can hear the entire conversation through the tv). My daughter’s friends (11) helped my youngest son to build things on minecraft by putting him on a headset and talking him through what to do while his sister helped at this end - it was adorable! All three of mine have tablets (daughter has an iPhone) and love playing Roblox together, too. I limit screen time and they do plenty of other stuff; if anything it seems to be great for working with others and problem solving, and hasn’t impacted them negatively in any way.

RowenasDiadem · 04/02/2018 17:32

My two youngest play together building whole worlds on Minecraft (can't see the appeal myself, I think it's as dull as dishwater) but they have picked up a lot of random knowledge about things like materials that are mined and such.

Karmin · 04/02/2018 17:32

Assuming it is in moderation and playing age appropriate games they can be greatly beneficial.

Have a look here

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 04/02/2018 17:33

Well can be used to keep them busy

But no I can’t see any positives especially when they start building contacts online

I would also wait for a few more years

Karmin · 04/02/2018 17:35

Lets take Minecraft - also compared to lego on a screen, except it can be more than that, basic understanding of rudimentary processing - Tree becomes wood becomes bow. Sheep makes wool to make cloth.

Programming skills come into play as you start using command blocks, simple electronics from switches and levers. Architecture and imagination in building creations. Even art skills from copying pictures into the minecraft equivalant.