Xbox for 7 year old

[Blondie1993]

My DS (6, 7 in December) has asked for an XBOX for Christmas. He has been asking for a little while but I thought he would have changed his mind by now.

AIBU to think he is slightly too young?

He doesn’t use much tech at the moment. He uses my tablet to play minecraft or Sumdog. He generally plays minecraft for half an hour at the weekend and 20 minutes or so in the evening when it’s school holidays. He plays minecraft for half an hour once a week as part of his homework. There’s never an argument when time is up or anything and he doesn’t pester for it.

I’ve just always thought an XBOX was quite a grown up thing, I didn’t expect to him to ask for one quite yet!

[Howdoyoudoit31]

My 7 year old daughters asked for a Nintendo switch for Xmas.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with it, monitor usage and it will be fine.

[CandyCreeper]

my 7 year old wants a ps4, gonna get him it as he also plays minecraft.

[CandyCreeper]

hes 6* not 7

[Aus84]

My DS got one for his 8th birthday. He's plays Minecraft, FIFA, Cars 3, and a few other adventure type games. No fighting games etc. We don't have any issues with him playing too much. We just have a set amount of 'screen' time which he can use for the TV, Xbox or iPad. We sometimes play as a family for a bit of fun and it can get a bit competitive, but always a laugh.

[misskatamari]

Personally I'd get a Nintendo switch. They're brilliant and have some really good games on. They seem a bit more child friendly than xboxes as well. The Mario games are all fantastic, new Zelda is brilliant as well. They're so cool that they're portable too and great for playing multiplayer with friends

[misskatamari]

My kids (3 and 4) love playing our WiiU games like Mario 3D world etc. For some reason I feel happier then playing those (we can play together), than being on the iPad etc

[Blondie1993]

Thanks for the replies! I would love to get a Nintendo Switch, the games for it look brillian but his dad has already said that he is getting him one for his birthday.

I think I will get him the XBOX, the games he was looking at were things like Crash Bandicoot and The Incredibles which seem fine for his age anyway, thanks again!

[ProfessorMoody]

Xboxes are great. We all have one in my house.

As long as you set up parental controls properly, to make sure he can't talk to random people online or be added as a friend and control timings, you'll be grand.

[Girlicorne]

My now 9 year old had a ps4 at 6 and an xbox last year; I don't think that's too young at all, they ll love it!!

[agentdaisy]

My 5 year old has his own profile on his older brother's xbox. He plays Minecraft after school for an hour and a bit longer during the holidays.

His account is a child's one linked to mine so I control what content he can access and have blocked him from being able to chat. I've also got time restrictions set up so he can't play before 9am or after 7pm and set it so he can only have an hour during the week, two at weekends and holidays.

[IceRebel]

If he's getting a switch for his birthday I wouldn't buy an Xbox as well. Going from so little tech to having 2 new consoles is bound to lead to arguments, he'll come off one and want to play on the other. Also both together will be pretty expensive, especially when buying additional games. I would get some more games for the switch and leave the Xbox for another year or two.

[SpoonBlender]

Yeah, definitely don't get the Xbox as well as a Switch, it's needless extra expense when one console is all a kid can play at one time! The switch has by far the better selection of games for a 7yo, particularly when actively avoiding the "shoot all the men" genre which is the Xbox bread and butter.

Full disclosure, I've got all three plus loads of older ones back to the Sega Master System, but I'm mid 40s and buy my own! Still don't really like the "shoot all the men" games.

[Racecardriver]

Surely as child get older you want to encourage them to game less rather than more? It also seems like an extremely expensive gift for a child that age.

[IceRebel]

The switch has by far the better selection of games for a 7yo

I agree, titles like Mario, Zelda and Splatoon and much more suited for a child. Xbox have some amazing games, but they are definitely targeted towards an older age.

[ProfessorMoody]

I disagree with the people saying don't get a Switch too. Completely different games and styles of gaming on each console. We have one of each and a Ps4 and have different experiences on all of them.

[RedCabbageHowMuch]

I think we're getting our DS 8 an Xbox for Christmas, he's been asking for one on and off for years, we think he's old enough now.

Are the parental controls easy to set up? I don't want him chatting to strangers or buying stuff

[Growingboys]

Way too young

[Glasgowbound]

Lego games and mine craft will be brilliant on the Xbox. There’s about a million Lego ones - Star Wars, Harry Potter, superheroes.

[IceRebel]

I believe pretty much all the Lego games are also available on the switch, I definitely know the Harry Potter one is coming out very soon.

[gamerchick]

This place is well wierd about gaming man. Should be encouraging gaming as they get older indeed there isn't an age limit!

[gamerchick]

*less

[Starlight345]

I wouldn’t be buying both . One or the other. My Ds had a Ds at that age was a lifeline on long journeys , holidays for that reason I would go for the switch

[Bubblysqueak]

We're getting our ds 6 nearly 7 one for Christmas.

[ProfessorMoody]

Yes, parental controls are very easy to set up.

@gamerchick I know. Mumsnet is full of bizarre people who think that gaming is the devil's hobby. It's very, very strange and pretty unintelligent too.

[Glasgowbound]

Well I’d prefer it if ds was reading Harry Potter instead of playing it on the Xbox, but if we didn’t have a console he still wouldn’t be reading.