To be shocked and think 5 is far too young to own your own DS!

[laweaselmys]

Maybe I'm just being old fashioned. But they cost so much money, and that's before you even get the games etc!

Purely from the money PoV, I was so surprised at how many of the 5 and 6 year old kids I was looking after had today had them.

From a being old-fashioned PoV it seemed so boring that they'd gone away to a different place and they were still playing computer games. I know teenagers do this all the time, but it seemed so unimaginative for five year olds to have to stick to the computer game rules all the time.

On the other hand I met some really sweet kids! I forgot how much energy little kids can have.

Dd got one for her 8th birthday. I was worried before that it would isolate her from ds because they are so close but if anything it's brought them closer. They love to play together and chat about each level etc. I love it too but then I was always a gamer and worked for 4 years making playstation games.
I find the DS great inbetween toys and having one in the house certainly hasn't stopped us doing outside stuff. It only lessens TV time which i'm all for.
Ds is getting one for his 6th birthday.

Actually ds2 (age 6) wants a wii but I've said no for now (I say no to anything which takes up the TV- except karaoke) .

I'd quite like a wii Fio tbh- but I can imagine ds1 having some sort of fit about it - and the TV and it would end up too complicated. DH had a go at persuading me though

On rainy days, they can be a life saver. Also on long journeys or anywhere where we have a long wait. Mine lay on their bunk beds and play wirelessly with each other.

sorry but snort at 'play wirelessly together'. Fnarr fnarr as Viz used to say.

We have a family Wii, and they are great for whole family fun! We often play a game all together, and its fab! Its just an up to date version of board games IMO

Fio- ds1 loves driving, until I turn round to go home - then I have a good 20 minutes of screaming and hitting the window...... (I'm waiting for one to fall out!) If it's just him I drive for hours, but the other 2 were bloody awful in the car today.

edam, i think i am missing something

Oh I know. But I can see ds1 really really liking it. Which then causes massive problems.

We may discuss one as a joint for everyone xmas present. But I am a bit fearful about the reality with ds1.

dd has one and she's 4. She loves it. We have an R4 card which I've downloaded quite a few homebrew games and also pacman and old stuff and she thinks theyre fab. Got a great drawing/paint prog too. Cant see what the problem is tbh. She looks after it really well and its great for out and about saves carting pens and paper etc.

It was a Xmas and birthday present from her aunties and Granny. Better than them all buying her lots of toys we havnet got room for.

parallel lives

I would like a DS

I fear I need the brain training one

neither of mine are interested in games, is it more of a boy thing?

ha ha fio! Im a sprightly 56 (lol and 28 in RL [blush[)

oh do they do that? I want one (I'll be 90).

I get being told I had the brains of a museum curator on the DS

My ds got one for his 5th birthday and he loves it.

I think as long as you make sure it's played with appropriately...ie, not all the time then that's ok.

It's great for dr waiting rooms, on the plane, long car journeys (once he's bored of eye spy and the usual car games!!) and has cut out a lot of "i'm bored, how much longer will it be mum" moments!!!

lots of the DS games are really girly (I can't believe how many imagine babies ones there are) If you wanted your kids to like games than they would imo be more likely to find a wii or DS (instead of a PSP, PS3 or Xbox) fun as they are much more girl friendly. Mostly I think because most of the games have a good learning curve and are easy to start with so you're not put off by not being able to do anything.

We have a wii, and I love it very much, but my DP wants to get a DS as well. I don't really see the point as he can play on the wii when he is at home, and he always has company on journeys etc. It is his money though, so he can do what he likes!

I bought 2 for the SmallDragons and borrowed a firend's for me. Fab fun. So much so I went out and bought myself one yesterday... .

BabyDragon (2.6) loves the PictoChat option as she loves drawing on it.

I was far more shocked at the huge basket of Epipens at DSs summer playscheme. That truly was a shocking sight, more so than a 5/6 yo with a DS.

I have been banned from doing Wii boxing with DD.
I kept hitting her when she was down. i could hear the dark side calling me....

the boxing made my bingo wings ache!

ds thrashes me at most of them but I can whup his lil ass on boxing!

mwhahahahahahaha

It's cause we mean it MB !