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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

should i get my 3 year old a nintendo ds

73 replies

twospecialgirls · 22/08/2007 22:03

do you think my 3 year old is to young for a nintendo ds she doesnt stop asking for one but cant decide !!! help

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seeker · 22/08/2007 22:55

far too young. Ds got one when he was 6 - and I think that was a bit young. But I'm very strict on the time my dcs spend on any sort of screen, and I use a timer. Any dissent and there's no screen time the next day. Wicked Witch of the West, me!

HonoriaGlossop · 22/08/2007 22:59

Don't give in to her. There are so many other things for her to enjoy and do at this age and it's better for her to be using her imagination and to be learning by doing.

She can't make you get it. She's only 3. (It may feel like she can make you! But if you are definite enough she will get the message).

CristinaTheAstonishing · 22/08/2007 23:00

I think 3 is much too young for one. DS would like one for his 8th birthday but I'm still not sure it's a good idea.

Niecie · 22/08/2007 23:05

DS1 got one aged 6.5yrs and although DS2 (aged 3.11yrs now) shows an interest in it as a desirable thing to have he actually want to play it or know what to do with it. I think if your DD got one she would probably be interested in it for 5 mins and then not see the point. Even 3+ games seem to need some reading ability ime.

Say no and maybe look at some of those electronic games for small children - V-tec things that look like laptops or similar. Might make her feel she is getting what she wants when really it is still educational and suited to a younger child.

Clary · 22/08/2007 23:05

A pal of mine is buying one for her DS for his 5th b/day.

I was a bit surprised (my 3 are 8/6/4 and none of them have anything like this).

DS2 plays on the computer but only for short periods and it's easy to control. Mouse skills are important tho - does Nintendo encourage hand-eye co-ordination? Or is it just cack?

FlameBatfink · 22/08/2007 23:09

NO!

DD occasionally picks up DH's old whatever the thing was that came out after the nintendo colour. She is not getting anything game related of her own for a long time yet.

twinsetandpearls · 22/08/2007 23:14

too young, my dd is six in a few weeks and I got her one to keep her happy on a longhaul flught and tbh I think she is a bit young for one.

mummytojess · 24/09/2007 20:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mimsum · 24/09/2007 21:27

far too young imo - dh got the boys an xbox when they were 8 and 5 and I can't tell you how much I hate the thing - it's caused more arguments than anything else in our house - it has a horrible effect on ds1's behaviour - he finds it really hard to deal with the frustration caused by the games and I would be v happy to get rid of it only ds2 enjoys it at times and has no problems with it. There's no way we're upgrading it though and no way any of them is getting a handheld console of any sort. Get her playing outside, drawing, looking at books, playing with dolls, animals - anything but a console

lucyellensmum · 24/09/2007 21:37

NO!!

lucyellensmum · 24/09/2007 21:39

why does she keep asking for this? What toys does she normally play with?

mumeeee · 24/09/2007 22:53

No. she is much to youngfor a Nintendo DS. My niece had one for her 7th birthday and found it difficult to use.

warthog · 25/09/2007 08:42

n.o.

my dh used to say our offspring could only play the computer games they'd programmed themselves.

Budababe · 25/09/2007 08:48

3 too young for a Nintendo. What about a Leapster? Still a hand held console but has educational games. Got one for DS for his 4th birthday and he has only just grown out of it at 6 (bought himself a Nintendo with his birthdaz money but isn't that into it). He has a PS2 (well it is officially DH's) and he prefers that.

Echo the recommendation of a kitchen timer for Rock. I bought one when I bought the PS2 and limited DS to 30 mins at a time.

LadyTophamHatt · 25/09/2007 08:52

NO way, far too young.

JodieG1 · 25/09/2007 08:52

I have one but dd has been playing it lately, she's 5.7 and loves it, she's able to use it really well. Obviously not very often and we usually do other things but now and again doesn't hurt.

Hulababy · 25/09/2007 09:06

I think a 3yo is too young for a DS.

I have one and I lieke it. 5yo DD hdoes occasionally play on it but I wouldn't get her one.

DD got a pink Gamebiy Advance from ebay - £25 including 2 games and accessories, Preowned games from Game are much cheaper. Normal games there are from £9.99 and often on buy one get one free. I felt that was much more sensible.

Failing that look at a Leapster or a VSmile Pocket - games are more suited to that age group.

RubberDuck · 25/09/2007 09:13

warthog: I used to do that when I was a kid - but then you could get magazines with the listings in and I would painstakingly type in a BBC Basic game and then painstakingly debug it - play it for 5 mins then start typing in another . Unforunately, not so easy to do that these days

My dses have gameboys (they're 6.6 and 3.6). I only bought ds2 one because otherwise he'd be continually bothering ds1 for a go on his, but to be honest it's way above him. He has a Dora the Explorer game which should be aimed at his level and doesn't rely so much on speech but he still needs lots of help and gets very frustrated at times with it as he doesn't understand what he's supposed to do. I don't think they're very good for this age group.

He does get a lot of fun though out of his LeapPad - so maybe a better alternative at this age?

MellowMa · 25/09/2007 09:16

Message withdrawn

MellowMa · 25/09/2007 09:17

Message withdrawn

MellowMa · 25/09/2007 09:18

Message withdrawn

Lorayn · 25/09/2007 09:19

No point, she wouldnt play with it much and it would be a waste of money.

bozza · 25/09/2007 09:22

I think my nearly 7yo DS will be getting one for Christmas, we have just about decided. My 3yo DD is getting a playmobil doll's house. She doesn't know what a nintendo DS is.

knat · 25/09/2007 10:07

im the same as Nemo - my dd is 4 next month and she plays her dads ds and she loves it - she gets so excited by it but im not keen. Fortunately or unfortunately her reading is excellent and so she understands how to use it and what to do (which is more than i do!) It does worry me that she loves to do this more than anything although she doesnt have it every day and does play with other things but i do worry about the fact that its in isolation etc as has been mentioned.

oliveoil · 25/09/2007 10:08

my 3 year old wouldn't even know what one is

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