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Original poster

Ds lite or Dsi for 5 year olds?

25 replies

idobelieveinfairies · 09/11/2009 12:02

My 5 year old twins are asking for nintendo ds's for Christmas. I don't know whether to get the new dsi or the original lite??? DD wants a pink one and have found a website selling a pink one..but nowhere else is selling pink dsi's so not sure whether to buy from there :/

Ds doesn't mind about the colour.

What do you think??

OP posts:
luckyblackcat · 09/11/2009 12:05

erm, neither?

Original poster
idobelieveinfairies · 09/11/2009 12:08

I know what your saying blackcat..but when older children in the house have them...and when i didn't get them one for their birthday 2 weeks ago and all they have said since is arghh i really wanted a nintendo ds then i have to give in. I am fed up of the argueing over them!!

OP posts:
Blackduck · 09/11/2009 12:08

I wouldn't buy either - bought ds one for his 6th birthday and I really regret it.....

bigTillyMint · 09/11/2009 12:13

DD and DS got DS lites when they turned 8, before DSi's. They are allowed to use them for half an hour a day, but DD virtually never uses hers and DS only plays FIFA '09 and not even half an hour a day.

Although some friends have the DSi's, they are not bothered about upgrading.

So it's not all bad news if you get them one.

I would go for DSi's as they are the newest thing.

LordVetinarisApprentice · 09/11/2009 12:16

Why do you regret it Blackduck?

GeeWhizz · 09/11/2009 12:16

I already have DS lite and then bought DD one for her 5th birthday. We bought her a pink nintendogs one new from ebay with a bundle of game boy advance games which fit in the slot at the front.

They are kept out of reach and can be played when we decide.

My son who is 3 though has claimed mine as his own.

They normally sit side by side playing.

rasputin · 09/11/2009 12:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Heated · 09/11/2009 12:18

I would go for the original. The newer ones records sound and takes a photo - badly. Unless you think they would love these features, then go for the original one that costs less and buy games with the money 'saved'.

Heated · 09/11/2009 12:23

Must admit I had to explain to dh, who thought it would make a nice present for a 5 yr old, that he won't be having one until he's a fair bit older. But it is hard; ds' CM's children have their own as do quite a few of his friends.

frazzled74 · 09/11/2009 12:26

dd 6 has ds lite, doesnt play with it all the time and still loves make believe, role play, art and craft etc.It has actually been a good buy though, especially on long journeys, holidays, boring visits to friends and relatives.I would just get the ds lite as in a few years when your 5 year old is aware of advancing technology the lite and dsi will both be uncool and you will be spending out on the latest gadget.

Blackduck · 09/11/2009 12:29

I regret it because my little boy who would spend HOURS making up stories with his Thomas trains would rather be 'plugged' in these days. I am SICK of hearing about the games, and feel it is limiting him rather than expanding his horizons. So we have got really strict on usage here, but if he had never had the bl**dy thing in the first place.....work of the devil I tell you

Lapsedrunner · 09/11/2009 12:30

errr, neither!

bubblagirl · 09/11/2009 12:39

my 4 yr old has old ds there more sturdy then ds lite can handle being dropped etc these can come in all sorts of colours also game sell them pre owned for cheaper old ds and ds lites all with warranty i have bought my ds a ds lite for xmas as his looked after his other one so well and bought a flip and play case for it to keep it safer got mine of ebay with 3 games 75 bin so bargain 79.99 pre owned for ds lite in game and 39.99 for old style ds

bubblagirl · 09/11/2009 12:40

my ds at first was hooked as it was new but now he'll happily play it when i let him and he is happy to still colour and play toys i just put it out of reach and he gets it after dinner for the wind down time before bed they dont have to be on it all the time

luckyblackcat · 09/11/2009 12:49

I'm with Blackduck, and faries I do have an older child.

I have a 10 yr old DD, she pressured me into getting one for Christmas when she was 8. My 5 yr old, if he asked for one, would be told he could have one when he reached 8 also.

Blackduck, work of the devil indeed. DD sulks more about the darned thing, not being allowed to play it as much as she'd like to etc, than almost anything else. She does not read as much as she did and it is like her default position - it is the easiest thing to do, rather than get out paints, draw something, have a conversation ...

PfftTheMagicDragon · 09/11/2009 12:53

Well they need to learn that they can't have everything that the older children have. IMO, they are too young anf it will do them good to wait until they are older.

bubblagirl · 09/11/2009 12:55

i have found great educational games for my ds and he has actually learnt a lot there are interactive story games reading games maths games as well as the basic games

Marioandluigi · 09/11/2009 13:01

My DS has a DS and has had it for a couple of years. He has not lost any of his imagination, he has just moved from the Thomas from his childhood to Mario. He makes up Mario stories and pictures, so I dont see a major problem.

'Work of the devil'

Original poster
idobelieveinfairies · 09/11/2009 13:05

A LOT easier said than done though !

Their time will be limited on them as the older ones are....and they will actually be used most for when we are waiting for the older children to finish their football training in the evenings when it is too dark, cold and wet for them to be running around outside. There are only so many games of eye spy and books you can read in an hour and a half of sitting in the car.

Bikes they already have, as well as playmobile, lego, ELC castle with knights and princess's....dress-up, scooters, books, play tents, baby annabell stuff, toy story stuff...v-tech laptops and colouring equiptment and many many more. With having 6 older children and having kept all toys since the beginning i really am out of other ideas..but if the non-believers in ds's have any ideas that would be great!!

OP posts:
PerArduaAdNauseum · 09/11/2009 13:09

DS - nearly 6 - keeps asking when he can have a DS. I've told him he won't get much out of it until he's reading fluently, and that his cousins (who all have them) didn't get them till they were a fair bit older than he is.

It's doing wonders for his reading practice - I'll have to start thinking up other reasons soon

FritesMenthe · 09/11/2009 13:20

"It has actually been a good buy though, especially on long journeys, holidays, boring visits to friends and relatives."

Sorry frazzled, but that sums up why my DC won't be getting a DS. They have ipod shuffles with music and audio books for journeys, or we all listen to a CD/radio or play games in the car together. Holidays are to get away from staring at screens. And I would be upset if visitors whipped out a DS - rude IMO.

We do have a Wii, BTW, in case you think I'm being a bit harsh.

pugsandseals · 09/11/2009 14:00

DD got a DS from SIL last xmas (then 6). I agree wholeheartedly- definately the work of the devil!!!

For any child with even a hint of addictive personality it becomes a daily battleground. When she plays we also see a noticable downturn in behaviour.

Try a leapster instead! The games IMO opinion are much more relaxing & educational too. And DD is kept occupied in the car or whatever with something much more appropriate for her age!!!

doggiesayswoof · 09/11/2009 14:13

This is interesting - DH and I have been propelled into the whole DS thing because my sister told me that she's getting my niece a DS for Christmas.

DD and DN are both 5, DD is desperate to have one and we told her she is a bit too young. Now her bloody cousin is going to have one. How can we counter that? There is no logical argument now other than "because we say so"

The best bit is that DN didn't even want one - sis and BIL have talked her into it

Agree with Blackduck and luckyblackcat and others. DD is addictive about e.g. TV so the DS would be a nightmare.

Ohforfoxsake · 09/11/2009 15:14

I bought one from Ebay for DD who is about to turn 5. But I've decided she's too young. I really only bought it because her two older brothers are having them (8 and 7). Even them, I'm not keen but the older one especially is feeling left out. I suppose I am succumbing to peer pressure a bit, but if he uses it sensibly then I don't mind. Its another toy, another way to play.

What won't happen is that when they are invited to birthdays they will not be allowed to take it. When they are invited on playdates, they won't be allowed to take it. If they are out and everyone is crowding around watching one tiny screen, they will be asked to put it away.

They seem to understand there's a time and a place.

We have a Wii, and that causes enough arguements. I won an Xbox 360 which is still in its courier box. I have no idea what to do with it, except maybe buy the kareoke game I saw advertised last night, get drunk on Christmas afternoon and pretend I've won the X-factor. While my children are off and occupied in their DSs probably.

Ohforfoxsake · 09/11/2009 15:16

Sorry about my terrible typos there!

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