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Parenting

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Original poster

Nintendo ds for a 5 yr old? Thoughts please!

15 replies

litdog · 03/04/2012 20:31

Wondering what to get DS1 for his imminent 5th bday, I saw a younger girl playing with what I later discovered was a Nintendo ds, and thought that looked fun for him. The girl's mother told me there was a CEX shop down the road that sold secondhand ones with a year's guarantee for 50 quid, which sounds ok to me.

I remember loving my little handheld games things when I was young - Game & Match or something. It didn't stop me doing well at school, ie I wasn't a geek at all, but I really enjoyed them.

But is it ok to give a 5yo a Nintendo or should I insist on a bit more Sylvanian families type stuff first? I quite like the thought of him having a computer game, as he's obsessed with our iPad but rarely allowed to play with it, but am not sure if it would be too young.

Anyone got any thoughts? Thank you!

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SparkyMcSparrowLovesMiniEggs · 03/04/2012 20:38

Don't do it!!!!!

My 4yo got into dh's ds a few months ago.
He turned into a shit! He can play the games but they are quite tricky for a young child, even the simple ones. He shouted at it,me, got bad tempered when I took it away. Didn't sleep as well, behaviour got bad, this was all with less than a hour a day either playing or watching dh play.

I hate the damn thing!!!!!

I had to ban everything for a week a month and 'forgot' to bring it back and its lovely! I have my happy well behaved boy back. He hasn't even asked for it after the first few days!

He has had it for short periods of time this week because I have been ill and he's been bored but on a strict 20 min period and not everyday. So far so good, but if I could have avoided him playing it I would have!!!!

fussbucket · 03/04/2012 20:42

I didn't allow them (ddtwins) until age 10, I just didn't see the need for it and didn't want the hassle of them sneaking them into school etc.

bugster · 03/04/2012 20:45

Don't do it. Pointless things for anyone at any age, for a five year old potentially harmful.

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unimaginativename · 03/04/2012 20:46

I was going to get the DC one each last christmas (they're 6 & 5) but my sister had one she'd got free with a mobile contract and gave us that instead. I'm glad I didn't spend the money now because it has hardly been played with. I'd stick with lego/playmobil/sylvanian.

Original poster

litdog · 03/04/2012 20:47

OMG Sparky, you have got me running for the Sylvanian display at Peter Jones! I can totally imagine everything you say happening to my son, and it sounds dreadful!

And thanks Fb for the age guidance - I haven't a clue.

Back to the drawing board. Just can't face another Playmobil which takes hours to put together, then gets trashed by the child within a week and you are left with £40 worth of plastic bits strewn across your sitting room floor...

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NagooBunnytail · 03/04/2012 20:49

I have one, DS plays with it if I need to keep him quiet in waiting rooms etc. He is 5. He has played with it since he was about 3, but doesn't get that much use out of it. He likes to sit on my knee and we'll play together, as a lot of the games are tricky for a small child. I wouldn't rely on it for peace and quiet though

SparkyMcSparrowLaidMiniEggs · 03/04/2012 20:49

Run litdog and run fast!

Playmobil is tat! Imaginex is really good, all comes built and can be thrown across a room and not break. Ds loves his!

MyleeneCrass · 03/04/2012 20:57

My Dd has had one since she was 5. She doesn't have permanent access to it, I get it out when it suits me and she has a maximum of an hour at a time on it. Ideal for waiting rooms, travelling and was actually a very effective form of pain relief with the distraction when she broke her arm.

NagooBunnytail · 03/04/2012 20:57

Playmobil is ACE! your child must be a ruffian

I agree though, I love Imaginext. DS can play near the baby and the bits are all big enough she can't eat them :)

ELC have the Batman Imaginext in store ATM :)

Original poster

litdog · 03/04/2012 21:02

Haha NagooBt, he can be a ruffian! But normally a bit soft - hence asking for Sylvanian stuff (DH not over-keen on what he regards as a dolls' house with animals for his big boy).

Will look up that Imaginex stuff later - sounds good, esp as I have a toddler with a death-wish who puts everything in his mouth. Off to pub now. Thanks all! x

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SparkyMcSparrowLaidMiniEggs · 03/04/2012 21:02

Playmobil is shit! You spend a small fortune, have a great time ()putting it together and the pissing stuff breaks as soon as its played with.

The only thing I like is the pirate ship.

I would sell the rest as ds isn't interested and I though maybe I can get some money back, but no, can't find the bloody pieces!

gobbledegook1 · 03/04/2012 21:07

My 3 year old has had one since christmas he doesn't play games on it though he uses it for the drawing function and taking / modifying pictures, his games are all on his ipod touch and consist mostly of talking dinosaurs, cats and hippos.

jubilee10 · 04/04/2012 04:41

My ds3 (5.9) has one. It was his older brothers. He plays it in the car if we are going more than 1/2 hour away. He occasionally plays it at home but not often. The games can be quite tricky. He has peppa pig and nintendogs which he is good at and Lego batman and horrid Henry which he hasn't mastered yet.

Ds's 1 and 2 had the equivalent at about 8 and 6 and played with them much more and were better at it.

I think it's a good gift!

BigBoobiedBertha · 04/04/2012 04:50

So long as you keep control of usage I don't see the harm. My boys have had one since they were 5ish although they have graduated to the Playstation now they are older and their DS's are old fashioned. Lay down your rules on usage from the start so your DS knows where he stands and it should be OK.

The problem with a lot of the games that are 3+ and technically suitable for a 5 yr old is that the require a child to be able to read. My DS2 loved all the animal games but they all have on screen stories/instructions to follow which meant I had to help which is not always possible. On the plus side it encouraged him to learn to read when he wasn't a great book lover.

I reckon, if you can, give a mix of toys and computer games. They will all get played with.

fiveincludingtwins · 05/04/2012 22:18

just a thought, the Leapster Explorer is a fab alternative to Nintendo DS. One of mine was given an old ds by a lovely and thoughtful friend, and although he loves it, it does make him uncooperative, bad tempered and aggressive in a really short time. I bought him a Leapster Explorer instead and it has done wonders. I don't get the same unpleasant behavious and the games/apps are quite educational. He has been assessed as brilliant at reading, maths and spelling and I can't help but think the maths and spelling apps I bought for the Leapster have something to do with this. He has it for about half an hour only a day, but this seems to satisfy his need for computer time. So pleased was I that the twins also have one each, and they now also know all their letters and are starting to read and they haven't even got as far as school yet. I think the "alphabet" video I downloaded helped this. So if your 5 year old likes computers, you might find this a more acceptable way forward. I use them mostly on car journeys.

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