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Parenting

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Original poster

How young is too young for a Nintendo Switch

47 replies

Pherian · 20/10/2023 12:08

My partner has a daughter from a previous relationship who is 5. Her mother is asking that we buy her a Nintendo Switch for Christmas. She asked last year as well and we felt it was too young so we did not buy one.

Is 5 still too young ? it feels to me like it is, but I am open to the possibility I'm wrong on this one.

We were thinking something like the Tonies story telling box. Not a gaming device.

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Crunchingleaf · 20/10/2023 12:18

I think you will get a very mixed response to this question. Lots if people see zero harm to large amounts of screen time in young children. I think I would prefer a switch over a child passively watching YouTube on an ipad for hours all day. Ultimately it is up to the parents and maybe mum should buy it if she wants the child to have it. If dad thinks child is too young then he shouldn’t buy it.
IME there is a very wide age range that children get their first console. My teen started off with a handheld when he was around 7 and this was same with his friends for most part. There was one in his class who got a PlayStation years before the rest of them.

ReadyForPumpkins · 20/10/2023 14:32

I think it'll depend on whether there are games he'd like to play at 5. At that age, I find mine didn't have the attention span for console games. They prefer tablet games.

CuteOrangeElephant · 20/10/2023 14:44

My daughter is 6 and now only just starting to enjoy the Switch. We do a round of Mario Kart everyday after dinner, it's good fun!

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Original poster

Pherian · 20/10/2023 19:10

Thank you for your thoughtful response. We aren't really sure how she spends her time. I have no objection to the games or the screen time in moderation. My thought is more around - is she actually old enough to use it and understand what is going on in the game and enjoy it.

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ABeautifulThing · 20/10/2023 19:14

With age appropriate games and good habits on house rules around use set from day 1, could be lots of fun.
My DD was 8 and for her that was young enough, I'm not sure she'd have got to grips with the controls properly much younger.

BHRK · 20/10/2023 19:15

My 6yo loves Mario Kart and can handle it easily. We just restrict how much time they have so they still do other things

Amermaidandaman · 20/10/2023 19:17

Our son had one at age 5, we got it to play with as a family rather than for him to use independently. To be honest he’s barely touched it and finds it quite frustrating as he hasn’t got to grips with the controls yet.

TheIsleOfTheLost · 20/10/2023 21:09

For us, the benefits of the switch are that you can set a time limit and have better parental controls. Too many tablet games were free, but then had in app purchases inappropriate ads, couldn't turn off chat with random potential pedophiles etc. I thought ds1 was too young to have a switch at 6 and was completely wrong. He picked up games quickly and looks up on kids youtube when he doesn't know how to do something. Our 5 year old will probably get a switch for Christmas, although it will be more to grow into. He is already pretty nifty at minecraft and I think they will enjoy Mario kart together.

supermamio · 20/10/2023 21:17

My 5 year old has a switch. He prefers to play on it multiplayer on the tv in the living room. He likes playing mario cart, mario 3d world, yoshis world and wii sports. He cant yet understand the story line in the games like lego star wars etc but plays them /runs around collecting stuff. He plays its maybe 2 or 3 times a week for 20 minutes at a time very rarely more as he then gets bored.

Khvdrt · 20/10/2023 21:18

Is it the 5 year old who wants one or the mum….just saying as I remember a similar issue with DSD.

Hygeelady · 20/10/2023 21:20

5 is quote young.

Mine was 6 and just because we have it, that doesn't equal large amounts of screen time even though he's now 10! Probably 1 hour a week at the most! Hasn't played it for weeks though. I'd rather that than ipad games, the constant tapping on those and flashing images changes the brain. Difficult though because if that's what his mums asked for, she must be fine with it and you may clash.

StillWantingADog · 20/10/2023 21:21

5 is probably on the young end- my 8yo loves it.
it’s better than just staring blankly at a tablet/you tube and good if you have friends round .

obviously in moderation but I think it’s fine.

I know lots of kids (mostly with gaming big siblings or parents) who were playing Xboxes at a younger age

Moomoomo · 20/10/2023 21:23

My dd2 got given one for her 7th birthday. Dd3 was 5 at the time and jealous so she began using mine, which has now become hers. She just likes running around on Minecraft and animal crossing really. Also loves Mario kart and is surprisingly good at it.

PangramAddict · 20/10/2023 21:24

Mine was 3/4 and he has age appropriate games, like mario and Kirby. He totally understands the games, although he gets frustrated. One benefit has been that he watches walkthroughs when he is allowed YouTube instead of unboxing or weird stuff.
We do have parental limited, and rules like he has had to have been outside beforebh plays on it.

WYorkshireRose · 20/10/2023 21:26

DS got one at Christmas when he was just 4 and it sat unused until very recently, but he can use it fine now at almost 5.

Colinswheels · 20/10/2023 21:55

My nearly 5 year old has access to the family switch. She likes to occasionally play Mario kart or just dance with someone else or watch her big sister play animal crossing but honestly she isn't that interested in it and gets frustrated easily. I wouldn't have bought it just for her but I don't have a problem with her using it.

Mammyloveswine · 20/10/2023 23:03

Mine are 5 and 7.. got the eldest a switch 2 years ago and then 3 year old immediately wanted one too!

Now they have one each and love them!

Chocolatelover888 · 21/10/2023 07:15

My DS just got one at 5.5 as his “present” from our new baby. I was totally skeptical and thought he was too young (he is a young 5 year old as well) and he’s never had an iPad or tablet (only uses ours on planes and holidays for Netflix and that’s it). My DH pushed for it and actually it’s been great! He has it every few days for about 25 mins. My DD (3.5) likes to play along too, their only games are mario kart and paw patrol. I don’t play, but they play with my DH and all enjoy it.

Autumnleavesss · 21/10/2023 07:29

DD got hers at 4 (now 5). She enjoys playing it and certainly understands what to be doing (in fact she was teaching me how to play one of the games last night). She is allowed it for limited periods of time but really enjoys it when she is on it

aSofaNearYou · 21/10/2023 07:34

We have a family switch and yes my 4 year old definitely understands it and gets a lot out of it, she loves it. But it's not "hers" and if we tell her she can't go on it, then she can't.

aSofaNearYou · 21/10/2023 07:39

Oh and we would not buy a child of that age a switch of their own, let alone for a different household, but that's because it's lavish. We'd buy a communal one for our house, even if we didn't intend to use it ourselves.

PepsiMaxandPringleStacks · 21/10/2023 07:52

My 7yo has had a switch from aged 5, to begin with it was a bit of a nightmare with controls etc but she got the hang of it and absolutely loves it now. She loved animal crossing straight away and is amazing at it.

I got my 5yo one for his birthday last month and he doesn't enjoy it as much, gets pretty frustrated, but it is good for minecraft and I'd rather him play minecraft on the switch than a tablet.

PepsiMaxandPringleStacks · 21/10/2023 07:53

Also it's just the lite switches, I'm considering getting a family one to link to TV but having only 1 would cause too much fights 🤣🙈

Saschka · 21/10/2023 07:59

5 is probably too old for the Toniebox - we’ve had one since DS was 3, and it is great for bedtime (he uses it to go to sleep), but we are definitely running out of age-appropriate Tonies. The “favourite classics” series was great but they seem to be phasing it out in favour of Disney and Paw Patrol.

I suspect if you buy a Toniebox, you’ll only get a year or so of use out of it.

Santaiscomingsoon · 21/10/2023 08:04

We have a switch and two young children. It wasn’t brought for them it was a family console.

The kids are never left to play by themselves for hours. We gave family time where we all play together and a limit on the screen time.

I don’t think 5 is too young if it’s supervised and it’s an activity all together. However using it as a babysitter for hours on end isn’t right in my book

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