How old for a Nintendo DS?

[prideandprejudice]

Having a bit of a stand-off with dh about this. Ds is 6, in year 2 and a fluent reader ( reading Harry Potter by himself), goes to tennis, swimming, cricket, football, French and music every week and not exactly a couch potato - so I think it's probably OK to get him a DS for Christmas, as long as we monitor how long he's on it for etc.

DH totally against it, thinks he is far too young and hates the whole idea of 'succumbing to peer pressure' and getting something he views as pointless and anti-social. I agree with him up to a point, but I also think he should probably just accept that it is ok for ds to do something not especially educational now and then.

We are a very un-techie household, and dh seems to lack the blokeish 'gadget' gene- we have one tiny portable telly for example. However he does sometimes let ds play computer games on our Mac, so I can't really see the difference. Just wondered what other MNetters do about this.

Any advice gratefully received!

I think it is fine... but i am sure i may be alone in this opinion!!!!

Convince dh with brain training game...

and i wouldnt give him time constraints... the few few weeks he will want it all the time then he wont play it quite so much, and you wont need to monitor it, especially as he has so many other things he is involved in

DD got one last year for her 8th birthday. I actually DO believe in giving time contraints. And yes, the novelty does still wear off, well until the next new game.

It HAS come in handy though for when I've confiscated it for bad behaviour! How long depends on the crime!

Has he ASKED for a DS?

Brain training is a bit old for him, although he'll be able to do some of the simpler ones. I seem to recall a new one thats just come out, got "10" in the title, but not Ben 10 or Korg 10???? Aimed at helping children with their maths?

Depends on the child my dd loves brain training
also has the one with 10 in the title will let you know the name when i go upstairs..

my dd has had hers for 3 years she is 7
ds had for one year he is 4

Not too young. No different from playing on the Mac imo.

Maybe a bit antisocial but if his friends have one they can play together - the DS's can be linked.

Some of the games are quite educational. I have maths training for example - the maths isn't rocket science for an adult but it is about sharpening their brains and making their mental maths a bit sharper.

It sounds like he has a varied life - a bit of downtime isn't going to do him any harm.

Me, I've made it about when they are reading fluently for pleasure (funnily enough, HP was mentioned). And they have to save up for it themselves out of birthday money etc. SO ds (8) has not yet got one- has the money but not the reading; dd got hers around age 7.

We are going for a "family" DS this Christmas - DD is 5.

The family side of it emphasises the time constraints.

Ds just got one on friday for his 5th birthday. however he only got it because it was my mums so didnt cost us anything.

We got one for DS2 on his 4th B-day, he wanted one and loves it.

Thanks for this everyone - I didn't know there were 'educational' games - that might clinch it for dh, although I'm all for giving the poor boy a bit of downtime!

seems a couple of years too young for me

DD got her DS last Christmas at 5y8m. She had looked after it, not become obsessed with it and plays it nicely. We have never had to put time restrictions on or anything as DD is not the type to get fixated She plays it for short periods of time in any one sitting, before going off and doing other ativities. She has a vast mix of games from fun to educational.

The ability to read is a big advantage for most DS games.

It has been fantastic for travelling with, especially on plane trips.

I'm with Hulababy on this one. My experience is exactly the same. DS1 got his aged 5. Doesn't overplay so I've never had to put time restrictions on. In fact I had one first (!!) and he wanted to play it when he was about 4. However he quickly lost interest then as most games need you to be able to read. It was a great incentive for him to read and I noticed he was able to read quite difficult words quite soon because he needed to for the games.

Invaluable for long car journeys and planes.

(PS I love Scrabble and Brain Training)

We made dd wait until she was 7 even though she begged for one at 6.

Did get a Wii instead though, which she plays on with ds and this has been a massive incentive for ds to learn to read.