Do your schools allow nintendo ds to be brought in?

[loler]

I think I must be very backwards but I was quite surprised that dc primary school are letting year 3 and above bring in nintendo ds for play time. I've got two concerns -

The first is that DD hasn't got one and it's already been raised by a couple of 'lovely' dc from our road. I think it's a potential low level bullying target (branded trainers are banned for PE but it's OK to bring in an expensive toy ).

Secondly if she did have one I'm not sure that I would let her take it to school. It's an expensive toy and if it got broken or lost I would be very angry. I feel it's a lot of responsibility to lay on a 7 year old (as for ds1 I can barely rely on him to remember his coat!)

Am I being over the top and should just get with the times (I had to think twice about sending in top trumps last year!)

DDs teacher rang me today - apparently it's a trial thing. They are seeing how it goes. Made my feelings strongly to her.

She has talked to the class about having special/expensive things and how not everyone can have them, that it's important to share. I've asked that DD doesn't use other people's as would hate for her to get the blame for breaking them (killjoy emoticon].

She also said that letters would be sent home saying that only educational games would be allowed (but wet play, dinner ladies, 100 dc = play what ever you want me thinks!).

Will be interesting to see how this trial goes.

Our school bans all electronic toys.

Did do allow some other items in (card games, football stickers etc) but were forced to ban go-gos a couple of years ago because so much grief about "swapping" (ie mild bullying).

Absolutely not!

Teachers have enough to deal with during the course of a school day, the last thing I need added to that is Nintendo-angst .

At the school I teach at, children are not allowed to bring in toys unless they have been asked to as part of a specific topic e.g. bringing in scooters because Reception are looking at things with wheels. Before Christmas the staff even decided that the traditional 'toy day' on the last day of term should also cease. Classes still had toys out but they were school games etc., not precious toys from home.

The school council were very unhappy about this but, when I asked my Y4s about it they said they didn't mind not being able to bring in toys so long as they had a 'fun day'. It transpires that making books of their Tudor stories, doing 'Tudor' portraits and jigsaws counts as a fun day and, as that was what my class did, I was off the hook. One of the children said that she found toy day very stressful, "because I worry about which toy to bring in and really want to choose the right one but know I have to share it and spend all week worrying. On toy day I always wish I hadn't brought a toy in case it gets broken....I don't think toy day really helps our learning does it Mrs SE13?".

On his birthday a child in my class brought his new DS in.... I sent him (and it) straight to the office to have it looked after until his mother collected him. There is no way that it is acceptable to ask teachers to take on the responsibility for DSs (expensive, probably not labelled, liable to break, go missing etc.). I lock my classroom whenever we leave it but I can't guarantee that X won't remove a DS from Y's bookbag/tray. The only way I can guarantee it is to ensure there isn't one in my classroom.

Oh, and at wet play, my quite challenging class draw, do wordsearches, chat, do their maths or.... use the 10 mini spirographs and coloured biros I've provided. I have relented and said they may bring in coloured biros to add to the collection but only if their parents are happy for them to do so.

Nintendo DSs at school? Terrible idea.

I wish SE13 wasn't so far away from where I live - would swap schools in an instant - what sense!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

School lunchtime and breaktime is for running around the playground playing spies/football/kiss chase, ffs.

No ! no! no!
no toys either they get lost or broken or go home with someone else ...

No, neither DD's school nor the school I work at allow children to take in DSs or similar, infact no toys at all.

Playtime is for children to run around and let off steam, get their nergy out, ready for sitting still and earning later - not for sitting sitll playing a computer game.

Not as far as I know. Even trading cards get banned from time to time. dc are outdoors unless the weather is very bad. Plenty of time for such things after school.

My ds year 3 has also said he can bring his in for golden time.

I have told him that until I receive a letter stating that fact and that the school will accept all responsibility if they get broken - his will be remaining at home.

it is discouraged at dd's school but I let her take her old decrepit one in on the last day of each term. Her DSi stays at home

No. Thank goodness.

To all parents out there here's the kicker. Videogames are like, comic books, movies, TV shows and all other things it depends on the person some people are addicted to it like other things there are people who occasionally eat fast food and there are some people who eat 2 hoagies at least. There are always people taking things to extremes and it is your child's choice whether they want to do something or not you can't force yourself down their throats otherwise your comic books and movies may disappear without inspiration.

So if it is broken that's your fault for not reminding and here's the thing your parents so of course you have to help them remember and teach them how to break stuff.

Zombie thread. Were is the Zombie? Has MNHQ removed it?

And if your wondering if videogames cause violence here's the thing millions of people play videogames media only picks out a handful of people it depends on your psychotic state and if you think games should be banned don't ask for big brother to help it is fine if you don't like videogames so you might as well get a computer they will get a handful of free games and there are also many applications other than videogames.

Make your child get inside put the ds in their desk or give it to the teacher and tell the him or her to get out for their free time. If you hate the idea of them losing games here's the solution get them a flash cart it is legal game retailers don't like it because you can download games onto them for free (plastic and wiring too costly) you can also download movies and music on some. Also if you don't like noise get them ear plugs or headphones. So if all your kids have the same game and have a ds (some games allow download play but that usually have limited features so its better to get two games other than one the two ds thing is also mandatory) they can play multiplayer also some games have blowing and moving the game so there is stuff for movement parents too.

no. I don't think any toys should be taken into school for any reason personally. There is no need for it. Show and Tell becomes an 'I have a such and such, bet your don't' in some schools.

Wet plays should be about doing things like word searches, puzzles etc. call me old fashioned but I really think there are plenty of other things to do than play with technology all the time.

Did you even read my first post on this? There are people who are addicted to those things too.

Also if you want your child to stay fit inside I recommend the kinect, wii or playstation move they are stationary consoles but you can ask the teacher to set it up unless you get the wii that thing is easy to set up with a TV and is quick to put down and pick up. Also if you like touching things I'd recommend a tablet or another stationary option the wii u it has tons of exclusives such as pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101 and others. The 3ds also has a lot to love you can turn of the 3d in parental controls and has newer games than the regular ds it costs a bit of money or you could get the newly announced 2ds and I would recommend pokemon x and y on it. The game has so many things to do and will keep your child happy.

There are games for everyone so don't hold back your child on videogames.

Anybody willing to agree with me don't be embarrassed because everybody feels like that when they are confronted.

ZOMBIE THREAD!!!!!!!!!

Where's the warning gone?

Who cares if its a zombie thread it has to be discussed.

The OP is about restricting the use of games in schools and whether it is desirable to have small, breakable, expensive items in primary schools (they're banned in ours - if found, out on high shelf to be returned at the end of the day.

I doubt that using school time for school activities is going to make any sort of dent in the wider gaming industry.