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Original poster

am i alone in thinking 3-4 is too young for a nintendo ds?

44 replies

juicychops · 14/12/2008 20:31

maybe it is a good way to improve hand/eye co-ordination, but my ds is nearly 4 and i cant imagine trusting him to look after a £100 computer and getting my money's worth out of it

OP posts:
mrsmaidamess · 14/12/2008 20:32

I think its too young ,personally.

SleighGirl · 14/12/2008 20:32

I know a few children who have received these for their 3rd birthdays, we still won't get one for our near 7 year old, too much too young IMHO

AnarchyInAManger · 14/12/2008 20:33

Catch is very good for hand/eye co-ordination. So are all sorts of other free things!

ABudafulSightWereHappyTonight · 14/12/2008 20:33

I agree. DS got his at 6 having had a Leapster from age 4. Would have held off on the Nintendo for a while but he bought it with his birthday money as his older cousins had them.

NorbertDentressAngel · 14/12/2008 20:33

Much too young IMO

choosyfloosy · 14/12/2008 20:34

Is someone threatening offering to give your child one of these??

i do think that a lot of screen games actually involve reading and before a child can read you will spend ages helping them with it - enough to put me off!

I am too old for the games generation so my suggested age for something like this would be 18. Fat chance

NotanOtter · 14/12/2008 20:34

well said anarchy

janeite · 14/12/2008 20:34

Much too young.

misdee · 14/12/2008 20:35

thats up to you.

dd3 has asked for one for xmas. have said no (she is almost 4) but thats on the basis there is already 3 of them in teh house and she can use one of those. (dd1, dd2's and dh's).

dd2 had one at age 4. it broke through no fault of hers (touch screen was faulty), was replaced by the store, and she still has that one now at age 6. and its in really good condition. dd1 has one of the original ds' (not lite version), which she got at age 6, she is now almost 9, and its still going strong.

Original poster
juicychops · 14/12/2008 20:40

no, no one is threatening to get him one!! his friend is getting one so ds also wants one but i said no.my little sis has had one since about 4 and i personally yjust thought it was a bit young.

i wouldn;t mind one for myself though! but i wouldn;t have enough time to play it so would be a waste of money

OP posts:
Clary · 14/12/2008 20:45

A pal of mine has bought one for her 3yo DD "because she has everything else" . Her older DD who is 5 has had one for a year.

She also recommended I buy some kind of squishy padded container thing for DD's (she's getting it for Chr; she's 7.5) - pal says hers has been invaluable.

I had to bite my tongue not to retort that I didn't think my DD would drop her Nintendo on the floor because she's err well, 7.5 and really careful with stuff. Unlike a 3yo maybe?

I haven't experienced one yet but tbh I wouldn't buy one for DS2 who is 5. Just think he seems a bit young (as does DD tbh but it's all she wants)

That's a good point about the reading.

whoingodsnameami · 14/12/2008 20:48

My house is completely game console free, my eldest is almost 8, and so far none of them have ever asked for one, hopefully I can keep it up for a few more years.

wellbalanced · 17/12/2008 18:39

I prsonally think its too young as the wont be able to read/understand whats going on.
Know of plenty that have them thou.

LIZS · 17/12/2008 18:41

too young , there are much better activities and the better games need an ability to read and follow instructions.

frogwatcher · 17/12/2008 18:52

I have to giggle at myself reading this. With my dd1 I held off getting a ds until she was 7, restricted her tv viewing etc etc. Then she had to save up for it for her birthday. dd2 I caved in when she was 6 - she too saved up. dd3 is 3yo and has had one for a while and teaches her sisters how to do things - honestly!! It makes me laugh as she gets so much joy from it - and is still the most active and outdoorsy out of the three girls. She just loves her ds for quite times - but I dont restrict her and I am beginning to think that might be the trick as she seems to wander off and do other things more than the others did at her age when putting the tv or computer on was a treat. We are less precious with her, and she seems less obsessed with screen type things, but at the same time more confident on them. She certainly does not have a problem playing the games and she cannot read. And this is from a mum who swore we would not have that kind of thing in the house until they were older - they could sit and read books, play outside etc etc. Having their ds's doesnt seem to stop them doing everything else - its just another toy. And I have to say not one of them is damaged, yet!!!

Lemontart · 17/12/2008 19:02

surely it depends on the child. DD2 had one when she turned 4 and treats it well. Ok, so she learnt the hard way that she must use a stylus as pens scratch the screen (aaargh) BUT she has also gained a huge amount from it. There are plenty of great games, some more educational than others, for this age group.
I often hear people complaining about computers and nintendos, presuming that children spend all their time locked away in silence playing them, turning into little anti social, non speaking robots. Crap. My children regulate their own playing time on them and will get bored with a game after 20 mins max and move on to go outside, play with lego, their barbie dolls or do some artwork etc etc. They are like any other toy with ups and downsides to them. They are not the devil?s work

I am getting fed up with all the anti-computer anti-console attitudes around at the moment (not talking specifically mumsnet here). Amazed that people like to brag about not having any of them in their houses as if it is something worthy and clever of them to keep all technology out of their children?s way. Technology is here to stay, why not allow your child limited and appropriate access from an early age? Almost an inverted snobbery about it.

As for suggesting that 4 yr olds with not be able to read or understand the games - rubbish. My 4 yr old is learning new words all the time thanks to I did it Mum! and other games that support learning. She plays the Dora games and understands them perfectly - many of the younger games have spoken and written instructions so that the audio supports the written word. It is wrong to say that the better games need an ability to read and follow instructions. The harder, more complicated ones might, not necessarily the better ones.

Ok - rant over

MrsMattie · 17/12/2008 19:03

No way would I buy my nearly 4 yr old any kind of computer game. What ever happened to trips to the park and good old fashioned books?

Lemontart · 17/12/2008 19:06

errr - we do trips to the part and have shelves full of books - they are not mutually exclusive you know!

Lemontart · 17/12/2008 19:09

park*

mygreatauntgriselda4christmas · 17/12/2008 19:10

Frogwatcher - LOL at you post - I have the same scenario here. Got more laid back with each child.

Also agree that whether its too young or not entirely depends on the child. DS1 gotoneat 7, but DD is getting one for Christmas aged 5.6 - but that is because she has been exposed to DS1's and so knows how to play it.

They do have their uses (e.g. gret on long car journeys)

TBH though I would think 3/4 is a bit too young unless they are a child prodigy or something. I think my DD is a bit young at 5.6 but I think "well its only a few months until she is 6"

Myrrhcy · 17/12/2008 19:10

What's the difference between a nintendo and a pc? (I thought it was a mini laptop??)

Apart from anything else, £100 or however much they cost is way out of our budget (even for an older child)

frogwatcher · 17/12/2008 19:11

Well said Lemontart. I hadnt realised that I felt the same as you until I read your post. I too am fed up with the anti-console attitude (although i was guilty of it for a year or two). I was brought up not having what a lot of other children had (I had a very traditional upbringing - ponies, bikes etc but very little tv) and my sister and I both say it affected our friendships and confidence as children. We couldnt talk about things other kids were watching. I know having the nintendos is helping my children fit in. And I am really confused where the thoughts come from that having computers, tv, consoles etc stops kids reading books, playing outside in the park etc. It doesnt have to be one or the other. I actually think having access to these type of things stops an obsession later on when access becomes available. Like me and chocolate - as soon as i am on a diet I crave bad things more!! My kids spend hours gardening, reading, walking, lego, and even more hours drawing and writing stories. They do what they choose.

frogwatcher · 17/12/2008 19:13

mygreatauntgriselda4christmas (great name by the way) - I swore I would treat them all the same, but I cant help it. I am getting more and more laid back. My excuse is that no. 3 is exposed to more and therefore more advanced socially. However, I will have to be careful - or she will be clubbing at 10!!!

Myrrhcy · 17/12/2008 19:20

I've just asked ds if any of his friends have a nintendo and he had no idea what I was talking about (he's in Reception)

Just asked dd (Yr3) the same question and she thinks about half a dozen children in her class have one (and apparently about half of those have older siblings)

I'm not bothered about my dc not 'fitting in' at such a young age. My dd hates High School Musical, Tracey Beaker, Hannah Montana etc and is not excluded from any friendships as a result.

Doesn't make me a Luddite!

mygreatauntgriselda4christmas · 17/12/2008 19:22

BTW totally agree with Lemontart and Frogwatcher's comments - I regulate the DC's time on the PC but they have both developed fantastic IT skills

Club Penguin acts as a social networking site for DS1 and his friends - a group of them meet up there regularly and their Penguins play together very happily and charmingly. As long as you limit computer time I am unclear why it would stop them doing other things. Mine also spend a lot of time outside (even in this weather), love reading, are learning languages, play sports, one is an alter server etc etc

Also agree that children will feel left out if they are denied access to games that the vast majority of their friends have and talk about. Our Mum denied us such toys and we all felt very left out of play ground conversations about certain toys

Anyway - presumably we all spend time on MN - has it done us any harm? [twitch]