Was thinking of getting ds a gameboy - good or bad idea?

[rickman]

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both my ds's age 5 and 3 have them and enjoy them

my ds has had his game boy since he was about 5 (might have been for his birthday) i think it has its uses, you will prob find that at first he won't put it down and then it fizzles out a bit and only occasionally plays with it.
ds (8 in july) is going through a phase of playing it again especially as have had crap weather over easter hols and is now nagging for a nintendo DS for his birthday!
i think that it is good as long as you limit the usage, not for hours on end and not every day. good for car/train/plane journeys.
if you do decide to get one make sure that you get the nintendo gameboy advance sp as the screen is better than the gameboy advance. there are plenty of games out there for his age range (shrek2, spiderman, shark tale etc) that once he gets used to them he will be fine.
other suggestions could include the video now thingy (although same price as a game boy and can only play the video now discs, so limited choices of programmes) or scaletrix which is another favorite of ds1 & ds2 (ds2 is nearly 3)

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I'd say it was the best toy I've every bought my ds (dd1 and also dds2). My ds (5 and half) got his for last christmas, although he played with his sisters gameboys from when he was 4). Definitely buy the sp version as the screen is bigger and illuminated you don't need to buy anything else as it comes with a plug that re-charges the gameboy (no need for rechargable batteries).

The only thing I'd say is restrict the amount of time he spends on it and not in the evening as I think it affects his ability to 'wind down'.

Oh, I've just remembered you need to get him some earphones - the noise does tend to drive you mad - although it has a volume control, so it can be turned off - but ds seems to like to music!!

ds1 (6) and ds2 (3) bith got one for xmas. They are brilliant for long journeys and early mornings !
Have to say that although they wanted to play on them every minute at first they only now play on them once or twice a week. Now the weather is improving Ds1 would rather be kicking a ball around in the garden.

"both" !