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Original poster

Wii: recommend games and acessories for 4-6 year olds

32 replies

AtheneNoctua · 02/03/2009 13:22

We are new to the Wii. DD (almost 6) is getting one for her birthday and I need some recommendations from the wisdom of mumsnet about what games and accessories are suitable. I prefer educational but want her to have fun too. DS will be 4 in May so looking for some age appropriate things for him too.

We have ordered just the Wii. I think we will need a second controller. What does one do wth a nunchuck? Anything else I should get? Oh, the remote chargers, are they good? I hate the idea of consuming oodles of batteries.

OP posts:
stealthsquiggle · 02/03/2009 13:25

wii sports & wii play are what DS (6) mostly plays with. He has recently got into Mario Karts (complete with steering wheel) and super monkey ball banana blitz, both of which were Christmas presents (from other people)

ginnny · 02/03/2009 13:29

I was going to suggest Mario Kart too - my dc love it, you will have to get an extra steering wheel though as it only comes with one.
My dc love Boogie (singing game) too and Brain Academy.
The nunchucks attach to the controllers and are for 2 handed games like boxing.
Definitely go for the remote chargers - they will save you a fortune.

Original poster
AtheneNoctua · 02/03/2009 13:39

Is Brain Academy good for for a (just) 4 year old? If possible I want to get games they can both play -- ideally with each other. I know I know I'm probably dreaming.

OP posts:
Original poster
AtheneNoctua · 02/03/2009 15:30

Thanks. Im looking at Wii play and see it comes with a second remote so that makes it a pretty cheap game.

If anyone else has any recommendations, please jump in. I'm a complete novice and definitely can't have too much advice.

OP posts:
Lemontart · 02/03/2009 15:38

After winning a Wii on mumsnet I have been doing a little recent Wii shopping too

Monkey Mischief is brilliant! My two both love it, so do I
Mario Kart is fabby. My two loved it so much that I went out and bought a second wheel so they can play together. Nice feature of this is that they can either play together on the same team or competitively.
Mario sports that comes with the Wii is a lot of fun. The bowling is definitely a family favourite and one that your 4 yr old will cope with easily.

I doubt Brain Academy will be much use for your youngest tbh. We have it on DS and def too hard for my 5 yr old. Of course, if might have been changed for the Wii and more accessible for younger children... but I doubt it!

My friend has the Wii fit and DD1 loves doing those games so am tempted to get a Wii balance board for her birthday... not sure there are enough games out there for the balance board and a bit pricey so happy to wait until the prices come down a bit (hopefully!!)

stealthsquiggle · 02/03/2009 15:41

Absolutely - it works out about £5 more than just a controller - that's why we got it, but it has some really good 'silly' games on it (cow racing ).

If you want them to play together, those sorts of games (and Mario karting) are good - any sort of role-play (like Lego Star Wars et al) would only work if they were on the same level as it were (DS and his friends take turns because they find it too hard to play as a 2 player game).

ginnny I am intruiged by the idea of Brain Academy - does it work for one player?

Original poster
AtheneNoctua · 02/03/2009 15:51

You won a wii on MN? How did you manage that then?

OP posts:
ginnny · 02/03/2009 21:00

My ds is 5 and can handle most of the games on Brain Academy with a little help. It is easier than the DS Brain Training game. It gives you about 5 series of tests and at the end tells you the weight of your brain.
Each member of the family has their own student record and they can compare them with each other.
(Also it is good fun for the grown ups too)

stealthsquiggle · 02/03/2009 22:04
Lemontart · 03/03/2009 20:03

AtheneNoctua - recent competition back in January. I know, I feel really lucky as no way we would could have justified forking out for one with our present finances. A very lovely suprise. Mumsnet does run some fabby competitions, the links are usually on the homepage and usually involve posting a review or local listing.

Interesting to read that Brain Academy in easier than the DS one. I might put that down on my birthday wish list for me

mogs0 · 03/03/2009 20:27

Asda had lots of reduced wii games today. Wii play was under £30 (about £26 I think). There were quite a few reduced but do you think I can remember a single one of them?!!!

Original poster
AtheneNoctua · 04/03/2009 09:26

Any opinions on the following games?

My Horse and Me 2

Endless Ocean

Pikmin (and does this require a nunchuck? two nunchucks?)

Littlest Pet Shop

And last but not least, what about charging systems? Do I need one that charges two remotes or four? I can't think of a need for four remotes but perhaps I am missing something. Any recommendations would be most welcome.

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newpup · 04/03/2009 10:05

Another vote for Mario Cart here. DDs had a wii for Christmas plus some games, we did not get them Mario Kart but after playing it at a friends they are both desparate for it ( we have bought it, plus 2 wheels for DDs birthday next month)

They love Monkey Banana Blitz too, lots of fun. We bought Wall.e but they are not too keen on this one.

They have Littlest Pet Shop for their nintendo DSs and they love it.

I would like Big Brain Academy!

BusyBeeWithThree · 04/03/2009 10:14

Mario Karts here too my boys who are 4 and 7 -they love it. Wallee and Ben 10 were a waste of money and have hardly been played with since Christmas. Maybe though they will grow into them....

We don't have a charger for the remotes. Just two remotes and two numchuck things all run on batteries. (BOGOF in Robert Dyas although we have only replaced them once since Christmas and I use the Wii Fit quite a lot)

BusyBeeWithThree · 04/03/2009 10:15

nunchuck !!!!

Lemontart · 04/03/2009 10:18

A4T Quad charging station: www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h__0_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=wii+charging+station&x= 0&y=0&sprefix=wii+charging+

Is the one we have and is really good

Lemontart · 04/03/2009 10:19

Oops - the 3rd one down on the list, url gives the page of all the charging stations

Lemontart · 04/03/2009 10:21

I would love to hear what endless ocean is like too. It looks wonderful but not sure how much longevity it would have?

Littlest pet shop is fab for DS - winter is my DD?s favourite - no idea about the Wii version though, sorry

Original poster
AtheneNoctua · 04/03/2009 10:47

Is there anything remotely educational about Mario Kart? Strategy? Logic? Role play?

I want her to have fun, but I also want to keep the game selection to those which have some kind of educational benefit.

And... I don't want to totally exclude DS from the fun. So, am avaoiding Disney Princess for the time being.

OP posts:
ginnny · 04/03/2009 16:08

DS1 has Endless Ocean and I think it looks boring as hell, but he quite likes it, I think it is definitely more for the older dc tbh.
I don't think mario Kart is educational as such, it might help with their co-ordination/spacial awareness or something, but it is good fun (even if the music is a bit annoying when you've heard it 100 times

stealthsquiggle · 04/03/2009 22:20

If you want an educational excuse justification for Mario Kart then it would be co-ordination and concentration.

Why does everything have to have one though? It is just good honest fun.

stealthsquiggle · 04/03/2009 22:22

(oh and there are princess-type drivers. DS quite often chooses one - apparently she is 'cool')

Original poster
AtheneNoctua · 05/03/2009 12:41

I want to at least start out with educational games. I'm sure it won't be long before they discover the others. And DS' birthday is in May.

So I think the plan for DD's (6th) birthday in March is:

Wii console
Wiimote charger (for at least 2 wiimotes)
Wii play (with second wiimote)
Brain Training
Sports accessory pack

Then DS' (4th) birthday in May we will sprinkle with some fun stuff like Mario Kart and an extra wheel so he doesn't feel like he didn't get anything.

If anyone thinks I've forgotten any must haves (is the nunchuck a must-have?) feel free to jump in and correct error of my ways.

OP posts:
Original poster
AtheneNoctua · 05/03/2009 12:42

Oh, and thank you everyone. You have been a huge help.

OP posts:
mogs0 · 05/03/2009 13:04

I don't think the accessory pack is essential. I've heard lots of people say they're a bit rubbish. We don't have them and manage just fine.

Ds has wii sport, play and madagasgar2.

My BIL gave ds his old PS2 last year and ds plays that more than the Wii because he's got the Lego Batman game. I end up limiting his time on that because he gets really frustrated if he can't do a particular bit of it whereas on the wii he seems to have more fun.

One last thing........we have sing star for the PS2 and it's fab! I'm not sure what the Wii alternative is called but if you find it maybe your dc would enjoy it. It has been encouraging my ds to read for fun rather than the token school book he brings home once a week!! It also quite entertaining for the grown ups after a couple of drinks!!!