Age Appropriate Game System

Wii is the most age appropriate. We have a friend who owns a video gaming lounge (they do exist), and he always recommends them for people with younger kids. They make you get up and move and have more child-appropriate games than some of the other systems. My almost 5 year old son LOVES the Wii!

We have a Wii and a PlayStation 2. We use the Wii. I use the Wii when my kid isn't home :) Go Wii fit!!

Another vote for xBox Kinnect.

Wii is the gaming system of choice for children's hospitals, because all the games (that don't have really expensive floor boards to go with them) can be done laying down in bed with a few flicks of your wrist. So as far as needing to be up and moving, kids figure out the 'cheats' for those reeeeally quickly.

Kinnect, otoh, YOU are the controller (and you don't need to buy fancy boards and mats, one price and done, and no weight restrictions). Whether it's yoga and pilates, or dance, or safari/jumping games... the system tracks your ENTIRE body, and corrects you for inaccurate movement. It's really, really amazing.

xBoxLive also streams netflix, hulu, plays DVDs and CDs. Plus there's free video conferencing/phoning ((my son's great grandmother just got an xBox to video call us (she can't see computer keys, nor type because of arthritis), but can manage the xbox kinnect with just a wave of her hand and her voice)) if any of your other relatives also have an xBox. So it's a lot more than a gaming system.

The only other system NEARLY as versatile is PS. PS has BlueRay (xbox doesn't), and the NEW ones have Skype (for video conferencing).

I'd get the WII or XBox kinect. I think those would be funner and more active for him. Both Wii and Xbox kinect can be a family event too.

Xbox 360 is THE system of choice. I have both a son (18) and husband (52 lol!) who are avid gamers and they wouldn't consider anything else. My 12 year old daughter also loves the lego star wars and lego pirates of the caribbean for that system.
But I like that the Wii has so many active games, meaning get up and move around kind of games. If I had a little one and I was in charge of the purchase I would get the Wii :)

He's a kid and he's a boy. He'll figure out whatever system you get. The question is: what games do you want him playing? Rather than research the systems, what I recommend is to do a search of the games themselves. Some systems are more for serious gamers and older "kids"... war games and such for the teens and older group. If you just read the reviews of the systems, you will hear about how amazingly realistic this or that system is, blah blah blah.... but do you want your 6 yr old playing Call of Duty 3? Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating for any system in particular... though we have a Wii and are very happy with it. Our son (12) recently begged for a PS3 and for PSP... but most of the games offered for those systems are full of things I'd rather he didn't spend his time playing. We let him get an iPod touch instead....and he loves it. He can access more "mature" games (on approval from us on a case by case basis) and still has access to lots of completely innocent just for kicks/fun/silliness type of games as well.

So do some research on the games offered for the systems and work your decision making "backwards". That is my suggestion. Go online and read about the games and walk into a few GameStops and Targets and browse what's offered for the different systems.

My son is 6 also. He got a Nintendo DSI for his 6th birthday, and it is absolutely his favorite thing in the whole world. We got the XL, with a larger screen, and it was WELL worth the extra 20 or 30 dollars. His very favorite game cartridge to play on his DSI is Super Mario Brothers. We also have a WII, but he doesn't play that much.

Updated

My son is 6 also. He got a Nintendo DSI for his 6th birthday, and it is absolutely his favorite thing in the whole world. We got the XL, with a larger screen, and it was WELL worth the extra 20 or 30 dollars. His very favorite game cartridge to play on his DSI is Super Mario Brothers. We also have a WII, but he doesn't play that much. I like the DSI better than the DS, because the DSI also has a camera in it. Kids can take pictures, then do funnty things with them, add mustaches, distort, etc.

Updated

My son is 6 also. He got a Nintendo DSI for his 6th birthday, and it is absolutely his favorite thing in the whole world. We got the XL, with a larger screen, and it was WELL worth the extra 20 or 30 dollars. His very favorite game cartridge to play on his DSI is Super Mario Brothers. We also have a WII, but he doesn't play that much. I like the DSI better than the DS, because the DSI also has a camera in it. Kids can take pictures, then do funnty things with them, add mustaches, distort, etc.

Updated

My son is 6 also. He got a Nintendo DSI for his 6th birthday, and it is absolutely his favorite thing in the whole world. We got the XL, with a larger screen, and it was WELL worth the extra 20 or 30 dollars. His very favorite game cartridge to play on his DSI is Super Mario Brothers. We also have a WII, but he doesn't play that much. I like the DSI better than the DS, because the DSI also has a camera in it. Kids can take pictures, then do funnty things with them, add mustaches, distort, etc.

XBOX Kinnect is really the way to go. If you want a system that will last him this will be it. It plays 'boy' games much better than WII. Games like Madden Football and Lego Star WArs are just better on XBox. And while you may not think he will be playing that now give him a year or two and that will be what he wants to play.

My 3 year old can play our Wii and Xbox.
I would go for one of those two.

NO XBOX! Go for the wii it keeps him active. My mother got my 10 year old brother an xbox.. he has gained at least 30 lbs and is isolated him self from friends and outdoor activities. I might add he used to live outside. He loved everything to do with outdoors.

Wii or DSi are my 4yr old's primary game systems.
Our house has a Wii, PS3 (I love the free online and easy access to downloadable games), DSi and a 3DS (mine).

The playstation and xbox are more geared toward teenagers and hardcore "gamers". I'd get him a wii. There is such a variety of games for it and they aren't so expensive either. :)

my house has all 3 main systems (Wii, xBox with Kinect, and PS3). While the majority of the games on the Wii are kid appropriate but the games are better on the xBox (better graffix sp). The Kinect makes you move more than the Wii does so I like it better for getting the ants out of my kids (10 and 6) on rainy or snowy days when they can't go outside. The xBox will grow with him also so you won't have to buy a new system in 3 years when he get tired of the "kids" games. All 3 systems are netflix compatable. The PS3 does have a blueray player but their Move still requires a controller while on the Kinect you are the controller.

So for my short answer I vote for the xBox with Kinect and ALWAYS check the age rating on games before buying, yes even if you choose the Wii. Have fun.

i would do a wii but have restriction and a ds is fine but tnot the real expensive one or a ipod touch than you can control your games he plays with that.good luck

Xbox all the way! He will use it forever, and the kinect is awesome.

There are so many games for Xbox out there, age appropriate ones and then others that will later he will play when he is older.

Wii's are fun for awhile, but I think the games get boring.

We have had a wii for a few years now and our whole family plays it. My kids are 7 & 4. My son also has a DS Lite and I have a DSi XL. I usually help him with games or sit by him when he's playing so I can peek at them. He mostly plays Pokemon games on the DS. On the wii he mostly plays wii fit or wii resort. I limit his time with games/TV and encourage him to go outside when it's nice. He loves being outside so it's not a problem.