My 3 1/2 YO Is Asking for a Nintendo DS???

My son got a DS 2 yrs ago, and just got a DS XLi for his birthday. So little sis (3 1/2) got the old DS. It was a win-win. She has one Disney Princesses game. She doesn't understand all of the rules, but it beeps and a moves, and she thinks she's playing, so why tell her different.

M.

Leapster would be better. She'd actually learn something. I have a DS that my 7 year old plays with because she can read the instructions it gives her. Leapster walks non readers through what to do and there are lots of great games to learn all kinds of things. We've never broken a leapster, but I would never hand my DS to my 4 year old!

I would ask why you are paying a sitter who plays vdeo games with the kids...shouldnt they be at the library, outside playing, etc.

We purchased one for my daughter when she turned 6. Her brother wanted one so badly (he is 4). We decided to buy him a used Nintendo Gameboy from Game Stop with a couple of simple games. It was a lot less expensive (around $25) and they offer a replacement plan for $5. After about a month he lost interest in it so I'm glad we didn't spend alot for it. Maybe when he's older and shows a renewed interest we'll purchase him one but right now he'd rather be outside with his baseball.

We bought one for my daughter for her 4th birthday, we did find a few games that were age appropriate for her that she didn't have to read to do like the Crayola coloring game, Dora, Diego, Barbie, Littlest Pet Shop, etc. But I highly reccommend getting your games used at Game Stop/ EB Games as you can return them in 7 days if you don't like them and they are cheaper and you can trade in games she no longer plays. Get a Club card and you get discounts too. My Daughter is now 7 and she plays with the thing almost once a day. (It is a great tool to use for dicipline too, a nice privilage to loose if she misbehaves, works like a charm for my daughter! Of course now it's 'no computers OR games') We had a LeapFrog game first and she got frustrated with it bc it wanted her to do things that were too hard for her to do at the time but she did like some of the games. For traveling, the DS can't be beat, and there are some cool adult games and programs that you would enjoy too. The games are saved on the game disk so only one player can do a game at a time usually. All in all it has been the best $100 I have spent for her, 2 years and still a hot item to her. She has dropped it a bunch of times but it hasn't broken yet *cross fingers* Hope this helps.

Leapster is more educational but your kid will probably know the difference, esp. if you have older children around -- just like most kids reject their "play" remote controls and phones in favor of the real "grown up" ones.

I would get a used one at GameStop -- your daughter won't know the difference and it will work the same. They are actually very sturdy (I have WASHED and DRIED one, and several games, with no damage).

I would just limit game time, get G rated, educational games (obviously), and treat game playing time as a privilege to be earned. Even at 3 there are things your daughter can do to earn game time -- tidying up her toys, running around the block with you, etc. Make a chart that fully explains what she has to do to earn each 15 minute block of time. I'd limit time to 30 minutes a day at her age. Getting her used to earning time for video games will help a LOT when she is older. Good luck!

I understand needing a little time away from your child!! But video games (and large quantities of television) are not the way to go if you want a smart, calm, child!

It is well documented in scientific journals that children under the age of at least 5 should not be playing video games or other electronic toys yet. This includes those "edutainment" games like leapster. Their brains are still forming, and electronic blipping gadgets stimulate a pleasure center in the brain that winds up mis-wiring their neurological synapses. Children who are exposed too early to television, video games, and other electronic toys, run the risk of developing attention deficit disorders, and other problems with focus.

The American Association of Pediatrics recommends NO TELEVISION until after the age of 2. And then not more than 2 hours per day until much older.

Much better to let them play outside instead... now THAT is entertainment!!

If you would like to read more about how the brain develops in the first 5 years, and why it is important to keep them away from certain media, read "Bright From the Start" by Dr. Jill Stamm.

XO
Linda

www.RivieraPlaySchool.com

Riviera PlaySchool in Redondo Beach, CA
TEACHING FROM BALANCE
A Mindful program for the 'Whole Child,' inspired by the best of Attachment Parenting, Reggio Emilia, Bev Bos, Montessori, Waldorf and Non-Violent Communication.

I podered the same purchase and ended up with a leapster for my 3 y.o. it just has a few more games that are age appropriate and it isn't as expensive. Even if in a few years we may end up with a DS?? Not that she isn't capable of operating a DS, I just prefer a system that is geared for the age group? Learning colors and numbers and such. I did like the Nerf protectors that they have for the DS, but in the end taught my son to properly care for his electronic equipment and it has a special home and time to play with it.

get her a coupla' of super crappy 80's esque key chain video games...let her plY with those a while, of you're worried she'll know the difference, she will... So don't call it that and don't make them gifts just fun car crud ya know like happy meal toys or those blasted plastic Easter eggs that keep popping up everywhere no matter how many I throw out or put up with the Easter stuff, they keep comming. So will she play with it?? You did catch the last sentence right... These kids play with any and everything. When she's a little older and still has the desire glet her pick one out and use all that birthday card money kids rake in to do so. It can be an educational experience too :)

I don't think the DS is age appropriate for a 3 1/2 year old. My daughter is 4 1/2 and I still won't get her one yet. She has a Leapster that she loves. Those games are at least somewhat educational. The DS games are not. I would wait IMHO.

I remember playing with Atari as a kid, but that's because game systems were new. My best memories were of playing outside with my friends. I personally think that 3 1/2 is a bit young, but if you can find age appropriate games and set a rigid time schedule that you control, not her, then it should be ok. I would suggest the Wii over anything else because it at least encourages physical activity.

no , there are VERY few games for a 3.5 yr old.
Get her a leapster 2 or wait until later this year and get the new leapster explorer.

Go with the Leapster or other little kid games, I don't think your child will be ready for the DS until at least 5, and even then there aren't a lot of games that young kids can play.

For my son's third birthday we gave him the new V-Tech Mobi Go. It has a touch screen like the DS as well as the arrow button and two other buttons. It also has a keyboard that you can flip out. It comes with one game which helps the child learn how to use the system. There are two levels of difficulty. Some games he does the easy level, but there are a few where he can do the difficult level. My son loves the Mobi Go because it is so much like my DSI.

When we bought it in June it was only sold at Toys R Us. Sometime in July it is suppose to be sold in other retail stores. They are suppose to also start the website where you can get free games when you child gets enough awards sometime in July also. Since it is new there are not as many games out for it like the Leapster, but I think there will be some more coming out soon.

C.

I bought my 2 1/2yo a used Nintendo GameBoy SP. It cost about $25 and with the addition of Super Mario World and Donkey Kong provided months of entertainment before the charger plug broke (not his fault, it was loose to begin with since it was a used system.) Most Game Stop stores will have or can get used GameBoys for pretty cheap. He caught on very quickly and loved playing it. I'm currently looking for another used one for him.

Honestly, the only reason I bought it for him is because his big brother (8yo) has a PSP and he was always trying to get his hands on it. The PSP was considerably more expensive and delicate than a GameBoy so the little one wasn't allowed to touch it. He was so dang frustrated that I had to find a distraction for him.

Anyways, for the little ones, I always go "used" if I can. It saves money in the long run and gives them something less valuable to learn "responsible handling" on.

BTW, I'm a mom that has ZERO use for video games in general, but I've had to let go of that a little bit because my hubby is a techie (nice word for geek! lol!) and always has them around. Now I'm just hoping to keep my kids' lives balanced so they're not playing them too much... lol!

I bought my 3 yo a leapster and he has broken it 3 times, so spending the money on a DS would be a waste. He did not mean to brake it so it is not like he is a careless child he is just 3, so. I would not spend the money just to have to replace it in such a short time frame. Besides their coordination is not there so they get frustrated with it fast.

At any age before six, they develop their learning through the development of muscles, gross motor skills then onto finer ones as they get older. This why running, jumping, skipping, climbing, and other movement are such an important part of their childhood. I know you said nothing about your child's exercise level but don't start them out this young with a tool for being a couch potato. This status comes much too soon. The tracking of muscles helps develop counting, reading and memory skills and lifelong fit routines.. Leave this electronic treat for the sitter to share appropriately. My now 9 year old, earned hers by doing extra chores outside of the expected family chores and then has to do extra ones now to earn time to play. Max amount of time she can play is 20 minutes a day, TV 60 minutes, they can choose to forgo a day to build time for a movie or plan for a rainy set of days. A 3 1/2 year old can easily drop it and crack the screen, jam things where the cartridge goes even if you teach them to take care, it is a child under 6 job to explore cause and effect. Good luck with your decision, it is difficult as a parent to say no, when the neighbors always seem to be saying yes.

Hi C.!
I agree with the previous moms....play first....then games.

I have a 6 year old and a 3 1/2 year old. We bought the 6 year old a DS for his birthday and he only gets it for a limited amount of time and its certainly not every day. There are very strict rules for the DS.

Having said that, the 6 year old's birthday was in November and for Christmas, we bought the 3 year old a Leapster 2. And again, he doesn't play with it every day and there are limits.

There are some good educational games on the Leapster (in my opinion).

As we told the boys, the games are not replacements for playing with each other, playing outside, etc.

They are WONDERFUL for long car trips (we have family that lives 5 hours away) and that keeps them busy for a while.

Hope this helps.

I was not allowed to have any kind of gaming system when I was with my parents; with all of the mindless stuff on television and the computers, video games (even portable) is just another way to keep kids inside. My brother was allowed a hand held nintendo game when he was about 10 but he was only allowed to use it on long car rides.

My boys are 4 and 6, and they love their DS. I thought it would be hard for them, but they learned so fast, and we have used it to introduce them to the internet as well (the new ones come with wireless adaptability). The games my boys love are racing games, like Hot Wheels and M$M racers.

When i read your post i thought you said 3 month old LOL i cant read! I think a DS would be ok just limit the time she plays it and im pretty sure you can get learning games on it.

I honestly think that it depends on the kid. Some kids are just more into video games then others. I have a friend who's daughter is 4 and has one and can play it very well. But when I worked at a daycare I seen kids around the same age bring them in (even though they weren't allowed) and not know how to use them so it was just a waste of money.

I do think that exercise is more important at this age so you need to make sure that your baby sitter is being active with them. I don't think that it's a big deal if she allows them to play with it while she's busy trying to do something else though - like prepare them food, get there pjs together, or something where she might need a minute.

In my personal opinion though, I would go with a Leapster because at this age they are learning more.

We loved the Leap Frog Leapster. It is educational but the kids feel like they are playing video games. The whole system is sturdy. We have dropped, stepped, and banged the leapster and it still works well. There are plenty of games to choose from.

My kids, who are 10 and 7, are finally growing out of it. I think the 7 year old would still happily play with it if it wasn't for the 10 year old who has a PSP, similiar to the Nintendo DS.

Don't get DS for her at this point. If you want to get her something, look for something more in the Leapster or Didj type of thing. DS is a lot more fragile and at 3 1/2 it just isn't a good idea. I wouldn't get ANY game, really, until she was about 4 or older though. That is about the age that we got our daughter her Leapster Lmax. She was very happy with that for about 3 years. She is 9 now, and has had a DS for a year and a half, and even though she is very responsible generally, and takes care of her things, her DS HAS been dropped once or twice. I just got it back from Nintendo this week (sent off for repairs outside the 1 yr warranty period). It works great again but it cost $75 for repair.

And the games are really small and easy to lose. The other game systems that are designed for younger kids are a little chunkier and easier for them to manage (and not lose). And the systems themselves are built for smaller hands and are more durable (cause they WILL get dropped). They also cost less. When DS lite came out, they were $129. That was a several years ago... they STILL cost $129. If you want one with ALL the bells and whistles (The DSi XL) They cost $189. You can pick up a leapster or didj for under $80.

I would wait until closer to age 6 for a DS. Our son got his when he turned 8 yrs old, and his still works great (actually, his hinge had a piece snap and became floppy, but the top screen still worked fine, which is very common, so we sent it in at the same time as our daughter's and got them both fixed - they cut me a discount on the 2nd one since I sent them in together- total cost $110, and 2 new one year warranties on them).
The Leapster LMax that we got when daughter was 4 1/2 STILL works and has NEVER had to have ANY repairs.
She is considered a "gifted" child at school, and was READING before age 4, and she still LOVED her Lmax. In fact, she still will pull it out once in a while for a couple of the games....

Wow, judgements left and right.....personally, don't see anything wrong with it in moderation. I think some people here are kinda living in the stone age.

That being said, a DS is a little advanced I think for a 3 1/2 year old. I am thinking about getting one for my 6 year old for christmas this year, but at your daughters age I think a leapster would be much better. Plus it has lots of educational type games.

I agree with Amy, if you are going to buy something get a leapster or something similar. They are like video games, but they are educational. For my 4 year old, we just showed him how to do a paint program on the computer. He learned how to use the mouse and what to do and not do on the keyboard. He can just sit and draw pictures on it and is very happy with that. My 6 year old plays preschool games at PBS.org. My oldest two have a Wii, but they are 7 and 10.

My son began asking for a DS around age 4. We held out until his 7th birthday, and then he got a hand-me-down. I would have loved to have kept computers out of his early development altogether, but that's a lost cause as daycare centers, preschools and elementary schools all use desktop computers as learning tools. He wasn't lying when he argued that all of his friends had a DS - but I simply said that he was lucky to have friends who would share their toys. I had a good excuse in that he took very poor care of his things, and made improving upon that a condition of his getting a DS. Now that he has one, we limit his time on it just as we do with the television. Electronics are a significant part of our childrens' world, but it is up to us to manage their exposure and guide their development.

In terms of your sitter, I would find out what games she is using with your children and set some clear guidelines about appropriate content.

my 4.5 year old got one just after he turned 4. my 7yo got one for XMas, and would sometimes let his little brother play. they have leapsters, didj, etc. - but neither one of them like them very much. you can find some educational games, and if nothing else, it does improve hand/eye coordination! my boys LOVE them, but they don't play excessively to the point that it's a problem(maybe 30 minutes a day?). they are great for long road trips though! we are leaving on an 8 hour trip this afternoon - if my 15 month old could play it, i'd get her one too LOL!

Haha - Marketers dream!

We like the LeapFrog products.

My son got the leapster and a ton of games when he was almost 4 and he never took to them. I ended up selling it and he got a ds when he was 4 1/2 so it was a waste of money for roughly 6 mos of no play. Each kid is different. He found the games too slow and just did not enjoy it. My daughter 2 1/2 at the time didnt really enjoy it either. She liked the coloring but it would freeze a lot. If you do a DS be sure to get a protective cover like the nerf or some form of protection because it will get dropped. Buy an extra thing of stylus's they aren't that expensive. Also check out craigslist Im sure your 3 1/2 wont know between used and new. A lot of people are trying to sell theirs to get the new bigger one. My daughter likes to play the dora games and the pet games and my son loves mario bros and mario kart and they do have other games for younger ones.

my four year old is also asking for one too! His maybe step sister has one and she is 6, he knows how to play each game, and even he figured it out on his own. but my only concern is they maintinance. they leave it sitting in the middle of the floor and use the charger as a lasso( go figure). they have dropped it a few times, so i was thinking about getting him a leap frog handheld game because they seem a little more durable! they are made for little ones. i have to constantly take the DS from mines because they leave it anywhere and take it everywhere! I take it from them because they leave it laying around open and i have told them toooo many times to stop doing that so i hope this is helping them learn how not to leave there things laying around. good luck.

I just saw this question and thought I'd add my 2 cents :) I think it all depends on the child. I have a 7 1/2 year old who plays with hers every now and again but my 3 1/2 year old had a great interest in her big sisters so we got her one of her own. She LOVES it. We only allow age appropriate games and she actually amazes us with how quickly she catches on to things. For me, the DS is better than the TV they at least need to use their brain and motor skills to get through the games or levels or whatever it may be. I don't think it's wrong or terrible that she enjoys playing video games. We do get outside and do other activities but the DS has been great for car rides especially, it eliminates the boredom factor and she is having fun. Limit the amount of time it's used and get age appropriate games if you so chose. :)

The Leapster is age-appropriate. The DS is not for 3 1/2 year-olds.

-mom of four-7, 5, 3 & 2

I bought my son a DS for his 3rd birthday. It was the only thing he was asking for (besides a pony!) He does great with it. I only let him play with it at certain times and it's great for long car rides or when I need a few minutes of quiet time. Just get him some little kid games like dora or diego and he'll be fine. good Luck!

Wow - you received a lot of responses. I am a fan of the V-Smile as my son received it as a prize at a picnic at 4, and still plays with it today as he is going on 7. There are a fair amount of games that are age appropriate such as Shrek, Backyardigans, Kung Fu Panda, etc. that have actually taught him a few things while being entertaining - and as other posters mentioned, a life saver in the car. There is also the Leapfrog Leapster (that my son covets since there are some different games than the V-Smile) that many people have mentioned. I think the DS games are a bit old for the 3-6 age group which is why we are only just now considering the DS for his next birthday or Christmas - especially since the V-Smile has held up so well.

Buy an i-pod touch for your family for just a little more $ and put the apps for kids on it. Many are free, others are $5 for the same games that are $30 for the DS. My 2 year old plays with it like you can't believe. You can also put movies and educational games on it. You just have to monitor it closer because it is not made of little kids. Our has been dropped by all of us, without problems. I keep it in my purse for entertainment. Great for car trips.

Call me old fashion but no hand held video games are appropriate for kids this age. Studies are finding that the repetitive motion of video games is causing kids hands to form wrong which is translating to having a difficulty holding a pencil once ready for school. More and more kids are having to get occupational therapy for their hands due to this. Let her color instead!

We got our kids (at the time, 5 and 3 year old) ones for Christmas and my son plays with it and is great. My daughter (now soon to be 4) only plays with it once every 2 weeks. She is getting better, but she only plays with it for a good 10 minutes and then puts hers down.

We had the same problem - everyone at daycare had thiers there and when they played with theirs, my kids were left out to only watch the others playing. Oh, and at 3.5, she may be a bit young to understand that if she drops it, it can easily break or if she pulls out the cartridge while it's powered on, it ruins the cartridge. I explained that to my kids and so far, they have taken care not to drop them, but I'm not sure if your daughter will be as careful. I'd wait until Christmas and then buy her one. That way, she'll be old enough and more responsible.

Good luck.

Our son now 26 got a nintendo for christmas when he was 3. He hadthe super mario game that came with it.He saved the princess at age 3. J.