Nintendo DS

[jaylensmom]

Do your kids have Nintendo DS? If so, what age were they when they got it?

My son (almost 5) wants a Nintendo DS...his father was all set to get it the other day but I said wait until his birthday in November...I'm not into games so I have no idea if he will be able to play it or not...Help!

[Jennilyn]

My daughters were 6 & 3 when they got theirs. There are games that are young enough for my youngest to play.

[Leila]

JP received his for his 8th birthday, after asking for one for three years. Devin does try to take/use it a lot, but he's not allowed his own until he's eight. That said, he bought himself a Didj with birthday money last year and he loves it.

[mummytothree]

all of my older kids got them for Christmas last year they were ages 10, 6 and just turned 4!!! Best $$ I ever spent on a Christmas present....it's the only one that they still "play" with!!!!

I'm sure my youngest 2 will get them around the age 4 also!!!

[g8rbeckie]

My DD got one at 4 yrs also - and she LOVES it! Some of the titles she can play:

Crayola Treasures (coloring game)
Smart Girls Clubhouse (we also have Smart Boys for my 2yr old - he can already do some of the stuff in it!)
and her favorite is "Lovely Lisa" - its a little girl who does chores in the house, learns jobs in the career center. and you can design clothes and put makeup on her - she LOVES it!

you can go to Amazon and search "DS games for young children" and it brings up several options! I always read the customer reviews. Some of the games require reading, which makes it hard for the little ones in the beginning. But it is amazing for what they can memorize!

[Nathalie]

My DD is turning 7 tomorrow and she will get one. Most of her peers and friends already have one, so she has been begging for a while But these expensive kind of presents she doesn't get in between - only birthday and christmas! And even now the DS will be from her grandparents and aunts, simply because we want to make her understand the value. The DS costs here US$175 and the avarage game US$44 and I simply find that too expensive for a birthday present. Mind you, all her birthday wishes are in that price range

OK, back to your question - yes, I think your son is old enough to have one when he turnes 5 - there are age appropiate games. It's just that I think they don't need to get one at that age, kwim? But that is just my opinion, though.

[SmallMoments]

Luke was five and a few months. Some of his favorite games are the Lego games (Star Wars, Batman, Indiana Jones) and iSpy.

[Priscilla]

Will got his at 3.5, almost 4

[ajf9597]

DS got his at almost 7, but he didn't want to wait for xmas, so he had to buy it himself. He's not really into games, but it does come in handy for long car rides and he plays it occasionally at home.

[Nathalie]

Originally Posted by ajf9597

DS got his at almost 7, but he didn't want to wait for xmas, so he had to buy it himself. He's not really into games, but it does come in handy for long car rides and he plays it occasionally at home.

I like that he had to buy it himself - definately a thing that I have to suggest DD who wants an Ipod for her birthday amongst other expensive things.

[jaylensmom]

thanks ladies...i guess he is old enough...now i just have to figure out which games he will play and hold his interest...

[jessica31876]

I have one, my teenage son has one-he was like 13 and my youngest son has one and he got his at 11.

[jaylensmom]

Originally Posted by Nathalie

I like that he had to buy it himself - definately a thing that I have to suggest DD who wants an Ipod for her birthday amongst other expensive things.

i like the idea too...i made my son pay for some of his toys from the disney store and he told everyone i took his money out of his wallet...he forgot to tell them about the toys

[meganmecrazy]

I got one for ME!

My kids do not have one, they are 5 but I just wanted them to get some use out of the Leapsters, etc. they got from Christmas last year. If there is a game that they want to play I guess...if I really have to...I will share and let them play with it! LOLOLOLOL!

[meganmecrazy]

I just saw in a game magazine that there is a game that teaches them how to read!!

Pre-K

[jaylensmom]

Originally Posted by meganmecrazy

I just saw in a game magazine that there is a game that teaches them how to read!!

Pre-K

thanks megan...

[Sharon Kay]

Yes they can play it at that age IF you read customer reviews on ages...I speak from experience as a previous "video game reviewer" for children. Many times they are advertised and the kids think they sound like so much fun...but it's a complete waste of money if it is too hard for them...they get frustrated and the game gets put aside...either to get lost or interest in the game itself wanes before they will actually get use out of it.

Kids that age are apt to LOSE things (especially if they really don't appreciate the VALUE/COST of the item)...so I would be apt to have "ownership" of it when going out of the house. I would also suggest "ownership" of all the games...put them in your purse and "trade" the game in the machine for one of the games that you have...man that will save you a lot of $$ over games being just "set down" places and lost.

Do I have experience with this? YES! 3 boys...all have had video games. ...and one friend whose son lost his video game console several times at stores and restaurants...which of course were NOT there when they went back to look for it.

TIP: Make SURE you get the screen protectors!!! I loaned MY DS to my son's friend when we all went to a drive-in movie...and he used so much pressure that he wore the tip down on the stylus and scratched up the screen cover really bad! Was so glad I had a protector on it! oh and the stylus might be apt to get lost.

Right now my 15yo doesn't have one...his broke on the hinge...so he is totally out of luck...he is soooooooo bummed!...and he was not one to abuse toys!! They have to be careful...they are NOT like the other TOYS made for that age... they are not child proof...smash proof...and cannot be thrown...they are really designed for someone to take care of them. ...

[ditzyscrap]

Each of my kids have one - they were 3 and 5 when they first got them. My 5yo was better at games so he got the "harder" ones (racing, etc) and we got things like Diego and Dora and coloring games for my 3yo. Now they're 5 and 7 and have quite a few games between them - the younger still plays "her" games and doesn't really touch the others, though.

My son was really rough on his first one - he got mad at a game and bit the screen...we ended up buying him a new one (we'd bought them for his Wish trip to keep them entertained because we had about 12 hours in airports and planes each way).

[hhleung]

My daughter got hers when she was almost 7 but she had to save up her allowance to pay for half of it (I paid the other half)

Helen

[julifish]

My oldest DD got hers when she was 8 and she saved the money to buy it herself. She earned the last $20 by selling her Game Boy to her younger sister age 5. My little one is now 7 and she still uses the Game Boy and her Leapster and her Didj. I'm not ready to move her to the DS.

Could a 5 year old use it and appreciate it - yes! Is it a lifesaver to have some kind of handheld game system for when you have to car shop, furniture shop, appliance shop or go on a long trip - LIFESAVER!!!! (My kids lives have been saved many times) Just make sure you come up with a good system to keep track of the games. They are so darn expensive and the kids don't think twice when they lose one - drives me nuts!

[g8rbeckie]

Originally Posted by meganmecrazy

I got one for ME!

I got one for me, too!! I love the Professor Layton games (I just got the second one!). I also bought a game to learn Spanish!

[delofamily]

My daughter is 5 and my son 7... they love it and it is great for road trips!

[jocelinsmommy]

My DD got hers are 3.5

[Stacey42]

DS1 is finally getting one for his 7th birthday next week. He got an mp3 player last year instead of the DS. He had to choose which he wanted more . He's had a Leapster and been playing with it all this time & I'm hoping we've drummed into him about taking care of the machine & the games enough it sticks with the DS Lite. DS2 will probably get one for his 6th birthday in January, assuming he still wants one.