my 6 year old daughter has put these

flower24

I'd say a DS. My daughter is 4 and plays on ours. It was actually a present for me and my partner from my mum last Christmas but she has now snaffled it!

La-Cara

Counting_Pennies wrote: »

I have been not keen for DS to have a DS, all his friends do, but I worry because it is very much a lonely thing to do and I want him to enjoy socialising. Plus he does get a little hot headed if he plays on a friends. We are putting that off!

it doesn't have to be something you play on your own as you can play against others so your DS could quite easily play things like Mario Party with his friends

My friend's DD got a DS for her 6th birthday and is still using it over a year later. She likes playing platform games like Super Mario Bros, Princess Peach etc and has asked for Art Academy for Christmas so she can do drawing on it. Most of the major kids films/ tv shows have games for the DS which help them to develop problem solving skills, reaction times etc

ontheroad_2

you can also get "flips" for the DS - these are reading games with little puzzles to do as you go along, so kind of like a game and reading book all in one on the DS.

My DD got her DS lite for Christmas when she was 6, 3 years later and she still loves it and plays with it loads.

stumpycat

ontheroad wrote: »

you can also get "flips" for the DS - these are reading games with little puzzles to do as you go along, so kind of like a game and reading book all in one on the DS.

My DD got her DS lite for Christmas when she was 6, 3 years later and she still loves it and plays with it loads.

These were my favourite Enid Blyton books - a long time ago!

http://www.toysrus.co.uk/%280082539%29?aw_link=aw&cm_mmc=Affiliate%2fAwin-_-102563-_-Text-_-DeepLink

pinkzebra

The other thing you need to consider, is that if you get 'grown up' presents at age 6 (like mobile phones/x boxes etc), then what will they want when they are 10? My friends 9 year old daughter has this problem - she already has a wii, ds, ps2, mobile, ipod and netbook. She has everything a 16 year old would want!! (in fact, she has more than alot of adults).

I suggest getting toys - she will probably be very happy with Lego, Dolls, Zhu Zhu pets etc. If you have to get her a console, then a DS.

A pet is not a good thing to get for Christmas. They might be bored with them by the time New Year comes, then end up at the animal shelter.

stumpycat

OP - I'm also a bit concerned at your references to 'learning' - how do you define that?

DKLS

stumpycat wrote: »

OP - I'm also a bit concerned at your references to 'learning' - how do you define that?

The DS does have a number of educational titles, especially around building maths and english skills and in a different vein a pharma co has developed a glucose strip reader which fits into a DS, matched with an adventure game that teaches the importance of taking regular tests so kids can understand their diabetes and more importantly learn to manage their condition all done in fun and non clinical way.

This thread makes me wonder what advertising is being targeted to kids of that age.

bylromarha

DKLS wrote: »

This thread makes me wonder what advertising is being targeted to kids of that age.

Friendships :rotfl:

My kids watch very little TV, and what they do watch is DVDs or BBC, so no adverts.

They rarely get magazines.

Kids see their older friends playing on these consoles, adults and teens playing on [STRIKE]portable entertainment systems [/STRIKE]phones so of course they want them for themselves. They're fun!

DS is 6 and he wants a DS. DD (4) wants a phone as she loves typing and taking pictures with mine. Neither will be getting what they want, but I know they will love what they are getting.

JC9297

stumpycat wrote: »

OP - I'm also a bit concerned at your references to 'learning' - how do you define that?

Yes, children can learn a lot through things that aren't necessarily meant to be educational.

Also what's wrong with doing things just for the fun of it. I sometimes wonder when parents only want their children to watch 'educational' TV programmes or play educational games, do they apply the same rules to their own leisure time?

mumslave

Did you decide on the DS?

Both my daughters have one and love it. There are many educational games out there for kids, as in doing simple math, tracing letters and so on.

Games I would recommend:

Cooking Mama 3 - my two just love this
Any of the three tinkerbell games
Mario Kart DS
Build A Bear Workshop
Crayola Treasure Adventure
Hello Kitty Party