What's a good age to get my kids into video games?

Question

I have a daughter turning 5 in aug., and a son turning 3 in sept. I would love to get a video game system for my daughter but is she still young. I am thinking of the nintendo wii but again I don't know. I would also love to play the video games but honestly it's more for the kids...any idea, or suggestions, and appropriate age to get your kids this game systems. Thanks for the help.

Answer 1

Wait until they ask.  Then it's probably the appropriate time.  Just be careful with the amount of time they spend on gaming consoles.  You still need to feed their minds and get them outdoors and active.  The last thing you want is a couch potato for a child.

Answer 2

You should get them a nintendo wii, that will also keep them moving while they play.

Answer 3

The Nintendo line has a lot of good games that are approriate for younger children.  They do a lot of games that are concentrated more on things like sports or learning rather than all that doom and gloom that other gaming systems concentrate on.  

If you look around, you could actually probably find a lot of video games that they could play now that are more educational than anything else.  I know there are a lot for the computer, and as I said Nintendo has a lot.  

Some people think video games and computers are all bad for kids.  I do not.  I mean face it, technology is the future.  No, you may not have had a computer until you were 30, but that isnt the case now.  I vote with introducing technology very early in life, while showing them that it can be very very positive, but also teaching them how to be safe with it.

Answer 4

good question-

i would say until their at a level to understanding how to play and knowing what their doing its nothing bad unless it has killing and guns and all thous other things that ARE inappropriate but cars and pony's won't hurt

hope i helped

Answer 5

Oh, definitely when they're older. Nintendo is the best, as the games are geared towards children and families, and the Wii is the easiest game system to learn (ie, you swing the controller like a tennis racquet instead of trying to manipulate two joysticks and at least half a dozen buttons). Xbox is OK, it's the best for more advanced RPG-style games (ie, Assassin's Creed) and FPS games (Halo, Bioshock, Call of Duty). The PS3 is sort of overpriced, overbuilt, and doesn't have any good games.

But why not just buy a console for yourself, and let your kids get into it whenever they're interested? I'm an adult, and I just bought myself a Nintendo Wii and The latest Zelda game (Twilight Princess), and I absolutely love it! I also inherited my brother's Xbox after he got an Xbox 360, and I enjoy playing Fable and Halo on it every once in a while.

For specific suggestions about age-appropriate games, the games have ratings on them. E means 'suitable for all ages' and would roughly be equivalent to a G movie rating, E7+ or E10+ mean 'suitable for ages x and up' and would be roughly equivalent to a PG movie rating, T means 'for teens' and would be about PG-13, M means 'mature' and would be roughly R, and AO means 'adults only' and is the video game equivalent of an NC-17 or X-rated movie. Most major retailers do not sell AO games, and if i remember correctly, Nintendo does not produce or sell M-rated games. However, you also need to keep your child's developmental level in mind - while your 5-year-old may have no problem with the content of Zelda, she likely would have trouble remembering what to do with all her items, figuring out the tough parts, or even reading the dialogue on the screen. And, there are games rated Y which are specifically aimed at younger children. The salespeople at wherever you buy the games, especially game stores or electronics/entertainment stores like FYE or Best Buy, will be able to help you find specific titles.

Answer 6

Wii is GREAT!

wait until they are older, though maybe when your daughter is 6.