Christmas Present My 6 Year Old

Hi A.,

I think a DS is a great idea. They have a lot of educational games available and then some games that are just about having fun so you could get a good mix!

~K.

My kids love the DS, but we have a strict "no video games" rule unless you buy them yourself.

So far for Christmas we've bought our 6 year old daughter craft bead things to make necklaces/braclets; a stand-up microphone thing that works alone or plugs into the ipod so you can sign along (also has fake applause, etc); a Disney scene-it game; a big learn to draw book; some work books of puzzles and stuff; couple pairs of shoes (she loves all kinds of shoes); a 250 piece puzzle and a few other things. I still have more to buy but hopefully this gives you a few ideas.

Good luck!

Hi!
My 8 yr. old daughter just had her birthday a few weeks ago and we bought her a Leap Frog Didj. She loves it! I had really resisted buying her any kind of handheld gaming device because she loves to read and I would much rather see her bring a book in the car or to a Dr. office, etc, than a game. However, the reason I bought the Didj is that it incorporates games that she loves with learning. Each game has an academic focus- Jet Pack Heroes is math, Nancy Drew is spelling, etc. As they progress through the game they must stop and spell or do a math problem. It is also programmable for level specific tasks- you could start your child at the lowest level and then get progressively higher. I can also go to the online site that the game connects to and put my daughter's own spelling list from school for the week into her game unit so she is having a great time playing and studying at the same time! My 5th grader also plays and has her own lists, more difficult math etc. I would highly suggest looking into it. The Didj is recommended for 6-10 year olds. (Geez, they should put me on their advertising payroll! : ) ) It is also less expensive than a DS and the games cost less. Right now they have game and unit combos for sale that saves you more than half the price of the game it comes with.
Blessings,
T.

Reading the responses (these and other questions/responses also) some people seem to be so down on video games, that they are sooo horrible All of my kids play video games We have every game system and too may games to count They have limited time everyday My kids are ALL honor roll students If they behave badly they don't get to play If you monitor them video games are not horrible for kids School doesn't end in school you have to reinforce what they have learned in school at home so if parents aren't doing that that's their problem not video games My daughter is getting a pink DS for Christmas There are a lot of kids games for her to play They are really great for the car and I'm sure my daughter will probably only play it in the car

You sound like you are in the same boat as me :) My soon to be 8 year old wants a DS SO BADLY, but upon further research, I think I am going to get her the Leap Frog Didj. What prompted this decision was the fact that there were more learning games for the didj, as opposed to just video games, plus you can program in certain skills - vocabulary words, etc. Both of our children have leapsters, love them, but my daughter seems to be out growing hers. I know my 4 yr. old son will be able to use his much longer. Oh, and I had heard that the DS is not as durable. The Didj looked like it could be played with and withstand any accidents. Hope this helps!

my five year old loves to play with the nintendo ds too, our babysitter has one and thats when she plays with it, the game that she was playing she had no idea how to play but still thought it was the coolest thing ever. it probably will be a good gift to give

A. ~
My 6 year old grandson has had a ninetendo ds since last Christmas and loves it! You may want to get yourself a game called brain age ~ alot of the girls I work with have it and think it's a blast! Video games can actually help kids, believe it or not. I'm an OB nurse, and there is a robot now that is used for surgeries, the da Vinci, and the residents I work with say that it's like playing a video game. The dexterity they learned as kids helps them. Some of the older doctors have more trouble learning the procedures. So there's a good come-back when people offer criticism!

Another thing you might want to get (unless she has some and you already know) would be a Webkinz. I got 2 last year for my nieces and they love them! It's a stuffed animal, and they can go online to that website and "earn" money and "buy" things and decorate their animal's "home." They can safely chat with their friends (there are phrases that they can click on, no typing in whatever they want).

have fun!
D.

Nintendo DS's are great and you can get some amazing deals at Gamestop. I have 2 kids, a boy and a girl, and they both have had their DS's for 2 1/2 years and haven't grown tired of them. They also make great traveling companions for car trips.

My 6 year old son and 7 year old daughter both have a DS and they both LOVE IT.. I was worried that they would be too rough with them, but it really gave them a chance to show me how they can be responsible with things. Of course they have rules that go with it, such as they are only allowed to play on the weekend, and they get some bonus time when they get 100% on a test. Some of the games that they have are great for it, such as Animal Crossings. There is a lot of reading and writing involved with it and they love it! They also have a lot of puzzle type games that they have to take the time to figure out. I would definitely recommended it!

A.,

A little kindly advice from a Mom who has raised two, skip the video games altogether and buy a musical instrument for your daughter. Video games are such a waste of time and money and your children won't want to do anything but play them. I suggest encouraging a hobby or interest, so few parents do that these days. Somday when you are watching her perform at a recital or play with a musical group you will be so proud of her. It needs to be introduced when they are young and engrained into them.

S.

I have a 8 year old and a 5 year old and they both got a ds for Christmas last year. They LOVE it. I only bought them 1 game with it since they are expensive, but then others had great ideas for birthday and other holidays. I have to say they have alot of games for their age and some are learning games. Good luck deciding hope i helped

Sure! Why not? She'll be able to play with it for years!

I have a 5 year old girl and she absolutly loves hers. She got it for Christmas last year.

Hi A.,
Both my daughters have a DS. My almost 6 yr old got it for Easter this year. She loved her older sisters so we got a used one for my daughter. They love it and it is nice if we go somewhere where the girls need to be kept busy and quite. They still read, play musical instraments, and have lots of learing activities. I do limit the time they have for there DS. A good game for your daughter is Strawberry Shortcake, Interactive Storybook, Crayloa Adventures, and Smart Girls Playhouse. I think it is a great idea to het it. Good luck.

Hi A.,

It is so hard to make these decisions isn't it? I am a school teacher, and I believe that video games are one of the reasons that we are having such a difficult time in schools these days. These create multiple stimulations for a child and eventually they will require these multiple stimulations for learning. I wonder, how can you learn to write on a video game? It can't teach you to hold a pencil. I personally plan to keep video games out of my daughter's life as long as possible! I have to agree with the person who suggested a musical instrument. It has been researched and speculated that children who are not exposed to music before the age of seven will have a more difficult time with logical skills like math and science. The video game is a quiet babysitter when you have as hectic of a life as you do, that is for sure. But stimulate her brain with something that will create positive connections in her brain and make learning easier in the future. Believe me it will be worth it when she is learning Algebra!
Good Luck!
L.