Handheld game/learning system for 4 year old

[tinker&belle]

My 3 year old loves the new Leapster Explorer her great grandma got her for Christmas. I found out she was getting it before and ordered a few games, my mom got her one and DH's stepdad got her one.

She really likes Dora and Ni Hao Ki Lan, and likes the Princess Storybook and Toy Story 3 but she will say those are 'hard' and needs more help with those.

She does seem to be learning on them (she is limited how long she can use it, I don't want her doing it all day). I really like the game that comes on the Explorer where she can use the stylus to practice letters. It has caused her to write more with a pencil and paper.

 

[figment3258]

We got our 4 yr old vreader for christmas and it's a big hit. Also I do not if u want to go this way but the dd now has Elmo and cookie monster games and if they are like the wii ones they are a big hit

 

[MrsPooh]

Since this is the budget board I'll throw my budget advise out there...

My 4 yr old dd loves her Leapster2. I'm sure she would love many of the other devices much more if she had them but since she doesn't she is happy with what she has.

She is our youngest and we are not concerned about having the newest version of something for her to pass down to younger siblings.

I was able to get the Leapster2 at a consignment sale for $15 including an ac adaptor and two games. We are missing the computer cable but it works fine without it. Since the Leapster2 works with both the Leapster and Leapster2 games we have purchased some new games but I've also been able to find older games that work fine on craigslist for $5.

I know she'll be ready for a more advanced unit within the next year so my budget was much happier with a used $15 unit that plays $5 games than a $50+ unit that plays $25 games.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Just a warning if you have older kids and your 4 year old plays their games , he may not be happy with the leapster. DGS asked for a DS for his 4th birthday and I got the leapster. Has gotten very little use. He plays wii all the time and likes the older kids DS's and the leapster just does not hold his attention. I refused to buy a 4 year old a DS but now wish I had just went ahead and got him one There are a lot of preschool friendly games for them too.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

We have a Wii and our daughter has a DSi XL and our 4 year old son has hardly touched them since he got his Explorer.

 

[Disneychix]

We just got DS (4) a Mobigo. He loves it! He does 'play' Wii so he is used to big kid games but the Mobigo is a really good system too. He currently has 3 games for it and all of them have kept his attention. He's not bored with it yet!