"I'd rather just stay in the room and play games on the iPad"

[GigglyFigment]

I was just wondering if it was common for kids that young to be so into video games to the point that they thought about it most of the time. I'd just never seen it before, and wondered if it was common. So I was asking the parents here. Apparently, it is.

I'm sure the kids you worked with obsessed over things - Barbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Transformers, etc. I know a lot of people treat video games differently, but they really aren't to kids - they've had access to them growing up for years and years now. It's just another thing like Dora the Explorer or Batman or Iron Man or whatever else. When a kid is into something, they'll mention it - A LOT. It might be Minecraft or it might be something else entirely, but that's what they'll talk about to an adult because it's what they talk about to their peers.

 

[tarak]

KristaTX, I didn't take your original post as anything other than curiosity. I have four kids, 10, 8, 5, and 1. The older three LOVE Minecraft. They can play together with our wifi network. My five-year-old also loves legos. The PP who compared it to that wasn't far off. Personally, I don't get it. And the graphics that are worthy of a Commodore 64 make my head hurt. But they love it.

 

[Poohforyou]

Kids become obsessed with new things as they master them. I bet a few weeks from now the child will have moved onto something else.

I remember when my dd learned how to use scissors. All the kid wanted to do was cut up things. I had shopping bags full of stuff she cut out of magazines and catalogs. I honestly thought about having her tested for OCD. After a few weeks though she was on to something else.

 

[IUTBAM]

Last time I took my daughter to Disneyland for a week, she had begged for these little Disney baby stuffed animals. It's a baby Minnie that has a blanket you can swaddle around her. Anyway, she got a Minnie, a Pluto, and a Dumbo, I think. She loved those animals. We would bring one with us to the park each day, but only one so we didn't lose it.

Anyway, on our 2nd day there she asked if we could just go back to the hotel room so she could play with her babies. I know the highlight of the trip, for her, was pushing those babies around in her stroller and playing with them in the hotel room, nevermind all the attractions!

I think this is adorable. I also think it's a far cry from wanting to play video games incessantly or talk about video games incessantly because in this instance, your daughter wanted to play, using her IMAGINATION...and that is AWESOME. More kids should be doing that, and getting away from all the video games.

My DD (now 20) was never ever into video games, with the exception of the computer games Zoo Tycoon and Nancy Drew, and it was never in excessive amounts. She would much rather have been reading, doing something outside, at the barn with her horse, or creating things (sewing, doing craft projects, drawing, etc.). She didn't get that way by magic...we encouraged that from the time she was very young. She has a love of learning and interest in many different things now (she did very, very well in high school, and continues that trend in college), and I know the lack of artificial entertainment in her life growing up had a lot to do with that. Kids can't get addicted if the parents supervise and guide. She went over to a guy friend's dorm room awhile back, and played a true video game for the first time in her life. She thought it was mindless lol.

 

[Planogirl]

I think this is adorable. I also think it's a far cry from wanting to play video games incessantly or talk about video games incessantly because in this instance, your daughter wanted to play, using her IMAGINATION...and that is AWESOME. More kids should be doing that, and getting away from all the video games.

My DD (now 20) was never ever into video games, with the exception of the computer games Zoo Tycoon and Nancy Drew, and it was never in excessive amounts. She would much rather have been reading, doing something outside, at the barn with her horse, or creating things (sewing, doing craft projects, drawing, etc.). She didn't get that way by magic...we encouraged that from the time she was very young. She has a love of learning and interest in many different things now (she did very, very well in high school, and continues that trend in college), and I know the lack of artificial entertainment in her life growing up had a lot to do with that. Kids can't get addicted if the parents supervise and guide. She went over to a guy friend's dorm room awhile back, and played a true video game for the first time in her life. She thought it was mindless lol.

Some video games require imagination.

My son played video games quite a bit and frankly so did his Mom. DS also had other interests and is doing quite well.

 

[KristaTX]

KristaTX, I didn't take your original post as anything other than curiosity. I have four kids, 10, 8, 5, and 1. The older three LOVE Minecraft. They can play together with our wifi network. My five-year-old also loves legos. The PP who compared it to that wasn't far off. Personally, I don't get it. And the graphics that are worthy of a Commodore 64 make my head hurt. But they love it.

Thanks! I didn't realize that I'd created my own landmine by starting this thread . I'm going to have to add "children playing video games" to my list of things NEVER to bring up on the DIS .

And I said the same thing to my husband about the graphics of Minecraft. The video game doesn't even look good . Yes, it's sort of 3-D-ish in that you can look around, but it looks really blurry. It looks really old, kind of like the graphics in the video for "Money for Nothing" look now.

 

[KristaTX]

I will say, though, that it is a game that allows for a lot of creativity. They are actually building stuff. I always thought from the name that it really was about landmines or something, and I didn't even know it was a kid game. I guess violence just automatically comes into my head with video games anymore.

I can see how it could lead a kid into something like architecture. But I still don't get why the graphics are so poor.

 

[LCoulter]

My DD6 loves that game! She was obsessed with it for a few months, now she just plays it occasionally and loves playing it with DH. The obsession is just a phase she is going through and she will move onto another obsession. The game is probably fairly new to her so she is excited about it. We are a techie family so DD6 loves all the techie toys, as does DH.

From what you describe, it sounds like the parents are limiting it…they could have let her use the I-Pad in the parks too or use it instead of an actual nap.

We are limiting DD’s use of the tech toys. At one point, she couldn’t go in the car without a tech toy but we put a stop to that. I don’t have a problem with her using her tech toy for a long drive but not for short drives.

It also sounds like the parents are having her be active doing other things. Our DD6 has other interest too and loves being outside running around, playing with the neighbor kids. DH and are very introverted…DD6 is very extroverted, despite the tech toys.

On the other hand, DH’s sister’s family have always let their kids play with their tech toys every waking moment, until the wee-hours of the morning on every school night and then they wonder why they can’t get them up for school in the morning. It is not uncommon to see them still on-line at 4am. This family has been tossing around the idea of canceling cable TV and all the movie channels but what is keeping them from doing so is they actually don’t know how else to entertain their 2 year old. I feel sorry for the little girl and we just don’t understand this parenting style. Your friends sound fine to me.

Sometimes when we are at WDW, DD6 is just ready to go back to the resort to swim. I think that relaxes her after hours of overwhelming input.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I was just wondering if it was common for kids that young to be so into video games to the point that they thought about it most of the time. I'd just never seen it before, and wondered if it was common. So I was asking the parents here. Apparently, it is.

From someone who just finished working in first grade, I am going to say no. Most of them played it, most of them liked it and could talk about it, but only the one I already wrote about was obsessed with it.

 

[Nancyg56]

Before I even post I have a disclaimer: I play Hay Day. A lot.

I think Poohforyou is on to something here Children that age get overwhelmed and don't know how to effectively express it. She probably wanted to just go and relax for a little while in a way that was familiar and calming for her.

My DGD was 4 the first time we took her and she needed time to herself. She is an only and so she was used to having time just for her, and so my DD made sure she had things she could relax with. I cannot remember what they were, but I do know that if there was a video game DD approved of, she would have been allowed to play it.

I saw that you think kids need to be a little older on their first trip to avoid being overwhelmed, but I don't think age has anything to do with it. Kady is 11 now and even though she can go all day, and all night too, DD always builds tome for her to decompress, and right now, she does this by playing games. She has always been that kid who, for one reason or another, will need to take a step back and let her head relax.

The first time we took the kids they were 3 and 5 years old. This was 25 years ago. I remember them telling me they wanted to stay in the room and watch Disney cartoons on TV since we just had basic cable service.

Mine were 8, 10, and 12. My DH saved and saved and saved to take them, and his 17 YO nephew on a 10 day trip, first to Daytona beach and then ending up at WDW. It was tremendously expensive for us, we stayed at the CR, because my DH wanted them to be smack dab in the middle of the magic. his was 26 years ago, so no dining plan, very few restaurants to choose from, and we had a 17 YO bottomless pit with us. Because we were there for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and NYE, we had several special meals. Our last real day there we took them to the Top of the World for brunch, they ate rice krispies. By then, DH was

When asked what was the best thing on vacation, my youngest said the chocolate chip pancakes at IHOP. Yup...we spent thousands to give them a once in a lifetime trip and the pancakes were teh big hit!

Yes that would be tough! Especially with the judgement coming from one of those adults without kids!

How often was everyone engaging with her? She had no one her age to play with or talk with at her level so when she gets overwhelmed or bored what's wrong with her doing something that comforts her or makes her happy! It just happens to be a game! Big deal!

I think that it is hard to relate to what kids are doing now for a lot of folks. I still don't know what on Earth my DGD is doing and she is with me a lot. I am a bit removed from what is "normal" behavior, though, so I generally need to ask.

I do know that even though we have always entertained her, engaged her and if my DH is there, had the world revolve around her, she still needs to retreat. Especially if she is in the middle of a group of adults who want to make sure she is having a good time.

 

[LCoulter]

Thanks! I didn't realize that I'd created my own landmine by starting this thread . I'm going to have to add "children playing video games" to my list of things NEVER to bring up on the DIS .

And I said the same thing to my husband about the graphics of Minecraft. The video game doesn't even look good . Yes, it's sort of 3-D-ish in that you can look around, but it looks really blurry. It looks really old, kind of like the graphics in the video for "Money for Nothing" look now.

I will say, though, that it is a game that allows for a lot of creativity. They are actually building stuff. I always thought from the name that it really was about landmines or something, and I didn't even know it was a kid game. I guess violence just automatically comes into my head with video games anymore.

I can see how it could lead a kid into something like architecture. But I still don't get why the graphics are so poor.

DH said that the game was created that way on purpose and it is actually harder then it looks to create it that way...they weren't trying to be cheap when creating the game.

I am amazed by the structures that DH and DD have built. They each built their own structure in the same game and then connected them with bridges and underground tunnels. DD even built a farm for the animals in the game and also an underground roller coaster. Each built a bedroom for the other in their own structure. When they start playing, they spend a few hours.

 

[Colleen27]

I think this is adorable. I also think it's a far cry from wanting to play video games incessantly or talk about video games incessantly because in this instance, your daughter wanted to play, using her IMAGINATION...and that is AWESOME. More kids should be doing that, and getting away from all the video games.

My DD (now 20) was never ever into video games, with the exception of the computer games Zoo Tycoon and Nancy Drew, and it was never in excessive amounts. She would much rather have been reading, doing something outside, at the barn with her horse, or creating things (sewing, doing craft projects, drawing, etc.). She didn't get that way by magic...we encouraged that from the time she was very young. She has a love of learning and interest in many different things now (she did very, very well in high school, and continues that trend in college), and I know the lack of artificial entertainment in her life growing up had a lot to do with that. Kids can't get addicted if the parents supervise and guide. She went over to a guy friend's dorm room awhile back, and played a true video game for the first time in her life. She thought it was mindless lol.

Minecraft is a very imaginative game... Very much like virtual Legos, without the limitations of the laws of physics or being made of plastic.

And honestly, I don't think you can really know why your child is the way she is. Mine have virtually unlimited access to electronic amusement (I'm a techie, we have a lot of toys) and they still play sports, hang out outside with friends, have other activities, etc. I think it is as much personality as anything else. My son can get very into video games and we do have to set limits during the school year to keep his priorities in order, but we have the same issue with his basement metal shop; he's just prone to obsessions that way. My daughter will game sometimes if the weather is lousy but would craft or play with her bunny or just read most of the time. She simply isn't as prone to overdoing any one thing as her brother is (but on the flip side, we constantly battle her tendency to stretch herself too thin with too many activities and commitments).

 

[Aladora]

I'm going to start this by saying that my DS is autistic so he behaves a little differently than neuro-typical kids.

I can understand why the OP asked about this and I think it is an interesting topic. Behaviour like this is totally normal in our household, not only is DS autistic but both DH and I work in the tech field, in fact we own a tech company. We recently went to Seattle for a few days and we brought with us nine different types of electronic devices. (2 iPhones, 1 iPad, 1 iPod, 1 Android tablet, 1 Windows 8 tablet, 2 Kindles and 1 Nintendo DS)

Of course, even *I* think that was a little extreme, even for us!

DS is an only child so when we go to DL, it's just the 3 of us. We allow him to bring his Nintendo DS to the park for when he is overwhelmed by everything or just plain bored...in fact, allowing him to play while we wait in line reduces the times we need to use his GAC! We're even that family with the kid sitting nicely at the table, playing his game with headphones on. Other times, we are that family with the kid sitting nicely at the table reading a book or working on a logic puzzle, but no matter what he is not going to be sitting there carrying on a typical 8 year old's conversation...he just can't do that yet.

Kids get focused on things, ASD kids even more so. My son can figuratively talk your ears off about Pokemon these days and I have to pretend to a) be interested and b) understand what the heck he is saying!

In response to the person who was surprised that a 6 year old naps, we had to FORCE DS to give up his nap the month before kinder and on our first two trips to DL with him (when he was 6 and then 6 3/4) he napped most afternoons. Especially for kids who are not used to the gogogogogogo of DL, naps are great! Heck, I'll even fall asleep for a bit when we go back to the hotel for afternoon quiet time and I am well past napping age!

 

[KristaTX]

DH said that the game was created that way on purpose and it is actually harder then it looks to create it that way...they weren't trying to be cheap when creating the game.

I am amazed by the structures that DH and DD have built. They each built their own structure in the same game and then connected them with bridges and underground tunnels. DD even built a farm for the animals in the game and also an underground roller coaster. Each built a bedroom for the other in their own structure. When they start playing, they spend a few hours.

I wonder why they wanted it to look that way. To make it kind of retro or old school? I wouldn't think it was for retro reasons because kids wouldn't know that it was retro looking, and it sounds like it's mostly the pre-teen set who plays it.

The only two video games I've played somewhat regularly in the last, oh, thirty years or so have been Virtual Magic Kingdom and FarmTown. They looked way better than Minecraft to me. But I always liked my toys to look mostly realistic - no My Little Ponies or Care Bears for me (although those were a little after my time). I'm not criticizing because apparently people like it. I'm just wondering what the reasoning was for making it look like that on purpose.

Speaking of video games. . . The only video game I own is a ColecoVision and some cartridges from the 1980's. I had one and loved it when I was a kid, and my husband bought me this one for Christmas ten or fifteen years ago . Maybe I need to get it out and play

 

[KristaTX]

In response to the person who was surprised that a 6 year old naps, we had to FORCE DS to give up his nap the month before kinder and on our first two trips to DL with him (when he was 6 and then 6 3/4) he napped most afternoons. Especially for kids who are not used to the gogogogogogo of DL, naps are great! Heck, I'll even fall asleep for a bit when we go back to the hotel for afternoon quiet time and I am well past napping age!

Thanks for sharing about your son and your family. In regards to the naps, I couldn't tell if that person was serious or not, but I guess they were. We adults were as ready for nap time as the six year old! Especially the dad of the little girl. I think he needed it as much as she did. I didn't always sleep, but I did enjoy lounging about the room for a while. Plus, they are all very fair skinned redheads, and they were trying to limit sun exposure as much as was possible with sunscreen, hats, and afternoon breaks!

 

[DebbieB]

I took my niece to WDW in 1999. It was at the height of the Pokémon craze. I told her she could have $50 to spend at WDW for souvenirs. She wasn't buying anything. Then I realized she saw the cards at the airport on the way in and she was hoping to use the money to buy them. I told her no way. I spent all this money to take her to WDW, she's not going home with them as her souvenir. I did relent and let her buy a pack or two going home.

 

[poohguys]

Also the game Minecraft has taken over little kids brains. Even my DS12 is addicted to Minecraft and will sit and play it all his wakings hours if I let him.

My DS12 is just the same. The kids in his school have set up their own server so they can all play together. He said some of his friends have stayed up all night playing. (His limit is 10 on school nights and when we go to bed on the weekends-usually about 1 am). I don't get Minecraft, but they interact and work as a team to build stuff.

OP-I asked DS if next time we go to WDW is he going to want to play Minecraft. His answer was Minecraft is fun, but Disney is still more fun.

 

[LCoulter]

I wonder why they wanted it to look that way. To make it kind of retro or old school? I wouldn't think it was for retro reasons because kids wouldn't know that it was retro looking, and it sounds like it's mostly the pre-teen set who plays it.

The only two video games I've played somewhat regularly in the last, oh, thirty years or so have been Virtual Magic Kingdom and FarmTown. They looked way better than Minecraft to me. But I always liked my toys to look mostly realistic - no My Little Ponies or Care Bears for me (although those were a little after my time). I'm not criticizing because apparently people like it. I'm just wondering what the reasoning was for making it look like that on purpose.

Speaking of video games. . . The only video game I own is a ColecoVision and some cartridges from the 1980's. I had one and loved it when I was a kid, and my husband bought me this one for Christmas ten or fifteen years ago . Maybe I need to get it out and play

My 43 year old DH and some of his friends as well as the 6 year old DD all love Minecraft so I don't think it is made specifically for the per-teen set. If the game were designed to look realistic, then it would require the gamer to be artistic and to draw the structures. The blocks are like Legos instead and don't require you to be artistic. There are two different modes in the game too...a survival mode that involves fighting as well as building for those that like that challenge or the creative mode which is what DD likes and when DH plays with her, they do creative which is strictly building. They still have the creatures in this mode but they do not attack.

 

[DawnM]

And just to add another of my .02 to this thread.......

My 15 year old is really into Art and Design and one of the careers he is interested in is designing graphics for electronic gaming........which will mean he will be paid to play around with these games for oh, 8-10 hours per DAY.

Yup, it isn't all in vein.