Is a 4yr old too young for a DS lite?

[gfamof4]

I am getting my DD5 1/2 a DS lite for Christmas. My DS will turn four on Christmas day. I am afraid that after seeing his sister with one that he will want one as well. He already has a Wii and has no problem with it. Any suggestions?

 

[FayeW]

Yes, I think 4 is too young. No time like the present to teach him that he doesn't get everything somebody else has.

 

[RobinFabulous]

I think it depends on your child. We have the GBA and my 6 year old can't work it, but the 3 year old can. I think if he has good hand eye coordination he could probably play it

 

[dvcnewgirl]

I got one for my 4yo last Christmas. She really wanted one. There are very few games that do not require reading so she has not used it very much. I got her a new game for it this year that does not require reading so I know she will be happy.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Does your 4 year old have a Leapster? We got DD5 a DS for Christmas last year because her older sister was getting one (she turned five just after Christmas). Until recently, she preferred her Leapster. The characters in the Leapster games were more interesting to her, and the games are easier. Most DS games require some reading, but there are some that do not. She now prefers her DS. If I were you, I'd look at the games offered for DS to see if there are any that you think would be interesting to your DS. It's probably not a matter of being able to play it if he plays the Wii, but you might not find too many games that he can play independently unless he is a good reader.

If your DS doesn't have a Leapster, that might be a good option for him until he is a bit older.

Many four year olds can play a DS just fine - my DD just preferred her Leapster at that age.

 

[DVC Tina]

My daughter is 3-1/2 and she loves hers. She plays Animal Crossing and she has a Disney Tetris game also.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I think most games are geared towards readers. Probably though, if your older child uses his DS when traveling, if the younger one didn't have one it may be a challenge for you to keep them from fighting over it. I think maybe a few games might be okay for the younger one....I think the 'pet' type games might be okay, though many maybe geared more towards girls. You might also try a 'classic arcade games' cartridge with games like Pacman.

 

[sohappy]

My 3 year old is getting his DS time right now (20 minutes a day max, if it has been earned). He can play lego star wars and a mario game. I am not sure that he is awesome at it, but he loves it. He has a leapster too. I am not as limiting (still limiting, just not as limiting) on that because it is educational. He likes the DS because his brother likes it so much. When big brother plays on his leapster, little brother loves it too.

 

[5 for WDW]

We got one for our daughter when she turned 4. She is 5 now. Her older brothers each have one and she kept playing theirs.

As others have said, a lot of games require reading but, she loves her Nintendog and Horsez games.

All three of my kids hardly use theirs. They play them in the car or on the plane when we vacation. They are great for those times.

 

[princess&her4princes]

I am getting my DD5 1/2 a DS lite for Christmas. My DS will turn four on Christmas day. I am afraid that after seeing his sister with one that he will want one as well. He already has a Wii and has no problem with it. Any suggestions?

No idea on DS Lite (never even heard of it) but just had to say my DS will be 4 on Christmas day, too!!

 

[gfamof4]

He was my little Christmas surprise He came a week earlier than scheduled. The best Christmas present ever

 

[shoppgirl]

I bought DD6 one to enjoy as all her friends had one and she really wanted one herself. I didn't think there would be any harm in buying her one as long as it is used in moderation. Of course, DD4 saw her sister playing with it and DD6 did her best to share, but I could tell it was bothering her! So I caved and bought my 4 year old one too. She has a little more difficulty with it because she can't read, but she plugs away at it and I have found games that don't require reading that she enjoys. She loves playing Disney Friends, and the Disney Princess Magical Jewels game. That one doesn't need any reading to enjoy. I let them play it when travelling or sitting in restaurants when the adults still need to talk/eat after they kids have finished. I don't have a problem with that at all. Like I said before, moderation is the key. Plus we had our upcoming trip to Disney and I wanted them to have something for the plane ride!

 

[The Disney Bunch]

No!! My little one was 4 when we got her one - she loved it! She learned so much from it - I think the DS lite is one of her favorite toys. well worth the money!!

 

[TommyTutone]

Seconding the Leapster idea. My son has one to be like Dad's DS with the speech capabilities, the key pad, and the touch screen. It's rugged, and has a great library with educational stuff, a huge boon over the DS.

If you pick up the L-Max, it will allow you (with L-Max games, although it plays all Leapster games) to plug the Leapster into the tv and the child can see his game on it.

 

[mmorris72]

MDS got one for his 4th b-day this past Aug. and he LOVES it. He is able to play all of the games that ODS has reading or not. One tip, get the nerf case.

HTH,
Michele

 

[mjantz]

You might try a used NintendoDS & see how he does with that before investing the money in a lite. You should be able to pick up a used regular DS fairly cheap at a used game store. If you wold want to make it a bit more special because its used, you can get these stickers called 'skins' off of eBay that could really personalize it. We gave DD her brothers old regularDS & bought some Hannah Montana skins for it. She loves her new skins & I think it really made her feel like it was her DS (Because what respectable boy wants to play a HM game system?). I know for boys I've seen superheros, Mario, Star Wars & lots more.

 

[Melrosgirl]

4 is too young. My 11 year old is getting her FIRST and only DS next month. I guess she wasn't lying when she said she's the only one in the world without one.

4 year olds shouldn't get $130 handheld toys IMO (and I have a 4 year old, too.) I'd look into Leapster.

 

[MandM-Mom]

My dd4 has a GameBoy Advance that she got for CHristmas that she really enjoys but always is playing big sisters DS when DD7 isn't looking! I just picked up the DS Lite package at Walmart.com a few weeks back for DD4 as her big gift this year from Santa. I think my DD7 will be just as excited that she won't have to wrestle her for her DS anymore
My DD4 loves Super Mario, Herbie, Disney Metroids(Tetris?), cooking mama.

 

[DawnM]

My 4 year old is getting one for Christmas. He has a gameboy and can play it pretty well and I am finding that there are a lot of games for DS that he can play.

I have a 9 and 10 year old who will also be getting one for Christmas.

I thought about not getting the 4 year old the same thing, but I think this will be best for now.

Dawn

 

[mjkacmom]

If he's a good reader, he'll be fine! Seriously, I got them for my twins, who will be 6 in January, and I think I might have made a mistake. Dd7 got hers in kindergarten, but she was reading chapter books, and my twins are reading sight words only. I think it's going to be a PITA for me, and I should've gotten the Digi's for them instead.