Nintendo DS v iPod Touch for 6yo

[merlinspride]

Hello all...I am torn about my daughters big Christmas Gift this year. I was thinking about getting her an iPod touch, to get her off of my iPhone Now I see that Nintendo is coming out with a Nintendo 3DS. I am not sure what to do. She had a leapster 2 and loved it for a while, but then last year she got a Fisher Price IXL..and really loved that. (What I loved about the IXL was NO CARTRIDGES to deal with). So now we are starting to budget for this Christmas and we are trying to see what would be best for her age group. Are DS's and those type of handheld gaming systems slowly being replaced by iPod's? I am not sure which would be a better option for her. She would use it for a camera, games and music..maybe videos. Any advice? Thanks Steph

 

[ljcrochet]

I would get her the itouch. My 6 year old DD's love it. They can watch videos on it as well as play games. Just make sure you set parent restrictions so they can't buy stuff in apps or even buy apps.

 

[mrseace711]

I would go ahead and get the iPod =) We have Leapsters and NDS's and 1 Fisher Price iXL. My kids have lost so many games =/ misplaced them no matter how organized Ive tried to keep the games. I have an iPod touch and cant keep the kids off of it even though they have their OWN hand held games =)

 

[mjkacmom]

My niece and nephews have ds's, ipod touches, and ipads (ages 5, 7, and 8). They play with the ipads 99.9 percent of the time.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Keep in mind that an iPod Touch is not a dedicated gaming system. If the primary use will be for games, go with Nintendo. If the primary use will be mixed (games, video, music), go with the Touch. I suggest that for a 6 year old, you look into getting a refurbished model from Apple or a used Touch or iPhone (which will work just like the Touch, just can't make calls) on eBay. Check for a very highly rated seller if you go this route.

 

[dzorn]

Maybe my kids are just clumsey (sp?) but they have dropped their DS several times (thank god for nerf cases) I don't think Touches would have survived as well. And my kids a several years older.

Denise in MI

 

[tlenzendorf]

Keep in mind that an iPod Touch is not a dedicated gaming system. If the primary use will be for games, go with Nintendo. If the primary use will be mixed (games, video, music), go with the Touch. I suggest that for a 6 year old, you look into getting a refurbished model from Apple or a used Touch or iPhone (which will work just like the Touch, just can't make calls) on eBay. Check for a very highly rated seller if you go this route.

Maybe my kids are just clumsey (sp?) but they have dropped their DS several times (thank god for nerf cases) I don't think Touches would have survived as well. And my kids a several years older.

Denise in MI

I would definitely agree with both of these. Also if you have GameStop around where you live you can buy a used DS for $99. Then you get the protection plan for $10 which is good for one year. Short of losing it, they will replace the DS same day if anything happens to it. We are on our 3rd DS in 3 years since my 7 year old is so hard on hers(with the Nerf case even!). Our out of pocket costs other than the initial purchase has been $17 each year getting a new(used) DS. $10 for replacing the protection program and $7 for new screen protectors. Great deal!

 

[pyrxtc]

I must be the only one who thinks getting an IPod touch for a 6 yr old crazy. An Ipad is even worse I think.

A DS is a great thing, I wouldn't even go with the 3DS and just start them off with the DSi or even a Lite. At 6, they would be veyr happy with a DS for games.

 

[thehowells]

i'll go one further and say 6 is too young for a ds, my daughter is 5 and i can't fathom giving her something like that, and she is very responsible, i'd prefer her to do crafts or play with toys, she plays 2 video games period, wii bowling, and she has a leapster with a tangled spelling game

 

[shoney]

I would go with the dsixl because it is larger and easier for smaller hands....unless your child wants the 3d one.

My boys are a bit older (10 and 11) and also have ipod touches. They do love them, but they are into music too. They weren't at 6.

 

[tlenzendorf]

I must be the only one who thinks getting an IPod touch for a 6 yr old crazy. An Ipad is even worse I think.

A DS is a great thing, I wouldn't even go with the 3DS and just start them off with the DSi or even a Lite. At 6, they would be veyr happy with a DS for games.

i'll go one further and say 6 is too young for a ds, my daughter is 5 and i can't fathom giving her something like that, and she is very responsible, i'd prefer her to do crafts or play with toys, she plays 2 video games period, wii bowling, and she has a leapster with a tangled spelling game

I agree and disagree with both of you I think it depends on the maturity level of the child. My DD7 has an older sister(12) so she is much older acting than other kids her age. It's very evident when she has her friends over or we go to the pool and I watch them. Ellie is 7 and small for her age, but she is a very good swimmer, does the diving boards and the big slide at the pool. None of her friends are even CLOSE to the level of swimming or maturity that she has for her age.

I personally would not buy DD7 a new iPod touch, but towards the end of the year or next year when I upgrade my iPhone 3g for an iPhone 4 I am going to give her my 3g to use as an iPod. Her older sister has always let her use her iPod and DS before she got her own DS and she knows what she is doing with them. DD7 got her first DS when she turned 5. They have very age appropriate games for younger kids.

I will, however, add that in no way, shape or form is sitting around playing video games all they do all day. They are both into swimming and another sport each and do regular "play".

 

[DVCBELLE]

My kids - 8 & 10 saved up their money last year and bought themselves and itouch and ipad respectively. They have had them for a year now - take great care of them and their DSs were soon a thing of the past. They rarely play them now.

There are so many great free apps and games that they rarely want to buy anything. I loaded $50 in the account for them at Christmas and they still have money in it...they aren't even close to the same financial drain as a DS.

I think the ipad and itouch are much sturdier than the DS - we put them in cases but I think they also understand how they have to treat them and we have not had any problems. I feel like the DS screens get scratched easily with them poking at it with the stylus and getting excited and pressing harder than neccessary during a game. Using your finger doesn't quite have the same potential impact problems.

Also throw in that it is for your DD and then I definitely vote for the Itouch - my DD has always had a hard time finding DS games she loves.

 

[puffkin]

We got a used DS Lite on eBay 2 years ago for DS5 for about $75. It is still in great shape and he does play it a lot. He also plays my iPhone a lot but since the battery drains so quickly I try to keep him off it when travelling.

I am actually hoping to upgrade to the iPhone5 if it comes out this fall and I am planning on giving my DS my old iPhone 3GS for Christmas (obviously the calling features will be turned off). If I put an otterbox on it he'll never know LOL. Then he can still use it just like a Touch.

 

[ericf70]

I found the DS to be perfect for my daughters at that age. I don't think kids at age six need a $200+ ipod touch to keep them occupied.

 

[DVCBELLE]

I found the DS to be perfect for my daughters at that age. I don't think kids at age six need a $200+ ipod touch to keep them occupied.

When all is said and done...a DS costs a lot more in hardware and games than the cost of an itouch!

 

[Plantlady]

My boys have both, and all three prefer their ipods to the DS.

You should look at the 3DS before getting it. You are suppose to take breaks from it, like every hour or so. It gave me a headache within the first 5 minutes of playing on one.

I agree with some previous posters, that in the long run, an ipod is cheaper. With so many free and 99 cent apps, it is cheaper than the DS and its $20 games.

 

[satorifound]

I wouldn't have gotten any of my 6 year olds an ipod touch. It is just too easy to break. If you do go with the ipod touch invest in a really good case such as an otterbox. I think there is a newer kind, really expensive, that is even better now.

I would go with the DS. Much more hardy.

 

[Scurvy]

Personally, I'd go with the DSi or 3DS for someone that age. I think they seem sturdier than the ipod and there's a great selection of kid's games available for them, including most of the back catalogue of DS games which can be found used at places like Gamestop.

You should look at the 3DS before getting it. You are suppose to take breaks from it, like every hour or so. It gave me a headache within the first 5 minutes of playing on one.

I agree with some previous posters, that in the long run, an ipod is cheaper. With so many free and 99 cent apps, it is cheaper than the DS and its $20 games.

I'm not sure that the ipod really does always turn out to be cheaper. I don't think it has been for my family. I think it really depends on the type of games you're wanting to play. The games for ipod tend to be the more casual, "pick up and play" type games. I find that we buy lots of those, and switch between playing different ones frequently. The DS games can be more time consuming - things like Super Mario World or Animal Crossing take up lots of time, and I find that we haven't bought very many DS games because we're so engrossed in one or two specific ones.

The warning about taking frequent breaks applies specifically to using the 3D feature of the 3DS. You can turn that off, and then it's no different for your eyes than using any other DS or even the ipod. I get frequent severe headaches and was afraid I wouldn't really be able to use the 3D feature at all but I've been pleasantly surprised so far. I haven't used it much but the times I have it hasn't bothered my head. Mostly I use it without the 3D and it looks just like any other screen.

 

[Bell30012]

My DD8 recently moved up to an iPhone 3GS from the iPod. I put the iPod into a device called a Woogie and we passed it onto her 2 year old sister. She loves it and is doing well with it.

 

[carebee21]

Another vote for the ipod touch (or even looking at a used/refurbed ipad)

My son doesn't touch the DS since I got an ipad (And that's what he's getting for Christmas so he leaves mine alone! ). When we travel it's so wonderful. I just grab the one thing vs. a ds, ds games, dvd player, dvd's etc. I can download different games and movies for only a couple of bucks, compared to $25-$40 for each DS game.

And my son is a rough and tumble boy and we've never had any problems with him with any electronics, whether it be a DS, ipod or ipad.