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For my 5 year old daughter (preferably in pink):
DS
DS lite or
DSi

any advice [on which console to buy ;p] welcome.

Hee's some advice... wait at least 5 more years... at 5 she should be outside, playing catch and eating dirt.

Ok but assuming I was going to avoid all that advice? She's already into other things, drawing and art in general, she's on the student council at school, she loves her scooter and she loves exploring the mill and nature reserve where we live. This is just something else. I don't buy the video game - no exercise link. I started playing video games when I was young and it didn't hurt me none - honest your honour.


cat

Rudolf in Crayon

Amorous Vyxen said:

Yeah, as much fun as (handheld) computers are, I'd try 'n keep her away from those things, not encourage her to be a coach potato at 5 years old. Exaggerating a bit but really, she should be playing outside 'n doing dressup stuffs. Try more fun stuff like logic puzzles that are not on a computer screen. Dolls, board games, creative things like beads, clay, you know, crazy shit like that.

Also, this is cool:

http://www.fatbraintoys.com/.../rainbow_in_my_room.cfm

I want one....

http://www.fatbraintoys.com/index.cfm

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Holy Cow, I thought they'd stopped making Lincoln logs and Erector sets. Those were 2 of my favorite toys growing up.

She's 5, so she probably won't be downloading any new software or games onto it, so I'd go with the lite. My little sister has one and she thinks it's tops.

You are wrong. She found games all by her self. I introduced her to the Cbeebies website for songs and pictures, like wise with the Nick Jr site. I found her playing games off of her own volition.

We do a lot of painting, drawing and other stuff (applique, modelling &c.) together and her art is something I'm very keen to encourage because she chose it. She also chose the gaming to the extent that she will sometimes [STRIKE]let her friends play[/STRIKE] make her friends watch while she plays.

I'm glad you like the cat. I love it too. It seems she is inspired by Lauren Childs.

The other thing I was wondering actually was a tablet as then she can mix her art and computers but that might be me projecting.

Get her the DSi. It's required for some games that are coming out and it's not like she needs the GBA slot for anything. But seriously, control how much she plays.

AshburnerX said:

Get her the DSi. It's required for some games that are coming out and it's not like she needs the GBA slot for anything. But seriously, control how much she plays.

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Which games? She's at the Nintendogs level. I have Mario 3, Tetris, Mario Kart and advance wars on GBA format so she may yet get some use from it (if I understand you correctly).

Ah nintendogs. my cousin loved that I had bought a copy. My family thought it was sweet that I had bought a copy just so we could play together. aranoid: that was exactly the reason.

When my son was 5, he liked playing the mini games in New Super Mario Bros. The actual game frustrated the heck out of him though.

(The mini games kept him occupied for the hour my husband and I were signing our mortgage paperwork since we couldn't find a babysitter -_-)

DSi might have more casual style games appropriate for her age.

My cousins have a hard time with the mechanics of the "real" games as well; mini-game style seems to work better for a young age.

Of course, then I have to charge in with "I was 6 and playing Super Mario Bros. and I sucked, but I still kept trying because there was nothing else but Duck Hunt, and we were HAPPY dammit!" crankiness. My cousin always asks me "can you play for me?" and I just figure if it's that bad, you should go outside and play ball or something.

Elektroplankton has recently been re-released on the DSi, if you go with that route. I haven't played it myself, but go read some reviews. It's not exactly a game, but it's a musical toy. If your daughter likes sounds and such that might be a fun one for her.

I've also heard the Drawn to Life games are fun if you're an artist. They're a platformer where you get to draw in the parts of your character, and the items in the game. I'm not sure if the platforming is going to be too hard for a 5 year old or not.

DS lite is probably good enough for her, and if you don't have any other system that can play GBA games, that's probably the one you should get.

On the other hand, the DSi has a free download called flipnote studio, which is a simple piece of animation software that she might love. Although it might be a bit difficult for a 5 year old...

Thanks to all. I like the idea of Drawn to Life and free content is all good. You have my non gamer wife convinced (she's the driver behind this and apparantly got the idea from Moo) so thanks guys thats another £60 you all cost me.

I too remember duck hunt but then I remember intellivision.

Or you can wait another year and get her a DSi LL http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10385975-1.html

Catafish said:

Or you can wait another year and get her a DSi LL http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10385975-1.html

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OK. Now you can just leave...

She's five. Don't do this to her. Seriously.

HOWEVER IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY. Buy her the fatty. For two reasons:

1) It's more rugged-feeling than the other two. I've played on all three and the fatty is the one I felt like I was least likely to break.

b) She's five dude. WHEN she spills juice on it you'll only have wasted $60 instead of $150

TotalFusionOne said:

She's five. Don't do this to her. Seriously.

HOWEVER IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY. Buy her the fatty. For two reasons:

1) It's more rugged-feeling than the other two. I've played on all three and the fatty is the one I felt like I was least likely to break.

b) She's five dude. WHEN she spills juice on it you'll only have wasted $60 instead of $150

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While I sympathize with this view (especially the last point), on a supported software level the DSi is probably a better buy, having the camera and SD card slot since she doesn't have any GBA games.

Anyone know if she's the right age for Scribblenauts?

TotalFusionOne said:

She's five. Don't do this to her. Seriously.

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I was going to respond to this. I even wrote it out. Then I took a deap breath.

redapples;301626][quote=Catafish said:

Or you can wait another year and get her a DSi LL http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10385975-1.html

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OK. Now you can just leave...[/QUOTE]

:Cry:

Damn. He's buying his daughter a toy, not introducing her to Icarus. Let's just all assume he isn't one of -those- people who will substitute video games for love and guidance.

I see no reason why a 5 year old wouldn't love, for example, Nintendogs, as well as benefit from the fine motor work and hand-eye coordination needed to operate a DS stylus. Just because he buys her a toy doesn't mean he's going to let her play with it 24 hours a day and nothing else.

Let's settle down a little here.

True fact. My mum persuaded my dad not to give me the middle name Daedalus. I regret that nearly every day.

Update: DSi deliverd to welcome hands. She has manged to fail to name her first dog in Nintendogs for a week straight but finds the camera and sound recording most excellent. No signs of terminal addiction yet.

redapples said:

Update: DSi deliverd to welcome hands. She has manged to fail to name her first dog in Nintendogs for a week straight but finds the camera and sound recording most excellent. No signs of terminal addiction yet.

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What worked for me-

1) Brain age
2) Marti Party multiplayer
3) Lego games