The best gaming system to grow with a 5 yr old girl?

[Patrick_Walsh]

Hello friends, what you think about video game system for 5 yr old girl?
I am not sure if I will be getting her one or not but I am considering the options out there. In the long run, what particular system would be the best to grow with and that might even multitask. Keep in mind, she is 5 and will be playing the children's games for quite a while so there needs to be a decent selection of the kid games.
Thanks.

[stultuske]

personally: a plastic ball, jumping ropes, maybe a doll or two, and a garden.
there's no doubt she'll get a gaming system sooner or later, but I wouldn't recommend too soon: I've seen kids, just over ten, who've had their first console when they were six.

summer or winter, they never go outside, they wouldn't know an oak from a mushroom, but they do know how to beat anyone at MarioKart or Need for Speed.

if you are going for a console, check what games are available on them. usually, there's not much difference, but I assume you would be looking for something that would have games fun for both young and old.
maybe a Wii: there are games especially for kids, where they have to 'move along' with the game, especially for growing up kids, it beats sitting all day long.

[BigPaw]

personally: a plastic ball, jumping ropes, maybe a doll or two, and a garden.
there's no doubt she'll get a gaming system sooner or later, but I wouldn't recommend too soon: I've seen kids, just over ten, who've had their first console when they were six. summer or winter, they never go outside, they wouldn't know an oak from a mushroom, but they do know how to beat anyone at MarioKart or Need for Speed.

I would agree 100%

I don't know you or your family Patrick, so this isn't a comment an you or your family.It is more a comment on a growing trend in our society at present.

Some games, with their challenging or competitive edge can also give youngsters an unnecessary and unnatural stress.But, if it is used as an educational tool, then they can be very useful. Computer games can stifle imagination, and the ability to interact and communicate with others.

Human nature is vastly more complicated than any computer software could ever be. We should never think, and this has been a major error an the part of "developed" Society over the last 20-30 years, that a child will develop because of computers/software.A child brought up with the idea that they will develop because of computers, or computer software, will be stunted, not stretched.

Think of it this way. You one day want to be able to lift a heavy box, and so you go to the Gym. The Gymn has all kinds of training that will develop your biceps in several different ways, your triceps in several different ways, your forearms in several different ways, and you do very well with all of these different types of equipment.The time comes when you need to lift that heavy box. You get a good grip on the box, flex your muscles and begin trying to lift.But, your back is staining, your legs are wobbling,and you realise this box isn't going anywhere.

Because all your training was focused in one area, all the other strengths needed just weren't there because they were never exercised.It's the same with our children.If they don't learn rounded out life skills, they will be deprived of very special abilities - loving, sharing, giving, sacrifice,caring, and other like qualities.

Several years ago an experiment was conducted to learn if young children are egocentric.A lot of various items were piled up to make a mountain like feature. Then a young child was sat down south to this structure, and some randomly chosen stuffed animal type toy was sat East of the structure. The child was then asked to draw what he/she thought the stuffed toy could see from its angle, its point of view.But, the child drew only what she/he could see.

Next, they placed the child's our, favourite, stuffed toy and placed that East of the structure.The child was given the same instructions, (in a way the child would indistinct, as before) asked to draw what he/she thought the toy could see. This time the child drew a completely different picture. It didn't look anything like the structure from her/his angle. Instead the child tried to imagine what the toy could see, and drew that. (the drawing didn't actually look anything like the toy's view, the child just tried to imagine it)

This demonstrated that children are not egocentric, they will try to use a form of perceptiveness with those they have an emotional bond with. Sadly, many parents today allow their children's social and intellectual skills to atrophy by limiting their minds and imagination to that of a computer. Computers don't hug.

[Dani]

I would say a Nintendo Wii ... it markets itself as a family entertainment system as opposed to something more catered to the hardcore gamer. There is lots of edutainment software out for it, and then there are also family fun packs such as Family Game Night which include virtual versions of traditional board games with a fun, animated twist.

[BigPaw]

I'm sorry Patrick, now I wish I had posted something as balanced and practical as Dani's post, rather than an opinionated lecture.

We have a Wii Console, and the best fun you can have with it, is with family and friends. The controllers are a lot easier to manage with the use of mainly just two buttons, as opposed to the eight or so buttons on the likes of a Playstation or XBox controller.

[Mike Askew]

It might also be worth looking into more handheld devices than full on consoles? Like the Nintendo 3DS, I definately had a long string of GameBoys in my youth.

The Wii is a good shout, I have clearly become professional at Wii tennis over the years of owning one (shame I can't play it properly).

However Stul and Big also make valid arguments, is there really a need for a game console at the age of 6? Society may be advancing as a whole but its almost the same as my 8 year old nephew having a mobile phone. He really doesn't need one and I don't see the point in it.

This article will be of interest to you and probably helps solve the entire discussion of this thread.

[Agilemind]

Handhelds are going to go extinct IMO replaced by smartphones/tablet computers & their apps. Wii or Kinect are good for more active games and likely to stick around for a while as family-friendly gaming systems. Xbox/playstation are unlikely to grow beyond the more avid gamers so their games will be more geared toward the adolescent-boy/young adult men.

[Mike Askew]

Xbox/playstation are unlikely to grow beyond the more avid gamers so their games will be more geared toward the adolescent-boy/young adult men

Girls game seriously also.

[Agilemind]

I wasn't saying they don't, I was saying game developers aim their games at adolescent boys/young men because they are the largest market of serious gamers. I along with many other female gamers wish this was not the case.

[Reverend Jim]

The best games are the ones you play with other people in the same room.

[Mike Askew]

@Agile, fair do's then, I wouldn't expect to see a female orientated game to go too far on the professtional scene etc though. Best I could think of is possibly the sims :) Thats neutral/female orientated.

[<M/>]

Anything with the wii or x-box kinect.... or get here the playstation... :)