Video Games and Young Children

[admin]

From one of my friends on FB:

"We have finally agreed to get (redacted) some sort of portable game system. He was begging for a DS but I am wondering about the Itouch? Any recommendations? He is 6."

Got me thinking about what age you feel is appropriate for a child to begin playing video games.

[BABuse]

We bought those games that you plugged into the TV (Pacman, etc.) that were popular a few years ago when little man was 7. He's still limited to computer, gaming, TV time at 12. I'm just glad that he still likes to spend most of his day outside or get lost in a book.

[love Lantana]

we bought our son a Nintendo DS Lite when he was 6, I think its important to monitor games they are allowed to play as there are some I do not approve of at all. And when he meets other kids when we are out and they have DSs they talk, play and have a great time. We bought him his first portable game system for Christmas one year, he now wants the new one, the XL, he is currently saving his own money to but it.

[Tiff]

I didn't buy a DS for my daughter. She TOOK MINE. She's been playing it since she was five and still enjoys it... more now that she can read. Oh. .and a perk...
She had a wandering eye. Over the last school year, I was supposed to be patching one eye... I forgot constantly because we were all just so busy and by the time I'd remember it'd be an hour before bedtime.
Took her to the eye doctor a month ago and she commented: You've done an excellent job patching her eye - her eye is far more controlled now! I stared at her and said: But I didn't ... and she said I could've lied to her.
The only thing mine did ... she played the DS for probably an average of an hour a day, fixated on a little figure on the screen bouncing around.