Dmmetler Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 DD7 has one on her Christmas list with the "All my friends have one" argument. I haven't seen a need for one-she has a computer for her own use at home for her limited screen time, and most of what she does there is scratch programming and Neopets, neither of which are accessible for the DS, and when we're away from home and portability is nice, I have an iPod touch that has apps loaded for her as well as our carschooling files. She's got several target Gift cards from her birthday party, and will be getting money from her Grandfather, so she COULD buy a DS-but I'm concerned about the cost of the cartridges-they seem quite high compared to iPod apps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 We use our 2 quite a bit. I even schedule time on it for logic game use. But my kids do not go on the computer for games or an Ipad. Is it worth the money?This will depend on how much she plays it. For us it was money well spent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 For us, it has been great. There aren't always kids at the family gatherings, so that entertains them. Although, they do have to wait until after eating so they aren't just doing that. For long trips in the car, fabulous. Worth it in my book. Both kids have their own. That was the only gift they got last year or year before, for Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laundrycrisis Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Good grief, I read the title and the first line in the preview before I opened the thread and thought you were contemplating whether or not to try for a little brother :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 My older 2 got them at ages 10 and 13. Both played with them quite a bit for a while. We got them for Christmas in anticipation of a big trip with lots of travel time. 4 years later 17 ds does not play with his so much, but I do think he got the value out of it during the first couple of years. dd 14 still plays with hers a lot. She gets games used and new. She has definitely gotten the value out of hers. My dc do not have Ipod touches so I don't have a comparison. Are apps for the Ipod touch as complicated as some of the games. dd plays a lot of mystery games that have puzzles (Professor Layton, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I'm hoping so because it's the big gift this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momchiroto2 Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Good grief, I read the title and the first line in the preview before I opened the thread and thought you were contemplating whether or not to try for a little brother :lol: Me too :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 my 7 yo has one. Compare to ipod, he plays on ipod a lot more. apps are cheaper and IMO ipod app are more educational. I don't think it worth it other than he can say to his friend that he has one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iucounu Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 If you get a 3DS, you can get a wonderful game for it, "Pilotwings Resort". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Good grief, I read the title and the first line in the preview before I opened the thread and thought you were contemplating whether or not to try for a little brother :lol: Gosh, between this and 312 rolls of toilet paper, I think I am not reading the forum with a clear head today. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I thought it was about having a baby too. :lol: I'm :bigear: because my dd7 wants a DS (electronic system) for her birthday. I know nothing about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 My kids love the DS. We got the bigger one, DSiXL or something like that. Bigger screen. You can actually get some really good games for it, the only problem is the cartridges are quite small and easily lost - investing in a case for them (bright colours!) has been good here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I understood the title, but I felt like it was an obvious candidate for that forum game where you answer the question in a silly way. :D Having a DS and the games involved are much more like the equivalent of a mini-Wii or something. It's just a whole other sort of gaming than the ipod touch. I'm of the philosophy that all kids deserve a mindless outlet or two, so in that sense, your "is it worth it" question would probably be a no. She already has a computer and a ipod touch, so she has things to kill time with. And if your "is it worth it" refers to its educational value, again, the answer is no because while there are some educational games, it's actually inferior to a computer or an ipod in that sense. If you mean "is it worth it" meaning is the quality of the gaming experience better or will it get used, then I think the answer is yes. There's a lot more available for the DS in terms of fun, entertaining games and while they're comparatively pricey, they're also higher quality than most of the app games you can get for the ipod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Good grief, I read the title and the first line in the preview before I opened the thread and thought you were contemplating whether or not to try for a little brother :lol: :iagree: Ditto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadianmumof5 Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 DD7 has one on her Christmas list with the "All my friends have one" argument. I haven't seen a need for one-she has a computer for her own use at home for her limited screen time, and most of what she does there is scratch programming and Neopets, neither of which are accessible for the DS, and when we're away from home and portability is nice, I have an iPod touch that has apps loaded for her as well as our carschooling files. She's got several target Gift cards from her birthday party, and will be getting money from her Grandfather, so she COULD buy a DS-but I'm concerned about the cost of the cartridges-they seem quite high compared to iPod apps. For a 7 year old, I think it is appropriate - and they do have some fun games. It is something different for long car trips, waiting at the doctor or dentist, etc. Sometimes they just need something besides a book KWIM? Just be prepared to limit her time on it - it can easily get out of control. And be prepared for a DS to become "boring" around age 10, when they decide they want their own Ipods........ And I would go for the DSi version or the the XL version (which has a bigger screen & stylus). They are the most current. I personally didn't like the 3D version - too much on the eyes for me, let alone the young ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Funny... I read that as "Is a Dear Son worth it?" ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 My kids have them and I really like them. I would say go for it, and just put limits on the time it's used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Yes. We love ours. Our rule is weekends only, unless we have to wait at a doctor's office, etc. Then they can bring them along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I prefer my DSi XL over my dd13's ipod touch. I certainly don't know about all the apps available but the ones my dd13 has are nothing compared to the games we have for the DS. I think Christmas is about getting frivolous gifts that one wouldn't get at any other time of the year, usually because someone will deem something too frivolous to get at any other time of the year. Will the cost eat up your entire budget for her? If so and if I was the one deciding, I would want to make sure it was a gift she really did plan on using. Has she also given you a list of games she is interested in? It's easy to want something that someone has but if she doesn't really have an interest in playing the games, then it might not be the best gift. What if you told her that it would be a big part of her Christmas and the consequence would be her receiving fewer of the gifts on her list? Think about exactly how much screen time you allow. While that isn't a factor in my home, it may be in yours. If she is allowed to play something only 30 mins. a day, it might not be worth it, UNLESS she really wants to spend her screen time allotment on this. This is another thing that should be discussed with her. We buy our games from Game Stop. Used games are not always expensive, but I'm assuming they would be more expensive than an app. Do you buy lots of apps? Do you expect she will buy lots of games? Does she get an allowance or have any other way to buy games without you footing the bill? I'm a firm believer in allowing my children to spend their money on things they want. But I know that other parents have more control on how their kids spend their own money. BTW, I prefer my XL because of the larger screen. The newer model is the 3DS and I have no interest in that one. (I think the original is called the DS, the next is DS Lite, then DSi, then DSi XL, and now 3DS.) Do you have a GameStop nearby? If so, you can call and ask how much their used systems are. I just bought a used Wii for $79.99 that has a 1-yer warranty backed by them. There is another thread about GameStop if you are interested in learning more about it. They have awesome deals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 My kids love theirs. They aren't allowed to use them during the school day, but they use them on long car trips and when we're in waiting rooms, etc. All of my kids got theirs off of our local Craigslist for about 1/2 price. You can find a lot of games on there, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Good grief, I read the title and the first line in the preview before I opened the thread and thought you were contemplating whether or not to try for a little brother :lol: :lol: I thought the same thing. :tongue_smilie: I have three sons. I highly recommend them. :thumbup1: Oh, and we also have three of those little handheld game things. They get intermittent use, and I've not regretted buying them. Getting a new game makes a handy stocking stuffer, birthday or "just because" gift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running the race Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 We have Dsi's and iPod Touches here. The iPods get used a lot more. If you get one, at least get a DSi. You'll get a lot more use out of it than the DS. I'd go for the 3DS if you can afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglei Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Funny... I read that as "Is a Dear Son worth it?" ;) Me, too . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellers Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 My son has a DS and loves it. I limit his playing on the DS to weekends only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 We must bought iPod touches for the littles instead of DS's. I think the touches are more versital and you don't have to buy cartridges that have to be carried around and possiably lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I have two ds and they are worth it.:lol: I totally thought you were talking about sons. We do have two DS handhelds as well and the kids love them. I bought them both used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsutsie Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Yip, I think it's worth it. My son goes through stages where he is practically addicted to it and I have to limit screen time, to where he does not even know where in the house it's been for the last 2 weeks. But all and all, it's been a great buy. Even more so, as we got it used for $50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 No, the Dear Son type of DS would be on DH's Christmas list :). DD, on the other hand, has been consistent that she'd rather have a snake. Or maybe a kitten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Yes. All of my sons have been worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sophiasapientia Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 My DD especially enjoys her DS during long trips and it has been useful for gatherings where she is the only kiddo. It has been worth it for times such as these. I'd recommend taking a look at the 3DS system. You don't have to use the 3D feature but Nintendo is phasing out the older DS systems. Many of the newer games will only play on the 3DS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicianmom Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I vote no, get her that snake or kitten she's been wanting instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_midori Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 My ds7yo mentioned putting a DS on his Christmas list today, and I flat out told him that he shouldn't bother because even if he got one I wouldn't let him keep it. We have MORE THAN enough screen time and I am not remotely interested in adding a device that he can lug around in the car to other areas as well. When we are out of the house we are generally doing kid-related things (co-ops, meeting friends, etc) and I want them to rejoice in THAT. When we are IN the house, we have schoolwork to do, toys to play with, and screen time in the form of computers and TV (and a seldom-used Leapster) already in use plenty. I won't let either of my kids get one for 2 main reasons: 1) I am absolutely uninterested in fighting an ongoing battle about not playing with a DS around their friends when they should be actually playing with their friends. I already deal with that when said friends bring their DS-type games and I don't want my kids to pick up that annoying habit. 2) Ds5yo has an addictive personality - allowing him access to something like a DS would be detrimental to his mental health and ability to stop looking at a screen and go play. Currently, he uses his maximum allowed time per day and then gets no more. When we have free days, ds7 will barely use a screen but ds5 will stay on for AS LONG AS ALLOWED (hours and hours and hours if he is quiet and we forget he is doing that & not outside with his brother...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappyhappymama Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 DD7 has one on her Christmas list with the "All my friends have one" argument. LOL. But mom! All my friends have brothers! :lol: My ds7yo mentioned putting a DS on his Christmas list today, and I flat out told him that he shouldn't bother because even if he got one I wouldn't let him keep it. We have MORE THAN enough screen time and I am not remotely interested in adding a device that he can lug around in the car to other areas as well. When we are out of the house we are generally doing kid-related things (co-ops, meeting friends, etc) and I want them to rejoice in THAT. When we are IN the house, we have schoolwork to do, toys to play with, and screen time in the form of computers and TV (and a seldom-used Leapster) already in use plenty. I won't let either of my kids get one for 2 main reasons: 1) I am absolutely uninterested in fighting an ongoing battle about not playing with a DS around their friends when they should be actually playing with their friends. I already deal with that when said friends bring their DS-type games and I don't want my kids to pick up that annoying habit. 2) Ds5yo has an addictive personality - allowing him access to something like a DS would be detrimental to his mental health and ability to stop looking at a screen and go play. Currently, he uses his maximum allowed time per day and then gets no more. When we have free days, ds7 will barely use a screen but ds5 will stay on for AS LONG AS ALLOWED (hours and hours and hours if he is quiet and we forget he is doing that & not outside with his brother...). This is us too. We have enough to handle regulating regular screen time. My boys huddle around any friends or cousins with a DS and pester our friends with iPhones. Personally I prefer to avoid portable gaming, and keep it where we can control the access more. Every year they ask, and every year I am tempted since I really do believe almost every kid they know has one, but so far I am resolute. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Yes, my kids love theirs. They really are nice for long car rides or for times when we have to wait. My 2 older kids have piano lessons back to back, so I drop them off with the DS so the one waiting has something to do. IMO, it's easier to regulate the screen time on it because you can just put it up out of sight. If you do get one, consider something like a Nerf Armor case for it. Our kids are generally careful, but we've had a few near misses. For example, one day it was on the mantle, plugged in to charge. Someone tripped over the cord and sent the DSi hurtling to the hardwood floor 5 feet below--and it was fine! Before we had the case, we had a $70 screen replacement, so $15ish bucks for the case seemed like the next logical step! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I have to say that the title of this thread really threw me. I kept seeing the title but not reading the thread b/c I thought I couldn't possibly have empathy for, or be helpful to, someone who doubted whether their *son* "was worth it." The thing that made me finally hover over the thread title was that SO MANY OTHER people were posting! I mean, really, how could so many decent WTM folks have anything helpful to say to someone who could doubt the value of their child?! LOL. I guess I really have to get with the times. That said, I have no idea regarding the topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 DD7 has one on her Christmas list with the "All my friends have one" argument. I haven't seen a need for one-she has a computer for her own use at home for her limited screen time, and most of what she does there is scratch programming and Neopets, neither of which are accessible for the DS, and when we're away from home and portability is nice, I have an iPod touch that has apps loaded for her as well as our carschooling files. She's got several target Gift cards from her birthday party, and will be getting money from her Grandfather, so she COULD buy a DS-but I'm concerned about the cost of the cartridges-they seem quite high compared to iPod apps. Let me just say I thought you were talking about a "dear son". And the "all my friends have one" comment was priceless! We don't have a nintendo ds so I can't answer your question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Good grief, I read the title and the first line in the preview before I opened the thread and thought you were contemplating whether or not to try for a little brother :lol: Yeah, me too :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgiana Daniels Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 All my kids have one. It's last year's big Christmas gift, and the only gifts they haven't tired off and cast aside. We use them whenever we're at a dr. appt. or any place in public we have to wait and I need them quiet. We also use them on car rides/trips. We limit time at home, which makes the screen time more valuable to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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