If you have been following me on Twitter, you discovered I took the plunge and purchased a Wii last week for the family. I picked up Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart and the much needed accessory (Wii Steering Wheels). And while I have only played one game of Super Smash Bros., I’ve been addicted to Mario Kart and so has my son.
Mario Kart is a very simple game to play, however it provides incredible entertainment value. The maps included are very engaging, run from easy to navigate to more challenging in nature, and are full of colorful Nintendo characters and Mii’s. Mii’s are avatars that you can create in your own image, that are used within the game as you play along.
Creating your Mii is one of the first tasks accomplished when you are setting up the console, and my son loved interacting with this process. While I controlled the creation of his avatar, my son had full creative input in regards to the physical features. Hair, skin tone, facial expressions where all his choices, and we ended up with incredible cartoon likeness when completed.
As my son is not yet 3, I did have some reservations that he would not be able to play using the controller correctly. And that may very well be the case for other games that use the standard controller. However the Wii Wheel in Mario Kart is incredibly easy to use, even for a child at such a young age. That said, it did take several games, with Dad’s guidance, for him to understand you turn the wheel itself and *not* your body, to make the kart change directions. And now, after several family gaming sessions with an emphasis on “trading turns” and “sharing,” my son is able to complete several tracks on his own, without any help at all from Dad. Watching cartoons has now been replaced with requests to play the racing game.
While I don’t claim to have the exact answer to when you should introduce your child to video games, I’m sure it lies somewhere between when you feel the time is right for your child and/or according to your own personal parental beliefs.
But I would love to hear from the community.
At what age did you introduce video games to your children? What restrictions, if any, did you put in place for usage? Is there a negative to introducing video games to our kids early on?
May 19th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
As I was reading this post, I asked my two co-workers if they were gamers. One said no and the other said that he was into some computer games, but not necessarily specific game consoles. For me I’m not a gamers, but I am a musician and mostly likely can mirror dollar for dollar instruments and peripherals with some of the this country’s most avid gamers.
I also commented about the quote in the post about Chris’ sons not quite being three. My son just turned two and he is certainly exposed to the computer because of my work and also to various game consoles thanks to his cousins.
I was thinking at what age will my son start asking me to buy him a gaming console, a question that I wish to avoid at all cost (no pun intended). I managed to live my whole childhood without any gaming consoles, my family even managed to skip out on the Atari 2600 and while we did have a TRS80, it was anything but a computer for all practical purposes. (My father had that machine shrink wrapped for storage sometime in the 80’s . . . it still worked then)
Then after some contemplation over these console purchases, I thought that I would just propose an ultimatum to my son . . Multiple gaming consoles, games, upgrades, monitors and or TV . . . or a car when he’s sixteen . . .son, you choose
May 19th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
My kids were about about 2 when they started trying to play by holding an extra controller and watching me. You have it much easier with the wii controller. The only restriction I place is that homework needs to be done first. I also hold it over thier heads about bad behavior or grades getting the system taken away. If handled correctly I see only positives by letting kids play video games: hand eye coordination improves and they learn that hard work pays off in the process.
May 20th, 2008 at 7:20 am
@Quint: Thanks for the comment and I love your ultimatum…. that’s a very interesting idea =).
@jervis961: Yes, I believe restrictions definitely need to be put into place. In fact last night, my wife said we need to make sure our son has an appropriate balance of video game play and outside play. Real life/world social interaction for that matter.
May 21st, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I was one of those parents who swore my kids wouldn’t be playing games (or watching tv) until they were like, in college.
LOL
My son is now 5 my daughter is 3 and they were introduced to the Nintendo DS about a year ago. Maybe a little less.
We JUST got a WII
We’ve had more fun as a family playing those games TOGETHER than a lot of other things I can think of. We LOVE mario kart and we have a family fun time where we all go nuts and race eachother.
When my son wants the DS I limit his time in 20 min. intervals. Same with my daughter. They also play on PBS Play-which you as a parent can set the time limit and it’s alllll fun education stuff.
I think we’re raising kids in a time where most of what they will do as a adults will be computer related. It’s not like when we were kids, so I think it’s essential they learn computers through games, in moderation.
May 21st, 2008 at 10:56 pm
My son`s first game machine was an atari, when he was four. That was many years ago. He had games like tetris and pacman to play. His hand eye coordination improved greatly. He learned to be more observant to. I limited his time on it and also used it for a reward for good behavior. As long as a parent chooses the game for the age level of the child and limits the time on it, it can be a help. My son is in his early 20`s and owns several different game consoles now. I don`t care for some of the games he has even at his age.
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:12 am
To follow up, I certainly wasn’t trying to come across as “that Guy” that says that video games and young kids don’t mix. I remember when my nephew (who was practically my first son) started watching me work on the computer. He would sit down when I got up and start to mess around with the touch pad or pretend that he was typing. I remember going from the mouse to the touch pad when I got my first “real” laptop and having a real hard time with it. It was amazing how he was able to pick up that coordination with his hands at such a young age. He had a hard time remember the difference between the left and right click so I put a gold star on the left click button so that he would remember. This was always a topic of discussion in the board room when I would sit down at a meeting and people would see that my lap top had a gold star on it. I would comment that it was the bonus system at my work . . . they didn’t believe in raises!
As he got older I would set him up so that he could play various Disney Flash games online. Every once in a while he would come get me to “fix” the computer . . . it was always a matter of accidentally clicking on an icon that would take him “away” from his game. It was usually some type of credit card application or that type of “pop-up” it always made me laugh a little.
On an 13 hour drive to New Mexico to take that same Nephew, who is now 7, skiing . . .the Nintendo DS really did come in handy after hearing “are we there yet?” multiple times.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
My son turned three in February. He just one two trophies tonight on Mario Kart (Mushroom and Flower Cup). Mario Kart is his first video game. I think it is amazing that a video game can be this accessible to a three year old.
I was curious if others had young children playing MK. It was fun to find this blog post.
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:45 am
@All: Thanks for sharing your experiences and parenting style used with your kids and gaming. Definitely some great information and tips we can all use.
@Danimal: Thanks for the comment and I’m glad you enjoyed the blog post! I’m also reviewing another title for the Wii that is geared for young Kids as well, so stay tuned for future blog posts!
June 5th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
@Erin — your post made me laugh because I was also the mom who swore I would never get my son video games! Santa brought a Nintendo DS when he was 6 going on 7, and a PS 2 when he was 7 going on 8. Knowing my son as I do, I wasn’t really afraid he would become a couch potato. If given the chance to play sports outside or play the PS 2 he’ll choose playing outside any day. The DS is great for riding in the car and for situations where a lot of ‘waiting’ is required (like in the emergency room waiting to see a doctor for the wound on his forehead from where the boomerang hit it). The PS 2 is for rainy days or when friends come over to play and they need some down time. The boys learn how to take turns and compromise when someone wants to play one game and someone else another. All in all, it’s been a good experience.