Best console for six year old girl?

[katie279]

Hi all,

Pondering getting a console for my daughter - my son loves his switch and has played Breath of the Wild nonstop - despite being only three, I'm amazed at how well he's picked up all the controls and regularly performed 5-6 button combos!

My daughter on the other hand, likes these mindless tablet games - can you put lipstick on the Barbie, sort of thing...! They're all pretty mindless and don't teach her much.

Given my son dominates the switch, was wondering getting her a second one, an Xbox or a PS5.

Can anyone advise on the best games across all consoles for kids? Would like it to be fun and addictive, whilst mildly educational.

 

[Hedge]

It's glorious weather. Take them outside instead. Pushing to get kids onto something addictive doesn't sit right with me. I'm teaching my 3yr old to ride a bike, to hunt for bugs in the garden or on walks etc. Imagine breath of the wild but in the real world

Mario games are the obvious choice though. Xbox and ps5 are much the same. Most games would be multi platform. If you're adding another console then get the series x with gamepass so there's lots to choose from.

 

[d_brennen]

Switch, given it's portability and multiplayer features. 6 is quite young, I think I got my first console at 9 or 10. Whist my 10 year old does have a Switch, she more often plays roblox on her laptop with her friends whilst on a group WhatsApp call This is, of course, when all homework is completed and clubs attended (football, swimming, tennis AND guitar), so usually just a Sunday afternoon or half an hour of an evening.

As for the tablet stuff, we had to clamp down on that a couple years ago as it's just a dopamine trap. It was like rehab getting her off it

 

[Haze]

Wii, lots of cheap ones and tons of games

 

[Cleisthenes]

Would like it to be fun and addictive

Modern Warfare 2 was this and it 100% impacted my GCSE/A Levels and I regret playing it so much.

If you can avoid them being on addictive games I'd say avoid them (from my experience)

A Wii is a great idea as above if you really want to get something.

 

[Dyson]

Just get another Switch, they can share games then.

 

[katie279]

It's glorious weather. Take them outside instead. Pushing to get kids onto something addictive doesn't sit right with me. I'm teaching my 3yr old to ride a bike, to hunt for bugs in the garden or on walks etc. Imagine breath of the wild but in the real world

Mario games are the obvious choice though. Xbox and ps5 are much the same. Most games would be multi platform. If you're adding another console then get the series x with gamepass so there's lots to choose from.

Very wise advice for anyone reading - to be clear, agree entirely and should have been clearer, my kids are if anything too far the other way - ie spend all their time outdoors, into football, swimming, tennis etc etc
It's actually from a niggle that they also need to be technology literate in the modern world, so my three year old gets one hour per day on the switch - definitely sound advice though!

 

[katie279]

Switch, given it's portability and multiplayer features. 6 is quite young, I think I got my first console at 9 or 10. Whist my 10 year old does have a Switch, she more often plays roblox on her laptop with her friends whilst on a group WhatsApp call This is, of course, when all homework is completed and clubs attended (football, swimming, tennis AND guitar), so usually just a Sunday afternoon or half an hour of an evening.

As for the tablet stuff, we had to clamp down on that a couple years ago as it's just a dopamine trap. It was like rehab getting her off it

Spot on - good advice and agree there's something mindless about the tablet games that I don't like (psychology background coming through!).

 

[katie279]

Great advice all - ok leaning towards a switch for her and will open up multiplayer options as they both get on well together!