Bringing up a future gamer

[Jumpman]

So my little sister is five years old, and I have recently started exposing her to our beloved world of gaming. I'm sticking to the basics for now, mostly some old mario games for the SNES (she loves Yoshi from super mario world and collecting different costumes from toad in mario 3) We've also been playing some donky kong, which im finding is a great tutorial for her because I can jump in whenever she gets hit and find the nearest barrel for her to respawn. As far as the newer consoles go, I'm taking it slow, partially because their all way over her head, and partially because I want her to be exposed to the classics, the same games I played when I was young. There's also the issue of violence, which I intend to keep her away from till she's older. I dont want her to become the poster child for another bogus claim that games are corrupting our youth.

The only 360 game she's played is the downloadable marble blast ultra game from the xbox arcade. the controls are simple, there's no violence or even danger, and it gives her a feel for third person controls, using both thumbsticks to move the ball and the camera.

I don't want my sister to become addicted, and frankly, I'd be ok if she never really gets into it, but I want her to at least have a taste and I'm hoping that by making it something we do together, she'll at least be able to look back on it fondly when she's older.

Anyway, it got me wondering about the age most gamers started gaming at. I think I was probably around seven or eight when I started. How about you guys? Also, is anyone else raising a future gamer? what are your thoughts on it?

Btw, does anyone have any good suggestions for games that work well for very young kids? I have a 360, a Ps2, an SNES, and a gameboy. ill probably show her pokemon when she's old enough to figure it out.

 

[DigitalSushi]

I try to force titles that a mildly educational on my newphews, such as Neil Bhor's Quantum Mechanics Training, Schrodigers Snake in a Box.

Anyway, pokemon seems like a good idea, instil some strategy in her gaming. Since you have a GB why not get Mario Advance, its the original Mario games, which is always a good starting place since everyone gets mesmerized by it.

edit; it would help my rubbish joke if I'd spelt Schrodinger's name correctly.

 

[xitel]

I learned to read with video games...

 

[DigitalSushi]

I learned to read with video games...

did you learn to set us up the bombs too?

sorry couldn't help it.

 

[ZantetsukenQ]

My little sis (9 years old, bless her) loves playing Soul Calibur and Dynasty Warriors 4. She has a Wii and plays mainly Sonic and Mario games with her DS being about the same. When the time is right, I will introduce her to some RPG's.

I learned to read with video games...

I think that it's a really helpful tool to help youngsters learn. My sis definatly reads really well for her age, and has no worries pronouncing the names in DW4 correctly . Lets face it, I would have loved a God of War title that taught me Human Biology to a degree level.

 

[Marrra]

My 9 year old son enjoys Puzzle Quest on the 360 - satisfies his need for fighting without any actual violence and hones his problem solving and pattern recognition skills, too.

 

[kapzer]

I was 8 when I started on my Atari 2600. Soon developed into the SNES, and then my first PC. I grew up and educated myself using these contraptions, learning about mechanics of games and technology from a very early age.

 

[dead_beat_slacker]

I've been playing games since I was 3 when my mom got me and my older sis an NES. I got my lil sis into gaming when she was about 10 I think. She's 16 now and we play left 4 dead together online so shes come along way and has gotten pretty at it. She even saved my ass a few times. I also got her into Team Fortress 2. I also got my girlfriend into gaming. Shes love crackdown and I got her into left 4 dead. It's her new favorite game.

 

[ROFLross]

When ever I have a demon spawn, whenever it is bad, I will send it to it's room and make it play video games to think about what it had just done.
(It because I don't know wheather it's a boy or a girl.)

I'd make it a child prodigy at video-games and it will become rich and buy me things.
That's my plan.

 

[Jumpman]

Thats awesome that you learned to read from gaming. Im always amazed by the educational uses of gaming.I wish there was more emphasis on it from the major developers. I learned to swim by watching Lara Croft in the second tomb raider game.

 

[rossatdi]

Btw, does anyone have any good suggestions for games that work well for very young kids? I have a 360, a Ps2, an SNES, and a gameboy. ill probably show her pokemon when she's old enough to figure it out.

First of all, you rock. Good on you.

Second. It might be worth hunting down a cheap Genesis/Mega Drive for the Sonic classics. They're very easy to work out and would help set a level of good reactions to get her going.

 

[thatstheguy]

Thats awesome that you learned to read from gaming.

That reminds me of when I was four and was trying to read the Super Mario 64 Manuel. I could barely read yet I did anyway. I can't remember if it actually helped but it brings beck memories.

 

[Fraught]

When I was 7, I played Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII and Metal Slug 3 (atleast I remember those games the most).
And I loved it.
I don't see how any violence in those games has made me a worse person.

 

[Ace of Spades]

That's nice. Thank you for showing her the way to being a gamer.

 

[squid5580]

I am in my 30's and there is still times when I need to pull out a dictionary in the middle of a game.

 

[sirdanrhodes]

I learned to read with video games...

I learned to type with video games. Typing of the Dead.

 

[Snowalker]

I was five when I got into games. Also, if you have a PS3 LittleBigPlanet sounds like a good game for her.

 

[TMAN10112]

I let my 3 year old brother play some casual games like zuma and peggel. He can actualy beat some of the easier levels after a few tries. In a year or two I might buy him one of those miniture xbox controlers, or a mouse small enough to fit his hand.

 

[defcon 1]

I started at age 5. I beat the first Super Mario Bros game before I could add or subtract numbers.

 

[Omnidum]

I learned my second language (English) from gaming as an 6 year old. The brain was still sucking up information at that time.