Video Game Baby - Idle Parents

[Tanukitsune]

I kinda regret starting to play video games with my four year old nephew, he no longer plays normally with me and he just doesn't want to stop... Once he peed himself while playing just because he didn't want to stop...

 

The fact that he's in the age where repetitive stuff doesn't bother him isn't helping either, for weeks he'd just play the first three levels of New Mario Wii, and I couldn't do anything since he wanted to be player one.

 

I guess they don't let him play games at home? But then again, it was my sister who insisted that we play games together so I don't think she disapproves of him playing games.

[Sno]

When my niece was young, i used to play Earth Defense Force 2017 with her. So whenever i had to babysit, we'd play the "giant ant game" together co-op.

The game is not excessively violent, the controls and mechanics are simple enough, and the lower levels of difficulty are approachable enough that it ended up being an alright game for a younger kid.

Kirby's Epic Yarn was also a big giant hit.

[osmosisch]

I kinda regret starting to play video games with my four year old nephew, he no longer plays normally with me and he just doesn't want to stop... Once he peed himself while playing just because he didn't want to stop...

 

The fact that he's in the age where repetitive stuff doesn't bother him isn't helping either, for weeks he'd just play the first three levels of New Mario Wii, and I couldn't do anything since he wanted to be player one.

 

I guess they don't let him play games at home? But then again, it was my sister who insisted that we play games together so I don't think she disapproves of him playing games.

This is something you really should discuss explicitly with the parents because it's unhealthy for the child and it's distressing to you. The tip of taking video game content out of the computer is a great one if you want to solve this by yourself. I'd definitely advise getting the parents in on this though.

[Bork Laser]

Last night I was playing Euro Truck Simulator 2 and my daughter dragged her high chair in front of the TV and made me put her in it so she could pretend to drive. She kept saying "Truck! Truck!" and making gigantic steering motions with her arms while I drove through rural France listening to some Europop.

[juffowup]

I kinda regret starting to play video games with my four year old nephew, he no longer plays normally with me and he just doesn't want to stop... Once he peed himself while playing just because he didn't want to stop...

 

The fact that he's in the age where repetitive stuff doesn't bother him isn't helping either, for weeks he'd just play the first three levels of New Mario Wii, and I couldn't do anything since he wanted to be player one.

 

Speaking as a parent of a 4-year-old, this is maybe not as bad as it seems.  Kids this age are sort of just learning how to concentrate on a task at all, and so they go overboard sometimes.  The peeing thing-- this just happens.  If it hasn't happened more than twice I wouldn't worry about it.

 

The part I would focus on, (and I don't want to sound preachy or anything since I can't really tell if this is actually a thing from what you say), is that this is a chance for your nephew to be learning to be better at taking turns and respecting the wishes of others.  If he only wants to play the first 3 levels because the 4th is too hard for him, he should be learning to explain this.  If you'd like to try one of those levels, he should be willing to take turns picking a level.  This is all stuff that's learned around that age, and is some of the best stuff that you can learn from a game like that. 

 

And if you really do want to lay off the game, maybe try picking up a mario jigsaw puzzle to have around next time he comes over.  (Around 30-50 pieces is good at 4 years old.)

[Tanukitsune]

He's here right now actually, for the weekend, at first I had some hope since we played with actual toys for a few minutes until he wanted to play games with me...

 

In the end I gave up and gave him a DS with an old Kirby game, he never wants to stop and I just want to have breakfast and a shower... should I feel bad? He was playing games on a tablet before I woke up anyway. :|

[Tanukitsune]

It's really getting hard to find games we can play together and that he can understand how to play.

 

The LEGO games seem to hard for him, he doesn't seem to understand what we have to do to continue, so I just play in the hub, but that get's boring after a while. 

 

I started to play arcade games with him, which are good since they are over quickly, but he usually just dies, so I tried to set cheats in MAME and program my controller to give him continues when he died, but that isn't helping him learn either.

 

He's also too young for Putt-Putt he likes the cat, but doesn't understand what the game wants him to do.

 

So basically I played a bunch of "baby games" only to find out "babies" find them too hard. :|

[Irishjohn]

Last night I was playing Euro Truck Simulator 2 and my daughter dragged her high chair in front of the TV and made me put her in it so she could pretend to drive. She kept saying "Truck! Truck!" and making gigantic steering motions with her arms while I drove through rural France listening to some Europop.

 

This is fantastic.

[Roderick]

This weekend I had my brother's 2-year-old around. She was incredibly contented with watching the home screen on my 3DS, pushing the game icons and seeing what animation and sound played on the top screen. Ah, the simple pleasures of youth. (When she was gone, uncle resumed Fire Emblem Awakening.)

[juffowup]

Hey speaking of playing with the home screen---

Here's a thing that sucks:  handheld games that make it too easy for a 2-year-old to delete your save data.  I lost 3 hours of data on 9-9-9, and looking at the menu that led to it I can totally see why that happened.

[Justin Leego]

Even the youngest child can learn to laugh like Jeff Goldblum.

[Tanukitsune]

It looks like my nephew will spend a lot of time here for Xmas, unfortunately I feel like we shouldn't play LEGO Marvel with him since I found out it's going to be one of his presents.

 

I wonder if it's a bad idea to play Dynasty Warriors co-op with him? The combo system is too complex for him, but maybe I can just give him a horse and have him run around in the field? It's not a car, but it's better than nothing... Hmm, I wonder if I should try to unlock the war elephant, I think he might have fun with that.

 

He refuses to play female characters, but he's only four, I wonder if it's too soon to even bother? I tend to choose a female character just to teach him how powerful they can be, maybe that will help a little. :|

[Reyturner]

>Dynasty Warriors

 

>too complex for [a four year old]

 

Pick one. 

 

(I kid... sorta ) 

 

Have you considered any of the beat-em-ups on XBLA? Xmen or TMNT 2 might be more his speed (plus unlimited continues) if you're worried about DW frustrating him. Or is the idea to play a game you can enjoy as well, in which case, Dynasty Warriors? Really? 

 

Kidding.

 

...sorta. 

[osmosisch]

It looks like my nephew will spend a lot of time here for Xmas, unfortunately I feel like we shouldn't play LEGO Marvel with him since I found out it's going to be one of his presents.

Have you had that discussion with the parents yet? I don't know how much I should be reading into your posts, but from your tone I gather that you're not really looking forward to playing computer games with him. In which case that's pretty much the worst idea to do because you'll be miserable which he'll pick up on and, well, it doesn't strike me as a very fruitful way to build any kind of relationship with a relative.

Basically, try to think long-term where kids are involved because they are the ultimate long-term thing.

[thorn]

My sister recently gave me her old Android tablet and asked me to set it up as a games/educational funtime "be quiet for five minutes please" thingy for her four year old. I've installed a new launcher that will keep her in a sandbox and not let her change any important settings. Can anyone suggest any good games for a child (she's a girl, but not an especially girly-girl) of her age?

[osmosisch]

Angry Birds and Minecraft are the biggest successes of that kind among children of four that I know.

e: android tablet games

[Tanukitsune]

Wow, I can't believe my little nephew enjoyed The Cave, then again, I let him play as the Knight and did most of the work myself.

 

I'm really running low on games I can play with my nephew, he's struggling with even Mario and Kirby... I play arcade games with cheats on, but that way he doesn't learn... Then again, maybe he's too young to be any more skilled? 

 

Maybe Ratchet and Clank All for One? :|

[elmuerte]

How about McPixel? Or Windowsill? Samorost? Machinarium? Maybe Flower?

Given the age of 4 requiring intellect or precise motor skills are out of the question, and this kills a lot of games.

[Tanukitsune]

Oooh! McPixel will make him laugh at least. I think he could play Windowsill? But the rest? Too complex, except for Flower, which I'm not sure he'd play. He never wants to play as the girl, so I'm not sure he'd even want to play as flower petals. :|

 

I guess Earth Defense Force would be too scary for him with the giant bugs?

 

EDIT: I could hook up my Dreamcast and play Cannon Spike? Or maybe Parodius?

[Justin Leego]

Scribblenauts?

[SilentBtAmazing]

We played Mario Kart and Bash Bros with my kids when they were that age and both work ok. Kart can be a little rough depending on the kids coordination and which MK you are playing.

[Zeusthecat]

osmosisch's comment in another thread reminded me that this thread existed.

 

I recently started playing Pokemon Leaf Green with my daughter who is just turning five. We've been playing a little bit in the evening every now and then for a few weeks now and it has been surprisingly fun to go through this game with her 15 years after I last played the originals on the Game Boy.She is super intrigued by the whole Pokemon universe and even when we're just grinding levels this game keeps her interest. 

[BigJKO]

Yes! Keep this thread alive!

 

How old were your kids before they played any games at all? My son is closing in on 2 years now and I'm wondering when it's normal for kids to have the co-ordination to pick up a controller. Right now he's still into iPad stuff like Fruit Ninja. He loves that. And he likes fooling around with my Wii U gamepad screen while I play Super Mario 3D World.

 

Not that I want him to play games all the time, or anything. Just curious!

[Tanukitsune]

My nephew still hasn't grasped the concept of lives or a life bar in games, he can barely handle Kirby, but the LEGO games, those he can play pretty well, I like to play MAME games with him with free play or cheats on, which isn't helping with him grasping the concept of "don't get hit", but if not he'll just play the same level of a LEGO game for six hours straight and I already think I hate Mario because of him (we spent a whole weekend playing 1-1.1-2 and 1-3 AND NOTHING ELSE!), I don't want him to do the same to LEGO. :|

 

He also got very upset when we played through the Sailor Moon arcade game, because he couldn't play as a boy.

[osmosisch]

Yes! Keep this thread alive!

How old were your kids before they played any games at all? My son is closing in on 2 years now and I'm wondering when it's normal for kids to have the co-ordination to pick up a controller. Right now he's still into iPad stuff like Fruit Ninja. He loves that. And he likes fooling around with my Wii U gamepad screen while I play Super Mario 3D World.

Not that I want him to play games all the time, or anything. Just curious!

My daughter started enjoying wandering through Proteus at about 2.5 years as I recall, maybe a bit younger. She actually did better with keyboard and mouse than the controller sticks though.

Touchscreens are ridiculously easy for children, I think those became useable for her at not much past 1.