How I've been introducing my kids to videogames

My son is 4 (nearly 5) and my daughter is 6 (nearly 7). They’ve been around gadgets their entire lives, and at this point it’s unavoidable. They’ll happily start their day by coming downstairs and saying “Okay Google, turn on the lights”.

I’ve always been wary of using a screen to buy a few moments of peace and quiet. Lately they’ve been getting into videogames, though, and I’m happy with how it’s going.

Handhelds first

I’ve always had portable consoles around, mostly retro handhelds that play games up to the GBA. The kids were curious about these pocketable, brightly lit noise machines from the start, and I’ve encouraged it. Even before they could read, they were learning about “A” and “B” buttons.

I recently gave both kids a Nintendo DS Lite and loaded them up with games using DS Pico flashcarts. Both of them love Mario Kart, and occasionally we play multiplayer on three DSes. They’re getting the hang of it. Outside of that, my daughter likes the Drawn to Life games, Cooking Mama and some Barbie games, and my son likes Hot Wheels and the LEGO games.

They have free rein of the DSes, but I’ve never had to tell them to put them down. Twenty minutes here, twenty minutes there, and they drift off to something else. The devices seem to do the moderating for me: the battery doesn’t last forever, the screens are small, and they lose interest before long.

Then the TV

The first thing they played on the TV was the PS Classic, loaded with games. Early 3D platformers like Spyro and Crash Bandicoot came first, followed by button-mashers like Tekken.

Then came the Steam Deck, docked to the TV, with games bought and installed specifically for the kids: Peppa Pig: World Adventures, Yooka-Laylee, lots of party games, and a few awful ones.

More recently I’ve reinstated my Nintendo Switch: Mario Kart 8, New Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Galaxy, Breath of the Wild and a Wind Waker port.

Mario Kart 8 was an easy step up from the DS. Both kids took to it straight away.

Breath of the Wild

My son has really taken to Breath of the Wild. It’s all he asks for. Compared to the simple platformers of the PlayStation era, it asks a lot more of him: complex menus, button combinations, teleporting around the map, managing inventory. He’s nearly 5 and only just learning phonics, so he can’t read the dialogue. He follows the story through the cutscenes and my explanations, but what he really loves is exploring the map, fighting Bokoblins and finding shrines and Koroks.

It’s rated 12, but age ratings are a guideline. The rest is down to me explaining what’s going on, and the cartoon style helps. It’s not Manhunt.

Moderation is trickier with Breath of the Wild, but it lives on the TV in the family space, so he doesn’t have free rein, and we play it together.

Last night we talked about “when we beat Ganon”. The idea feels completely distant to him, but I told him we could take turns, and that I’d help if it got too tricky.