Good PC Game for 6 Yr old?

L31mr0d

Flamed Diving wrote: »

Look at the games the kid has finished. It takes more than 20mins a day to do this, for an adult.

so? what is your point? do you think 20 minutes should be the maximum amount of time in a day a 6 yr old should spend in front of a PC? Do you think the average 6 yr old only watches 20 mins of TV a day? Or only has 20 minutes free between school, meals, outdoor activities and sleeping?

My brother-in-law is 14 and spends his holiday time between snowboarding, dirt biking, skate boarding, mountain biking and playing games on his DS, Xbox 360 and PC. He has completed a lot of games that would take 20 hrs+ each to finish.

You have to remember a child, especially a 6 yr old, doesn't work a 40 hour week, and their school day is shorter than a work day, they have no real chores to finish so have a lot of free time, especially during the summer. But even in the winter, I doubt many parents would rather their 6 yr old child playing outside in the dark to safely being warm inside exercising their minds with games.

Anyway, I'm not saying the child should not do outdoor activities, I'm just saying its possible to easily get balance, even with games that require a lot of time to complete.

Fionnanc

I guarantee a child with good hand-eye co-ordination from computer games will perform less well at manual/dextourous tasks as a child who plays for example hurling or rugby. A large proportion of my technically advanced students seem to be only able to copy and paste from google on their topics.
As somebody who plays a lot of computer games and has a job that requires high manual dexterity I can honestly say that the games don't help, while activities that involve manipulating objects (eg sport, "playing with tools") do. Lastly a lot of mouse usage doesn't increase forearm strength significantily. Name any handtool and i guarantee it can be tiring to use even after a few seconds. I develop a signifcant shake when using a soldering iron from 1 minute, when i first started using an iron I could last about 20 seconds.
Do the child a favour and get him exploring the world, not learning how to master a "tank rush"

Jazzy

but but but.....

thebman

Fionnanc wrote: »

I guarantee a child with good hand-eye co-ordination from computer games will perform less well at manual/dextourous tasks as a child who plays for example hurling or rugby. A large proportion of my technically advanced students seem to be only able to copy and paste from google on their topics.
As somebody who plays a lot of computer games and has a job that requires high manual dexterity I can honestly say that the games don't help, while activities that involve manipulating objects (eg sport, "playing with tools") do. Lastly a lot of mouse usage doesn't increase forearm strength significantily. Name any handtool and i guarantee it can be tiring to use even after a few seconds. I develop a signifcant shake when using a soldering iron from 1 minute, when i first started using an iron I could last about 20 seconds.
Do the child a favour and get him exploring the world, not learning how to master a "tank rush"

There is no reason you can't do both. God the "think of the children" people are in force on this thread and need to wake the hell up. The kid can play sports and computer games in the same day. You can't play sports when its dark out in winter or when its raining with thunderstorms etc...

I played sports from a young age and played computer games most of the time instead of watching tv and got on fine. I don't see the problem with doing this. I was programming when I was 14 and breaking and fixing computers and I was winning championships and competing at a European level in rowing when I was 16 and achieving top grades. It isn't one or the other, if the child can do these things, it would be more wrong to hold them back from spreading themselves. They will learn from all these tasks.

If anything keeping them away from TV is the best thing you could do for them. They learn nothing from it and learn a lot more from team sports and video games than they'll learn from Pokemon on tv (I know its a game but at least in the game, you keep track of stats).

I'd recommend Pikmin as a game that a kid could play easily as it develops strategy and interacting with objects and numbers as Pikmin is all about having enough Pikmin to complete a given task be that carrying an object or attack for bugs for food. It is a Nintendo game too so it is pretty kid friendly and the controls are easy. It is a reworked, Wii Selection I think is the name of the series. It is a Gamecube game with added Wii motion controls and so it is cheaper than a lot of other games.

I always loved the Sim City collection of games because of the construction element. You should also look into Transport Tycoon Deluxe which is game in which you run a transport company and setup complex transport routes. You can link routes and everything. I loved this game more than anything in my teens but I don't know if a kid could handle the management level in the game. There are subsidies, competing transport companies, new technologies over time etc.... that all factor against you and your bank loan repayments so it could be too hectic but a good game for the future at least and working making a note of.

Oh and there is now an Open Source version of Transport Tycoon Deluxe available for free from the below site. This just extends the original game, you need a copy of the original to play it.
http://www.openttd.org/en/

Fionnanc

Agree he can do both,
but find it strange that a 6 year old plays so much he is able to complete games like age of Empires!
Neat video Mazzy.



He can do both when he is a bit older?

Guinnessman

Sounds like a smart kid.

If he likes RTS games, He should try Chess. Amazing strategical, tactical and analytical game ever invented.

Nevyn

Fionnanc wrote: »

Agree he can do both,
but find it strange that a 6 year old plays so much he is able to complete games like age of Empires!

You may find it strange those of us who are gamers and who have children
don't find it strange at all.

Fionnanc wrote: »

He can do both when he is a bit older?

I would sooner see my kids spend 2/3 hours a day at the pc or console then
just watching t.v. and yes they are physically active, they have to be other wise they bounce of the walls at home and they both read and play board games and card games.

Why would you set limits on how a child is learning and exploring ?

Sephiroth_dude

also star wars galactic battlegrounds is a cool rts if somewhat dated now.

UrbanSea

Leisure suit larry.

Dcully

My 6 year old plays literally everything i have installed on my pc.
The little fecker can play wow, world in conflict,any fps title with ease.
Recently he started some skirmish games of command and conquer red alert 3.
He prefers to just sit and suss out the game himself without daddy trying to explain things, come back an hour later and hes a whizz.

Hes also fond of his 360 where he plays lord of the rings conquest, halo3,castle crashers and cod 4 [all with voice comms disabled ofcourse]

We let him play an hour per day and 2 hours on weekend days.
Some days he wont have interest at all.

He plays for the local under 8 football team,trains fridays nights, goes to cubs on monday night,swimming saturday morning usually followed by a football match for the under 8s,hes getting interested in hurling too and may go to the local team for it too.
After his swimming and match on saturdays hes usually off to a class mates house or one of his mates calls to his house.

Hes a healthy and clever boy in the top group in his senior infants class.
There is no harm in him playing on his xbox 360 or indeed on my pc.

Fanny Cradock

Well, it is debatable whether there is no harm in letting a 6 year old play FPS and other games designed for older people.

Dcully

Your welcome to you opinion but i see a lot worse on the kids channels he watches.
Hes not a fool and he realises its a game and meant to be fun.

Fanny Cradock

Dcully wrote: »

i see a lot worse on the kids channels he watches.

You are probably correct there. I wasn't having a go at you, just voicing an alternative position.

Dcully

No problem, to be honest we limit his fps titles like COD 4 etc, its fps title like team fortress 2 i dont really mind too much.

callaway92

Grand Theft Auto IV

Fionnanc

I think the argument "its better than TV is silly", but it keeps getting it repeated. Sure the child is more mentally active when playing a game, but is physically inactive. Consider letting young children playing computer games-it keeps them quiet and is better for them than television, but the child loses the opportunity to develop motor skills and decision making skills team sports provide. They also miss out on social skills, exploring the world, making friends. And no, i don;t believe they make friends on their online games commonly, all they do is compete, throw tantrums, etc. And it is not just the spoiled American Children ruining some online games.
Hours spent completing age of empires could have been spent, reading, playing with objects, I believe a real lego set is more beneficial than a computer simulation. Young children should deal with concrete objects and subjects first before moving on to abstract renditions of the real thing when older.

Rant over

Also from the children under ten i have seen playing games, all they seem to do is random button mashing.

OP, you are lucky to have such an exceptional 6 year old, who seems years ahead, encourage him to develop further, maybe limit the games?

I recommend World of Goo, inventive, requiring abstract thinking, joyous but is probably too much for the average 6 year old.

PogMoThoin

Fionnanc wrote: »

I think the argument "its better than TV is silly", but it keeps getting it repeated. Sure the child is more mentally active when playing a game, but is physically inactive. Consider letting young children playing computer games-it keeps them quiet and is better for them than television, but the child loses the opportunity to develop motor skills and decision making skills team sports provide. They also miss out on social skills, exploring the world, making friends. And no, i don;t believe they make friends on their online games commonly, all they do is compete, throw tantrums, etc. And it is not just the spoiled American Children ruining some online games.
Hours spent completing age of empires could have been spent, reading, playing with objects, I believe a real lego set is more beneficial than a computer simulation. Young children should deal with concrete objects and subjects first before moving on to abstract renditions of the real thing when older.

Rant over

Also from the children under ten i have seen playing games, all they seem to do is random button mashing.

OP, you are lucky to have such an exceptional 6 year old, who seems years ahead, encourage him to develop further, maybe limit the games?

I recommend World of Goo, inventive, requiring abstract thinking, joyous but is probably too much for the average 6 year old.

:rolleyes: I'd hate to be Your child, what a boring life that would be with Ned Flanders as a Dad.........prayers at 7 and then bed

Nevyn

Club penguin has been is wonderful for children to make friends online and the parental
controls limit the time of session and total time per day a child can play and it does encourage team work.

mick.fr son already plays with lego as do mine.
You seem to be under the mistake assumption that the only play our children get
is console/computer games.

Children under 10 so only mash buttons ? I don't think you have been around gamer kids
at all have made a whole heap of presumptions.

I have found that the lego starwars games were wonderful for getting my two to learn
to co operate on tasks in real life, games like age of empires and Civilisation teach a lot
about history and different cultures, planning and strategy.

Games have their place as part of our children's play and education and can be wonderful
in helping growing their critical thinking, problem solving, confidence and knowledge base.

Fionnanc

that's the way my parent's raised me and i am glad they did.
I offer my opinions and you reply with personal insults. Questioning a 6 year old completing strategy games I think is vaild for this thread. And I have recommend a game i think may be suitable twice.
I think all primary school children should be in bed by 8. They need to be rested to get the most benefit out of school. Staying up after 7 or 8 to watch for example a television program with parents should be a special treat,
computer games should be a special treat for older children, in my opinion.
I believe game playing provides less benefit for children, than say dismantling an old radio, artwork or reading.

Nevyn

If that is how you want to raise you kids when you have them fine.

This site was set up by a bunch of gamers for a bunch of gamers and despite the huge
growth over the last 10 year it still has a core group of guess what gamers who grew up
playing games and post in the games forum and now have children who are growing
up to be gamers. It's a different way of life from what you grew up with and as long
as gamer parents take steps to make sure thier children are well rounded then I don't
see harm but a lot of benefits from being brought up as a gamer kid.

Dcully

Fionnanc wrote: »

that's the way my parent's raised me and i am glad they did.
I offer my opinions and you reply with personal insults. Questioning a 6 year old completing strategy games I think is vaild for this thread. And I have recommend a game i think may be suitable twice.
I think all primary school children should be in bed by 8. They need to be rested to get the most benefit out of school. Staying up after 7 or 8 to watch for example a television program with parents should be a special treat,
computer games should be a special treat for older children, in my opinion.
I believe game playing provides less benefit for children, than say dismantling an old radio, artwork or reading.

Thanks but i know whats best for my children.
My little lad is in the top group in his class according to his teacher, he amazes me how clever he is.
He plays computer games for 1 hour a night along with everything else young boys do ie lots of sport etc.
He goes to bed at 9pm sleeps 11 hours and is up at 8 am bright and breezy looking forward to another day at school.
Mashing buttons you say? that statement right there shows you havent got a clue.


As as been said id hate to be your child.

TerrorFirmer

Completing strategy games at 6....fair play to the kid. At that age I was enthralled in "Putt-Putt Goes to the Moon"....:o

L31mr0d

Fionnanc wrote: »

They also miss out on social skills, exploring the world, making friends. And no, i don;t believe they make friends on their online games commonly, all they do is compete, throw tantrums, etc....

Also from the children under ten i have seen playing games, all they seem to do is random button mashing...

encourage him to develop further, maybe limit the games?

lol, :P seriously how old are you? 50?

can I ask you, if a parent came on and said they where, say, teaching their child how to play the piano and wanted advice on what compositions to teach him, would you have the same objections as you do to video games? Your view strikes me as very old, and shows a complete lack of respect and understanding for the medium of video games.

Is your utopia a country where every 6 yr old is constantly in a state of motion during their waking hours? I suppose you object to children being made to sit in school as well. Should they all be doing laps of the yard while their teacher shouts maths problems at them?

Fionnanc

I understand the gaming medium. I am a regular player and enthusiast, currently playing Empire Total War.
While this site may have originally been founded by gamers it has expanded to encompass many more.
While Dcully's little man may be dexterous with the joypad/keyboard/mouse, I would hazard he is the exception. The average senior infant child, when handed a controller will button mash, with continued practice they will get better.
Children need to sit still in school to learn.
Personally I think 6 years is too young to be playing computer games, but parents have the right to raise their child as they see fit, and I will not let my children play computer games until they are at least 10.
There are games leveled at younger children, Viva Pinata is an excellent example, but only in short bursts. I know its not a strategy game, but my wife ofund colourful and highly entertaining.
Lastly raising Children is not a popularity contest, I would rather my children reach adulthood with a good name, education and problem solving skills but hates my guts, than being liked by a child that hasn't reached its full potential.
My current bunch of students would be of the google generation, while a good, polite, batch, will uncritically lift articles from the internet and put their "facts" into presentation. They seem to be whizzes with the technical aspects of powerpoint and presentations but do not filter out the ill-informed BS they scour from the internet.

thebman

Fionnanc wrote: »

I think the argument "its better than TV is silly", but it keeps getting it repeated. Sure the child is more mentally active when playing a game, but is physically inactive. Consider letting young children playing computer games-it keeps them quiet and is better for them than television, but the child loses the opportunity to develop motor skills and decision making skills team sports provide. They also miss out on social skills, exploring the world, making friends. And no, i don;t believe they make friends on their online games commonly, all they do is compete, throw tantrums, etc. And it is not just the spoiled American Children ruining some online games.
Hours spent completing age of empires could have been spent, reading, playing with objects, I believe a real lego set is more beneficial than a computer simulation. Young children should deal with concrete objects and subjects first before moving on to abstract renditions of the real thing when older.

Again you miss the point that a child can do both. Playing games increases spacial reasoning and hand eye co-ordination. You don't value these skills at all?

As for social skills, you can do that when not playing the game!

People here seem to have a real problem comprehending that people aren't suggesting kids be strapped to a chair and forced to play games for 15 hours a day and not be allowed do anything else in the world. I don't see anybody suggesting that, do you?

Nevyn

Viva Pinata is actually a rather complex rts game once you get up the levels and your garden grows, my 8 year old loves it.

Zillah

Fionnanc wrote: »

I think the argument "its better than TV is silly", but it keeps getting it repeated. Sure the child is more mentally active when playing a game, but is physically inactive.

Yes because when they're watching TV they're usually sprinting back and forth across the room the whole time

You seem utterly incapable of comprehending the notion that a child can spend a small amount of time playing computer games and the rest of their time doing anything else you/they want. I think you've just got an weird bias and you're trying to rationalise it. Like, you'll let a child play computer games at 10 but no younger? What changed? If games are bad for a six year old then they're bad for a 10 year old. Also, your 10 year old is gonna be the dunce in his group who doesn't know what an exe file is, why resolution matters or what framerate is, because everyone else started learning these things years ago.

5uspect

Thaedydal wrote: »

Viva Pinata is actually a rather complex rts game once you get up the levels and your garden grows, my 8 year old loves it.

I never got beyond the tutorial
I don't like the way Rare aggressively hand hold at the beginning of their games.

tman

May not be exactly what you're looking for, but I'd definitely say give Portal a shot. Might be a little on the difficult side though, and some of the later levels require decent dexterity, but by the way you've described him it shouldn't be a problem!

Oh yes, and +1 for World of Goo!

fugazied

animaX wrote: »

I was going to suggest World of Goo (even though the wii version is better) but its not an rts game like Age of Empires. It would be good fun for a kid though!

My kids love that game