3 replies to this topic

[RJ]

Posted here since we're playing it on the Wii- is GC considered classic yet?

Been playing Animal Crossing w/ my 2 4-yr old boys, fun game w/ lots to do. But my wife doesnt see why this is a good game for me to play w/ them as a "team" game- she doesnt think it's beneficial (or even fun) for them since it's ME using the GC controller (but I let them make decisions/choices & we work together to play). PLEASE help my wife understand what I'm doing isnt so bad.

Spare the "heres how to handle her"-type posts, I just want some legit viewpoints to back my argument. I plan to show her this topic- minus the unhelpful posts.

Edited by RJ, Tue Nov 8, 2011 7:33 AM.

[cimerians]

No it's great and kids at that age love to tell you what to do to see what kind of reactions happen. As long as they are having fun there's nothing wrong with it.
Besides there are very few games out there that little kids can handle or let alone...play WITH you.

I did the same thing with my kid when she was around 4 or 5 years old. She couldn't handle the controls well (it does take skill to fish and do things that little kids dont have the dexterity yet), so I would walk around and she would tell me "get that fish" or talk to that "elephant". After a while I would give her the controller and she tried doing it on her own and I would help her out.

We played AC off and on this way for a few years. Now that she's 9 years old she plays it on her own but not as much anymore.

A few years from now they will want to come back to this game and they will have fun playing it on their own.

Tell her there are others out there who do this too. Playing a game together with your kids is great and beneficial.

Edited by cimerians, Tue Nov 8, 2011 9:54 AM.

[Metal Ghost]

I'm in the exact same boat as cimerians. My oldest daughter (now 6) and I would play Viva Piniata all the time, with me doing all of the controls but her telling me what she wanted done. She absolutely loved it. And because it was basically all her making the decisions (with me helping her understand what things could be done and what couldn't) she was totally getting the benefit of understanding rules and decision making.

There's no reason to let not being able to handle a controller yet get in the way of the fun and benefits to be had.

Now that she's older, she's the one doing all of the controller work and I only step in when she's at some kind of impasse.

As far as the fun part, I think it's pretty easy to determine whether a 2 and 4 year old are having fun or not. They are the proverbial open book. If they're enjoying it, then the learning part (which I strongly feel is an extremely valid point) almost become moot. I mean, is watching Transformers (or whatever boys watch these days....I have two girls) any more beneficial??

[moycon]

Quote

she doesnt think it's beneficial (or even fun) for them

I would skip the beneficial aspect since a kid that age probably won't have a clue what you're talking about if you bring it up, but howsabout she just asks them if they are having fun?
I don't have kids, but surely at those ages they can let you know if what they are doing is fun to them.
I wouldn't think sitting around eating ice cream and watching chick flicks would be a good time, but I'll bet your wife does. I could ask her and find out.

I've also tried out the co-op of Viva Pinata. I think it's brilliant. Both people control the on-screen cursor, so both have their own controller, but one controller will over-ride the other (this is the one the grown-up handles) if the child is having trouble doing what he wants done onscreen, the grownup and temporarily take over and help out. No need to pass the controller back and forth.