Playstation 2

I figured I would get my 4 year-old son, Chris, started on some PS2 games for a number of reasons. The console had been sitting in a box for years, as my current Playstation gaming is on the PS3. The machine is hooked up to a standard television, so there is no conflict with the HD consoles for which output device to use, and the PS2 serves as a DVD player for that TV. The controller is basically the same as the PS3’s, so Chris doesn’t feel gypped (he wants to emulate his Papa, of course). I have a large number of games that I have played and loved, so I know what will work well for him. If I buy games specifically geared to children, there will not only be a lot more available (with reviews), but they will also be less expensive. Finally, if he somehow messes up the machine or any of the games, it’s not a big deal to me.

The only drawback I see is that the controls are wired, so there is a better chance of him pulling the machine down or breaking the controllers. They do pop out fairly readily, so I keep the machine up where he cannot reach it, and have worked with him to be careful with the controller. If he does break one, I may purchase a wireless controller at that point.