Are You looking for the Best Games console for 5 or 6 years old kids? this article will give you the 9 best alternatives from the latest technology being introduced in the game console.
With technology being introduced in every aspect of our daily life from communications to healthcare management, research developments to industrial manufacturing, education to entertainment, and many more.
Among all these sectors, entertainment is one which has no limits, neither in its advancements nor in the age groups who are using it, that’s where gaming consoles have become popular for children, especially for the kids who are 5 or 6 years old.
This is an age where they have the ability to latch on to different things easily & quickly, and when this learning process is combined with an entertainment source such as a gaming console, they will experience many things at an early stage of their life that would help them in their mental growth and development.
Hence, in this article, we provide you the information on the best games console for 5- and 6-year-old that are currently available in that market and can be a source for both entertainment and learning curve for your child.
Contents
Here are few things that needs to be considered before buying a best games console for 5 year old:
- Parental controls: The most important feature that a gaming console should possess is the “parental control” feature so that the parents can monitor and control the amount of time that their children are spending on playing games with consoles. Some devices such as iPad and Android tablets can be used for gaming purposes, but these devices have can also be used for other purposes such as watching videos on YouTube, browsing on the internet, sending text messages, and making calls. Hence, one has to choose a device which has complete parental control features.
- Portability: As the hands of the children of 5- and 6-year-old will be small, the portability of the console is important. Parents have to ensure that the consoles’ have an ergonomic design and are comfortable to hold and play. Additionally, certain consoles, such as handheld ones, can be used both inside and outside of home territories, so having one of such kind allows the child to play their favourite games at any time and at any place.
- Control over Games: while certain consoles only support small games like super Mario, Pokémon and Mario Tennis Aces, etc., others will support high-end games which have violence and vulgarity; parents have to keep a check on the kind of games that these consoles can play before buying them.
- Online purchases: The majority of the gaming consoles have a platform or a game store in which one can buy and download games. Hence parents have to ensure that their child doesn’t make any accidental purchases.
- Multiplayer support: It is not like the gaming console will be played by only children sometimes; they might be with their brother/sisters or friends, or sometimes with their parents, hence one has to ensure that the console has the ability to support multiplayer games and additional controllers.
Here are the suggestions for the best games console for 5- and 6-year-old:
1 Nintendo Switch:
Nintendo Switch is one of the best handheld game consoles for 5-year-old that plays many games such as Mario, Zelda, and some high-end games such as Fortnite, FIFA Minecraft, etc.
The device can be used both as an independent game console and can be docked onto a tv and remote screen the games while playing. The controllers are also detachable, which allows two children to play games simultaneously without using any additional peripherals.
The parental controls on Nintendo Switch are also well set as it uses the dedicated app for android and iOS to change the settings and options; it will be easier for parents to keep a check on how their children are playing.
Nintendo Switch does not have an internet browser which ensures that children are not getting exposed to explicit content. Also, playing games with other online players is restricted as it requires approval from the parents.
The device comes with an HDMI cable, Nintendo Switch docks, two controllers, two-strap accessories, a grip, and an AC adapter. It features a 6.2-inch multi-touch capacitive touch screen and comes with 3 different play styles, i.e., TV mode, Tabletop mode, and handheld mode. It can connect with up to 8 consoles for local wireless connectivity and is available in various colours and storage capacities.
2 Nintendo Switch lite:
For users who are looking for a pure handheld game console for 5-year-old then Nintendo switch lite Is the one to get. Unlike its big brother Nintendo switch, the switch lite has only a 5.5-inch touchscreen display and offers only portable play, and cannot be connected to a TV or other devices. Switch lite has got built-in joy-con controllers, which makes the design much sturdier and firm.
The switch lite has a sharper and much clearer screen due to its small display size and higher resolution. The controllers are also responsive and comfortable to hold due to the addition of a proper directional pad.
With the dimensions of 3.6 inches height,8.2 inches in length, 0.55 inches, and weighing at only 0.61 pounds, it becomes one of the best handheld consoles for 5-year-old that is lighter and comfortable to use. Additionally, the Nintendo Switch lite has got headphones jack for audio connectivity.
3 Xbox Series S:
In the world of gaming consoles, Xbox devices are definitely the ones that are more popular and have a wide range of variety in their game library. The Xbox series has some good hardware, and combined with the support of Microsoft software; it can support games at 1440p at 60frames per second.
Due to its tiny size with dimensions of just 10.8 inches tall,15.9-inch depth, and 2.5 wide, it is relatively easy for kids to handle the device and play games on it. One has to connect it to a monitor or TV in order to play games, for which the Xbox has got a 2.1HDMI slot, 2 USB ports, an expandable storage slot, and an ethernet port for internet connectivity.
Xbox series S can also be used to view content on YouTube and 4K Blu-ray movies on platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc., and comes with parental control features that allow the parents to control their child’s gaming time. With a minimalistic design, great built quality, and new updated white controller, the Xbox series S becomes one of the best games consoles for 5 yr old.
4 Super NES Classic:
For small kids who like to play old classic games such as Super Mario Bros. or Pac-Man etc., Super NES Classic is the one to purchase. It is a 16bit version console that has 21 games built-in and 2 identical controllers that can be connected to Wii-style ports to play games.
The Setup process is simple, one needs to simply plug in the power and connect the HDMI cord to the TV, and that’s it, the device is simply a plug-and-play type of console. The NES classic has 3 display modes, one 4:3 version, a pixel-perfect mode for better image quality, and another mode to simulate the old school tube TV. The wire controllers are 5 feet long.
For parents who are looking to introduce these old classic games to their kids, then Super NES Classic is the best games console for 5- and 6-year-old Some of the classic games that can be played on Super NES classic are Super Mario RPG, Earthbound, Final Fantasy, Secret of Mana, etc. these games have detailed storylines which kids would love immensely.
5 HAIHUANG RG351V:
In the world of game consoles, especially the handheld game consoles for 5-year-old, the HAIHUANG RG351V is probably one of the best options to consider. The handheld emulation console is a vertical console that comes with a 3.5-inch ich display which has 640*480 screen resolution with great viewing angles and has support for rumble and vibration features for some games.
The device comes with 64GB (expandable up to 256GB) internal storage and has a wide range of games (almost 2521 games) in its library that supports various formats such as PSP, PSP1, GBA, SMS, etc. The HAIHUANG RG351V features a single mono speaker and an analog stick with L and R button support and battery indicator light. The console has support to WIFI and a 3D rocker, and it comes with 2 USB-C ports, one for charging and another for OTG support and a headphone jack. Due to its small screen size, children can play all the retro games in the original aspect ratio without any stretching and cropping issues.
6 Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros (Nintendo):
When talking about games played on consoles, one has to admit that Super Mario Bros is the king of all retro games. However, it was released long back; many people play this classic game even today.
In order to provide that nostalgic experience, Nintendo has released game & watch: Super Mario Bros- a special system that has Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels, Ball (Mario version), and a digital clock. It has got a 2.5-inch color LCD screen and a direction pad and red A and B buttons for control purposes. It has a USB-C port for charging, which can provide a battery life of 8 hours on a full charge.
Hence for anyone who is looking for Super Mario -classic retro games or a handheld game console for 5-year-old that can play Super Mario, then game & watch: Super Mario Bros (Nintendo) is the best choice.
7 Apple iPad (2020 8th generation):
While there are many options in the gaming console market but when talking about a device that handles both gaming activities while being a stand-alone smart device, then there is no better option other than Apple iPad.
The iPad features Apple A12 Bionic chip with Neural Engine, which is one of the fastest high-performance chipsets, and when combined with the highly optimized IOS operating system, it turns out to be one of the best smart devices that can be used to play games while working as an independent smart device that can serve many functionalities. The iPad features a 10.2-inch retina display, stereo speakers, strong built quality, and the ability to connect with other peripherals such as an apple pencil (1st generation) and a smart keyboard.
As the IOS operating system comes with an App Store which contains thousands of games to play, the Apple iPad (2020 8th generation) is definitely a great choice for that one who is looking for the best games console for 5- and 6-year-old with parental control features which serve a dual purpose of gaming and other smart functionalities.
8 Sony PlayStation 5
The PlayStation series from Sony has always been the stalwarts of the console-based gaming industry, and their latest and greatest device, “PlayStation 5,” takes the gaming experience to a whole new level.
Right from its design to specs, every aspect of the device has been designed and developed based on the compatibility and performance levels of the high-end games, which potentially will be released in the near future while ensuring that the gaming experience of the current games is taken into its full potential.
PlayStation 5 is definitely one of the largest video game consoles in terms of dimensions, and the design is also so unique that it stands out as an attention grabber in its surroundings. The PS5 comes with usable storage of 667.2GB, and the ability to expand will be released in the future. The device as got 3 USB-A ports, a USB-C port, an Ethernet port an HDMI 2.1 port. Also, the newly improved Dual Sense controllers have good haptics makes the gaming experience more intrusive.
The device comes with ASTRO’s PLAYROOM preinstalled game and enough processing power to play high graphic demanding games smoothly. With 4320p resolution graphics and support to play games at 4K resolution at 120fps of 8K at 60 fps, it is definitely one of the best gaming devices for highly intensive gaming.
9 PlayStation Classic:
While we discussed the latest offering from the PlayStation series, let’s talk from a retro piece, i.e., “PlayStation Classic,” a smaller version of the original PlayStation. The PlayStation Classic comes with 20 built-in games that can work seamlessly on TV. It comes with 2 wired controllers that have a 59.1-inch cord length, an HDMI cable, and a USB cable for power.
Final Fantasy VII Grand Theft Auto Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee Resident Evil Director’s Cut, Tekken 3 are some of the top classic games that came with PlayStation Classic. So, if you are looking for a retro gaming console for small kinds that is a descendant from the PlayStation series, then PlayStation Classic is the best games console for 5- and 6-year-old.
Although being a smaller and lighter version of the original PlayStation, it did hold its significance in the gaming world and hence PlayStation classic turns out to good option to consider if you are planning to play some cool retro games.
That being said, there is a wide range of options to choose from in the world of gaming consoles; while some are modern tech implemented devices, others provide the opportunities to play old retro classic games.
The above-mentioned information provides a clear view about the best games console for 5 and 6-year-old that are currently available in the console gaming market. Hence, next time ensure that you check all the components, functionalities, and games that the console can support before purchasing a gaming console for your children.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
What are parental controls in a gaming console?
Parental controls are the group of settings that can be controlled by the parents, thereby parents can monitor and control on the type of games that their child is playing, the amount of time they are playing, and also with whom they are playing on online multiplayer games.
What is the best games console for 5 and 6 years old?
Handheld consoles are recommended for children who want to play games even in outdoor places; plug-and-play consoles are the best for kids who want to play games on large screen TVs at home.
Can children under the age of 10 use iPad or Android tablets to play games?
Yes, these devices can be used to play various games that are available on their respective app stores, users can connect additional keyboards and joy-con controllers to play multiplayer games
Do I need to buy additional controllers if my child wants to play with his friends?
While most gaming consoles come with 2 controllers but when they don’t, one needs to buy an additional controller in order to enable the multiplayer gaming mode.