Games related to airplanes for children

"Top Spin"
I am
concerned that the game is too complicated for an 8 year old.

The short answer is the sim can be as complicated as a 8 page checklist to
start a jet or as simple as pressing the engine start key and going flying
with a Cessna. If he's a smart 8 year old he should be able to have some
fun with it.

Dallas

I agree. If you want to start at the beginning, turn the realism off, don't
ever think about landing and then take the extra 300 for a spin (literally).

For what it's worth I think a youngster would prefer a joystick to a yoke.

Geoff



"Dallas" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Top Spin"
I am
concerned that the game is too complicated for an 8 year old.

The short answer is the sim can be as complicated as a 8 page checklist to
start a jet or as simple as pressing the engine start key and going flying
with a Cessna. If he's a smart 8 year old he should be able to have some
fun with it.

Dallas

"Top Spin" wrote:

My grandson will be 8 in a month. He loves airplanes. He is also
pretty good on the computer. I was thinking of getting him a copy of
FS for his birthday, but after lurking on this ng for a few days, I am
concerned that the game is too complicated for an 8 year old.

In my opinion, an eight year old kid shouldn't stay alone with a computer.
If your daughter/son thinks the same, she/he could help him to set up
the sim or flight. If your grandson will find himself back on the runway,
with started engines and full flaps, be sure he will get up to the sky
somehow.

I would appreciate any opinions on the appropriateness of FS for an 8
year old boy. If FS is not a good choice, I would appreciate
suggestions for other games involving ariplanes that would be.

As I said before, if your grandson will get some support from his
parents, there should be no age-limitation to start using a computer or
aircraft (imo), as long as you consider the age-recommendation
of the games publisher or your countries law. For this reason, if I
were you, I would not think about war-games for young children.

Besides, a simulation like the MS-FS9, can really improve your
grandsons geography-skill :-). Even my son, who is just three years
old, tooks the first steps, to be a great armchair-pilot, like his daddy
already is...

Sorry for bad english and grammar,
Jan

I have a grandson who has enjoyed FSims since he was about six. I just used
to get him into the air by slewing first ,and then he hunted about in a Lear
Jet to find AI aircraft to crash into! He soon became very skilled, much
better than I am, and especially at using all the different facilites the
sim offers. He would play for three or four hours at a time.
One of the great Educational benefits was the practice in spatial awareness
and 3D thinking.

Since my son's pending divorce, I don't get to have the fun with him that we
used to enjoy any more :-(
He taught me not to take it too seriously!


Quilljar

Hi there,

My son just turned nine - however he has been flying FS2004 since he
was about seven.

Granted there is a lot he does not understand about flying (I.E nav,
GPS, etc...) However he has no problems choosing an aircraft, and
flying it. I had to do quite a bit of coaching initially in order to
get him to understand the joystick and what each button is for. I
found that flying in external view helped him tremendously. Now days
he flys quite well (even the odd landing) I have realism set to easy
for him and I have turned off "detect crashes"

My daughter who is the same age (twins) occasionally jumps in too and
flys around.

I would certainly recommend it. Just bear prepared for some coaching
early on.

Ian
www.fstv.us