A lot of parents look at the Nintendo DS or DSi and see a kids’ handheld game system. Many of the games for the DS have a definite kid appeal and they are great for playing a game on the go. We thought the same thing. And then, we discovered that a child can really easily snap the DS right in half. Yeah. The DS just snaps right in half, never to work again. I don’t understand why Nintendo can’t make the system a bit sturdier. They know kids are using the DS and DSi.

And why aren’t the little pen things attached? Do you know how many times I crawl around looking for mine? And I’m a responsible grown up.

So, you’re thinking I hate the DS, right? Well, I don’t. I love it and I have a ton of fun playing with it while I’m somewhere I can’t haul my laptop to. I let the kids play with it, too, but only if they are sitting right beside me without anyone else to fight over who gets to go next. As a kids’ game system, it is a terrible piece of equipment. As a system for responsible teens and grownups, it is marvelous.

Then, there’s the Leapster or the Didj. These educational game systems are very rugged. You can throw your Leapster out the car window, go back and retrieve it and, as long as no one ran it over, it is likely to still work. The Didj has a bit of trouble with the update software at times, but is also very sturdy. So, why would you even consider getting the DS instead? Games.

Leapster and Didj have some very nice, entertaining and educational games for kids. They even have games with popular characters, like Diego, Sonic, or the Disney princesses. The games, despite being educational, are a lot of fun. There just aren’t very many of them and the games for the Didj probably won’t excite kids at the top of the target age group. They will want more action and better graphics.

Both systems have their benefits and drawbacks. You may find that the best solution is to do what I did and buy the DS and the Leapster. Then, you may want to add the Didj as your children outgrow the Leapster’s games. Or, you may want to go with the DS and just really supervise play time.

Do you have one or all of these systems? What was your experience?