Nintendo DS or DSI for My 5 Yr Old Son

I think I would get the DS. The DSI has the camera and just more detailed stuff over the DS. He may not be ready for that until he is 10 or so. The difference in price can be used to buy another game. And like already mentioned, get the armor. My husband bought my ids used DSs and they are ll broken--even broke mine--because were not careful where they put them. Really wish I had gotten the armor for it. Extra pens are also a good idea so if you can get a kit with all the accessories, it is worth it.

My 5yo son has the ds my 7yo daughter has the dsi. My son is perfectly happy, however, if I could go back in time I would have gotten him the dsi - he loves the camera/voice features on the dsi and is more than capable of using it.

the more updated one

We have the DS and the DSi XL, and my boys (5 and 7) like the DSi XL best. They love the big screen, and they love how they can take pictures of things and manipulate them in funny ways.

5 is the perfect age to start not getting him hooked. Once they start...
We won't have any games at all in our house ever, to avoid the problem. If they want to play at a friend's house I guess that'll happen.
I just know so many parents who had good intentions and the games got out of control, and the kids are suffering due to the addiction.

The DS should be fine for a 5 year old. My son is almost 8 and still has not graduated to a DSI yet. Although if the price is not to different you could start of with the DSi. I guess I'm not much help, lol. The one recommendation I do have is to get a Nerf case for it, because it will be dropped, over and over and over again.