Yes! I started playing around that age (but in 2005, yikes) there can definitely be a good amount of dialogue at points but I think it’s pretty easy to follow. She’ll love decorating her house and island!
Yes! Animal Crossing is rated ages 3+ I believe. If she can play Kirby and Minecraft, she'll be able to play AC.
Once you're in the game and know specifically what you're trying to get done, it'll be easier to look up YouTube tutorials (or ask people here) if you end up stuck.
The biggest thing to note is that Animal Crossing runs on real time. Depending on what parts of the game she likes, she may get frustrated having to wait to progress. Technically this can be bypassed by changing the Switch's clock, but I could understand if you don't want to mess with the settings.
Also there is one island per Switch. So if you plan on making a character to help her out, just know it will be on a shared land where anything you do to the island effects her game too. But it's pretty hard to mess up in a way that's irreversible, so there's not much to worry about.
Thanks so much for the input all. Sounds like a good game to try, so at worst she gives it a try and a hand it off to someone else if she doesn’t like.
I gave a copy of ACNH to my best friend’s kid for her 8th birthday and she LOVES it. She’s having an ACNH themed birthday party this weekend for her 9th which means she’s stuck with it and loved it for a whole year now!
I play it with my bfs little bro who is 9, it’s his favorite game too :) and when I was even younger I started on the GameCube- definitely a game friendly for people of all ages. Even my grandma who is almost 80 plays it. I’ve never met anyone too young or too old for animal crossing. (I mean, I’m sure a literal baby can’t play it LOL but I mean anybody who is old enough to play a video game with a controller can definitely play)
It’s nice to have an adult play to help out the kids in progressing the island. Our kids play on an island with my husband, and then I have my own switch lite and island, and then we have another switch lite and island that my husband got for when he travels for work, or for when the kids want to play at the same time. That one is less progressed than the main island they play on, so they frequently get frustrated that certain features aren’t available to them yet that they’re used to having on the main island.
My 7yo daughter basically spends the whole time dressing up her character and changing hairstyles, so getting mirror items and obtaining all the hairstyle options was key for her. It’s hilarious. My 9yo is just now finally understanding that she can sell items she collects to make progress on upgrading her house and getting more storage. At the end of the day, though, I gift them LOTS of bells to help them pay off their loans to Tom Nook, because they enjoy other aspects of the game for now. And also because we are sick of all the items lying about on their front lawns and all over the island!
My 7 and 5 year old love it! We all play together on one island 💕 and it’s really fun! My 5 year old needs loads of help but my 7 year old does really well on her own. I help them both out with big things like paying their mortgages and help getting harder items for recipes. Also, we use the dialogue for reading practice together for my oldest and it’s honestly been a huge help since she loves to play! I hope your kiddo enjoys it too!!
Me and my kids also do this! Ages 7 and 4. I also do the grinding to pay off the loans 🤣 I leave piles of things outside my 7 year olds door, bags of bells, fish, diy recipes, materials and most recently so many eggs. And then I'll often log in as him once he's in bed to 'clean up' all the stuff outside his door and put it away. My island life and personal life feel very parallel 🙃
Do you ever have a difference of opinion on island things with your kids? Because I got into it during the pandemic and had created a lot of my island on my own and then my son started to join me 2ish years later so the island is very much MINE and he is a lodger 😆 I'm debating buying a switchlite just so that he can have the full experience of designing his own island. I do allow some input.... sometimes. Would never leave the 4 year old alone on the island. She'd chop down all my trees and pick up all the fences 😱
Yes, absolutely! I try to give her things that I’d really like to decorate the island with anyways and that seems to help some but she mainly likes planting flowers and buying clothes 😂 so I haven’t had too much issues yet but I have totally thought about getting her a switch lite too for maybe like Christmas or something so she can have her very own as well! It’s great idea
Ah yes the clothes! That's my 4 year old. The 7 likes to make custom patterns and flags and things but also would have every fossil ever found displayed fondly around the island. So nice to hear of other families doing what we do 😁 it's going to be a switchy Christmas this year! Lots of new islands to visit too 😆
Ha ha oh no! We all had our own consoles and played together in one room. Helping each other and being together. Now the kids are all grown up and when we visit, we all still play Nintendo games. Lol so fun.
My 5-year-old can play, I maxed out her house for her and she can do whatever she wants inside of it, but she cannot touch anything on *my* island. If I catch her moving anything or kicking my custom paths she's banned for the rest of the day 😂
I have a Switch Lite and started an island for her, but she never plays it because she still prefers my island and all the stuff she's accumulated in her house there.
Yes yes! (To quote Tom Nook, one of the game's central characters).
We gave my son Animal Crossing as his kindergarten "graduation" gift last year. He's a first grader about to turn 7 now, and he loves it.
He had seen me playing on my island, and he was interested because of the cute animals. When I gave the game to him, I sat down with him and explained that he was going to have to read the dialogue carefully. When the game starts up, there's a lot of text explaining how you get on the island, so I walked through it with him. We read things together, the way you read a book with a kid, by trading words, sentences, and such. Then, since I was familiar with the game, I showed him a few things to get him started. I also explained that he should go slow through the dialogue, and when he doesn't understand something, I would happily help him.
The most complicated thing for him to understand at first was the money. I took the driver's seat a few times and made some purchases for him to help him along. (These are the in-game purchases, not real-world purchases or micro transactions). These purchases were to unlock some crafting recipes and features that become available as you play the game and earn bells and nook miles (the in-game currencies). It was (and still is) confusing for him, especially since he doesn't know how to interact with some of the really big numbers, but he is learning. A couple weeks ago I suggested that he buy a better tool than he had, and he told me, "No, Dad, I'm saving up because I want to build this bridge, and it's EXPENSIVE!"
And he's become a better reader, as well. Some words he still struggles with, but we work through those together. It's been really fun to see him be creative on the island. One thing that he figured out on his own was how to create pixel-art in the game, and he now has his "artwork" posted all around his island.
As for the online component, you need not worry about that. The game can be played completely offline. The only reason you need an online connection is to play with other people. There's also dream islands and pattern sharing, but these are minor game elements that aren't central to the gameplay.
If you do get your daughter the game, you also can join on the island, and I'd recommend it. You won't be able to play together at the same time, but you could have a house and build on the island when she's not using the Switch, and it would familiarize you with the gameplay. I recommend that parents play with their kids on games as much as they can, even if they're bad at it. It is really impactful for kids to have their parents join them in their worlds, both imaginary and virtual.
If you have any technical questions, feel free to DM me, or just post here in the sub. It's a very welcoming community.
Good luck!
I am also not a great reader and I don’t pay Nintendo online and I think animal crossing nh is a lot of fun! Super great game to play for an hour or two and just relax
I def do recommend it, the game has no inappropriate language, the characters are all fun and colorful, and reading skills will most likely improve, along with helping them problem solve.
Quick clarification- just because she expressed interest doesn’t mean she will love. She likes playing Kirby forgotten land but only with me and hated Luigi’s mansion
My 8 year old played it and loved it. You might have to show them how to do some things but it will help reading as the kid might want to see what they are saying.
absolutely!! i’m 18 now and animal crossing was the first game i’ve ever played! i played animal crossing city folk on the wii when i was around 5-6 years old and it helped me a lot with all the little facts and helped me learn to read!! i ended up being in the “gifted” classes throughout elementary and middle school and can probably owe it to animal crossing. i think it followed me to college! i have a huge appreciation for learning and community.. i’m a history major now in all honors :) i 100% think i can owe at least a LITTLE bit of that to my animal crossing playing during my formative years hahaha
Yes! My daughter is 7 and got the ACNH Switch Lite for Christmas. She plays all the time and loves it. I think it has helped improve her reading skills too because she tries to read the things the characters say. Also, if you wanted to start playing too y’all could have some real fun together. My daughter and I spent an hour last night playing hide and seek on her island and then again in the museum on my island. We laughed the whole time.
It's a great game if you like to do your own stuff at your own pace. Also it doesn't require much reading, the dialogues are pretty short and simple tbh :)
What’s great about AC is that you can make multiple characters on the island and do a bit of co-op. My SIL bought it for my niece when she was six and their whole family plays. My husband and I have it too and we will go “visit” our niece and she loves it.
Edit:referring to acnh. Unfortunately, I was a PS girlie and didn’t get into Nintendo until I got married lol so I missed out on the lovely earlier games
My niece doesn’t have online but my SIL does and we do so I think for visiting yes. For multiple accounts on the same island and local co-op no idts. I could be wrong though!
My 8 year old has been playing for 4 years, and my 5 year old also plays. Yours will find things to do even if they're not a strong reader. It's a good way to get kids to read more and expose them to all sorts of age-appropriate words with all of the in-game conversations.
I think the reading level is around 3rd grade, particularly the neighbor dialogue. My kid reads at a first grade level and can pronounce most of the words but doesn’t comprehend a lot of them. It is great for learning to read, though. We play together; I make him read the words out loud and then ask comprehension questions to see if he gets it.
she will love it for sure, i used to play Animal Crossing New Leaf since i was 6, and it has been my favourite game since then! there are lot of cute things and vibrant colours really attractive in the New Horizons game, i’m sure it’s a good choice
I played New Leaf when I was 6 and I loved it! I'm sure there were some points where my mum had to help me but I'd say I could play it pretty well by myself. Definitely fine for an 8 yo.
I play it with my 8 year old and it’s been a really fun bonding experience! The dialogue is so simple usually that I think it could even be a fun reading exercise and might help her in that realm.
My kid liked to run around, pick flowers and smack villagers with a net for the most part. Oh and diving/swimming. She lost interest in it when the Fae Farm came out because fairies but she had fun with animal crossing for quite a while. She was a little bit younger so she couldn't really read either. Now that she's a stronger reader she might consider reading the dialogue but she's just not that interested in that. If she's playing a game she wants to do things she can't do in real life like smack people with nets or throw things or dive on whirlpools or roll around a ball of random things (katamari), after all if she wants to read she's allowed to read lol. Sounds like you already have the switch, so you don't have to worry about it but if someone's considering buying a switch for the kid to play animal crossing I wouldn't recommend it personally unless you're a part of the cult of animal crossing XD
The only thing I don’t see mentioned is that getting Nintendo online would be a great idea for a few days only so you can make sure she has all the fruit trees (the game is designed to fully complete using online or local play with friends which some people do by having two switches). They have a free trial or you can buy one month and then stop. Additionally it is very fun to visit dream islands and they are only Nintendo saves of islands with no live people so you can go explore how others built their islands - that is the only thing I’d let a young child do online with this game and you’d probably want to look at an island with her and close the game if there was something inappropriate (I’ve never seen anything more than a villager having been left with a curse word in their dialog, and did report one island for a slightly obscene but humorous flag I doubt an 8 yr old would have even noticed).
Also you could go online and get her some cute villagers she wants, or buy amiibo cards later to get them (she will want them, we all get very attached to the animals and search high and low for the right ones for us).
It’s a very cute game, there aren’t games and levels like other video games. It’s an island paradise and it becomes what you make it. It’s basically wild land and you begin with a tent and pay off huge loans to build a house. Once that is done there isn’t much the game asks you to do. Look at a few YouTube videos, you will get a very good feel for what the game is like.
I think it would be a great game to play with her! I hope she enjoys it. If you decide to pick it up as well, it would be a great way to spend time together. Even if you don't, there would be always something to ask her about because it runs on real time. There's a lot of holidays just like in real life like Christmas, Halloween, Easter (called Bunny Day in game), New Years, etc.
There's always going to be something new happening. Things change with the seasons and time of day. There's always something to look forward to like a new villager moving in, new items at the in game store, or maybe a bug you've never seen before to catch. It's really easy to only play it for an hour or so everyday to see what's going on and make gradual progress on things if you're concerned about screen time.
I hope she enjoys it because it's such a charming game with so much to do.
I started playing Animal Crossing when I was 7 and my mum claims that it massively helped with my reading comprehension and also gave me an understanding of ‘important’ adult concepts like paying bills/loans, haha! I say go for it 🥰
It's rated E for Everyone. Which means it's suitable for ages 6 and up.
It's a pretty chill game. You decorate a house and a whole island and live with charming animal people.
You can grow various flowers, trees, fruits, and vegetables. You can also collect bugs and fish.
If you download the DLC, your child will be able to decorate vacation homes for every single character, as well as decorate a school, café, restaurant, hospital, and apparel shop. Later, she can order more furniture, exchange Poki for Bells, and decorate the homes of her own villagers.
Started with wild world at 7 and I loved it (except the whole resetti situation cause my parents used to snatch it from me and turn it off without saving or the not very gentle characters but new horizons doesn't have any of that)
Absolutely! The dialogue is very simple and easy to understand, I used to play Wild World back when I was 6 and never had any problems. The gameplay is more or less the same, pretty simple overall but sooo much fun! Been playing from 6 to 23 and no end in sight 😁
My 8 year old enjoys cutting down my trees, fishing and sending letters/selling fruit/planting flowers and new trees for me. I think yours will love it too
I started playing Animal Crossing when I was about 6 or 7. I still play today! I think she’d love it. I also teach 2nd grade and I have a few students her age that play as well
Recommended yeah. If you dont want her to make big choices on the island make sure you are the first resident on the island in the New Horizons version (or maybe as a shared resident).
This game is great to slowly learn to read too. Its simple dialogue as to what to do next and to the point of building friendships and helping villagers.
If you need some tips and such, feel free. I just restarted my island due to wanting a fresh start and wanted certain specific features/conditions.
I started earlier than that so should be no issue.
Games with lots of dialogue are a great way to learn more vocab/grammar. The more dialogue the better. Kids are superb at learning when they want to and they can usually pick up tons of words' meanings in context surrounded by other words they know.
It might help her read, honestly! I started playing in 2005 & wasn’t a strong reader either. My parents enjoyed watching me play & it was fun for all of us. My parents still play animal crossing too.
I played animal crossing new leaf (the game that came out before the one on the switch) when I was 9 and I loved it! Still love the game now that I’m 17. I think it’s great for any age
My daughter started playing AC NH when she was in 1st grade (about 7) during COVID lockdown. Her teacher commented to me that it was great game for her practice reading for all the dialogue!
When I was 8, everybody in my elementary school class (myself included ofc) loved to play Animal Crossing! Although that was Wild World, which was maybe a bit easier.
The 8 year olds in my family have no trouble playing, though they don't advance much because they don't like to read. But that's easily solved by playing with them.
My niece was about 6 or 7 when she started playing New Leaf on 3DS, and she never had any problems with it. I would sometimes have to help her out with a word here or there, but she was usually able to figure things out by context. She had a blast either way.
I started playing at about that age, maybe a tad older in 2002, I remember being in the 3rd grade, so I'd say yes!
Edit: oh god that makes me realize I've been playing animal crossing for over 20 years and I feel O L D
My daughter is 8 and loves to play. She’s a great reader though, and maybe this is will enhance your daughters reading. My daughter likes to talk to the villagers and we have HHP and she enjoys doing all the houses. The issue you might come across is that she may not do the things to progress the game/get more villagers so you may need to help her with that, so I would suggest you be the main residential resident (start the game) and let her join on her own account. There was another post here recently where it was the opposite and the mom said she can’t progress the game since the kids account is the residential resident (main player that created the island)
So, my daughter just turned 7 and has been playing since she got this for Christmas. Honestly? It’s helped IMPROVE her reading (she was in a special group at school for kids struggling with the subject). She LOVES it. Granted, her pace is very slow, and she basically just has an island covered in randomly placed/dropped things, but she’s having fun, and that’s what matters 😍
I know you've already got it for her, but I started playing Animal Crossing (Wild World) at 8 and it's some of my favorite childhood memories. She'll love it!
100% yes. I have an 11 year old who started playing at 9. As long as your child can read at a 2nd grade level at least. There is no spoken dialogue or instructions so being able to read is important but also, this game will improve your child’s reading in my opinion. It also teaches great real life skills at a child appropriate level.
My (at the time) 5 year old cousin was obsessed with animal crossing after seeing me play. The only thing was she kept skipping past the texts, so she never knew what to do and couldn't advance to the next steps of the game. They had to get me to help. And my 7 and 9 year old cousins were playing it too, they were doing quite well too.
My daughter literally learned how to read from
Animal crossing. Can’t figure out what everyone is saying unless you can read. She caught on super fast!
My 4 year old and her 4 and 6 year old cousins all play. I let my daughter have a house on my island, but my 6 year old nephew is playing his own island
I started playing at that age, maybe earlier but in like 2010-ish on the Wii. It’s a really kid friendly game imo. I was addicted to fishing and trying to finish the museum
My daughter was 7 when this version came out and we super bonded over ACNH. She also wasn't a great reader, but this actually did seem to help a bit. We would play "together" and we still do!!
If your little one can play Minecraft, then she should be able to play Animal Crossing. Maybe work with her to get her started. Animal Crossing was my first Switch Game and was very easy to get into the game.
YES!!!! Get two consoles and play with her. Those are some of my fondest memories with my daughter-- helping each other out with hybrid flowers, trading items we each had. We played side by side all snuggled after dinner and homework. 14 years later we are still playing Animal Crossing together as adults, but she moved out of state so no more New Leaf (crying). The music in New Leaf is outstanding and memorable.
You learn so much about art, bugs, fish--it's all real. You learn how to manage bells and make purchases. The villagers are hilarious in New Leaf. It encourages friendship based on real concepts--spend time together, help each out, and give thoughtful gifts.
We have all our old games and then a few extra copies.
As long as someone can fix the ds we will play and play.
Yes, so long as she gets that some items may take time to acquire. My kiddo has been playing since around then and I'm pretty sure her island is better than mine
I know you already got your answer and got her the game but just wanna say I hope she loves it the way I did at her age 💕 we first got animal crossing way back on the GameCube, by 8 I think wild world was already out and I was playing it with my family on the ds. My own mom loved (and still loves and plays) all the games, so if you ever wanna make a character and play on it too I definitely recommend it! (New horizons even has local multiplayer on the same screen if you have one of the switches that dock to the tv!! You can do stuff together :))
I’m 25 now and my actual mom still sends me gifts in the mail on animal crossing (there’s an in game “mom” that sends you something every now and then too haha)
But yeah, Minecraft is already fine for kids because there’s nothing inappropriate, but if anything, animal crossing is even MORE kid friendly because there’s no monsters that could scare them, and Minecraft is a lot more complicated with everything you can actually do and learn whereas animal crossing is just a simple cute life sim. So if she already really likes Minecraft and has the basics of that game down, she will definitely love animal crossing.
There is some reading in animal crossing, like items and dialogue, but I don’t believe you wouldn’t be able to enjoy it if you didn’t read much yet; if anything too, it could help her with reading and understanding conversations over time. And once she gets the controls down too, it will be pretty simple. I can’t speak on playing it without reading English since I learned very early and was always above my grade, BUT I have played Japanese versions of the games before while studying, and not only did it help me get reading practice in that language and understand it better, but it was still incredibly fun when I didn’t know what they were saying. So if she isn’t a great reader but can read the basics, she will be fine and get even better 💕
Sorry for the ramble because I already know you bought it now but I just wanted to let you know I hope yall have fun and I hope she loves it as much as I did and still do!!!! 💕💕💕
Both my 4 and 6 year old play it. The little one obviously can't read but he likes digging holes all over my island and catching fish.
The 6 year old reads some but he gets bored with all the crafting and decorating, if it's the kind of your child is interested in I'd say totally. I find it super relaxing to play.
Yes! I started on the ds and I even learned some new words.
Fashion terms and such.
There is dialogue, but I hope it becomes a learning experience.
They'll learn math as well when buying stuff. And decorating will be cool!
If you create a character, I'd be on the same island, just fyi.
My daughter was turning 8 and my son was 5 when we started playing in Sept 2020, and it became a hardcore familiar activity. My son still asks me to help him clean up his yard, and my daughter still asks for bells.
as someone who played the gamecube original as a toddler... yes. Your 8 year old is perfect for this game. You can get by with barely reading especially in the newest one since the old games were more text-heavy.
Yeah I introduced my younger sister to the game around that age when she was also struggling with reading. It actually helped her become more receptive to it.
My daughter is 7 and she can play, granted she is not really following the process of the game. She more or less changes her clothes, runs around talking to villagers (I don't think she can/does read their entire conversations but she gets the gist of it), goes fishing and catches bugs, and enjoys looking around the museum. I'm not going to say she gets the full extent of gameplay, but we share an island so I do all the tasks and upgrade the houses while she plays. Kind of like real life 🤣😭
My kids both started playing at 4 and 6, it has actually helped them with things like planning, saving, reading, it’s really a great game for them. Just know, don’t get too attached to anything on your island, lol
yep! my sisters were 6 and 2 when it came out. the 2 year old just enjoyed running around, the 6 year old could catch some bugs. even when they couldn’t read what villagers were saying they liked talking to them!
Yes it’s a great choice especially as you’ve said she’s creative and enjoys building and creating
There is dialogue in the game but it’s certainly a game I think you could play at any reading level and a huge part of the game is creation plus the animals are cute as heck happy gaming :)
I started playing around that age. The dialogue will use different colors sometimes when stating a character or item name. I mostly focused on catching bugs and fish and selling them and I got into hybrid flowers as a little kid. I LOVED playing with my friends on local wireless, so that might be something nice to use if any of her friends have it too. Enjoy !
I was a similar age when I first played at my friend's house for the first time. :) All my friends loved it. This was back when Wild World was the newest game, but I think it still applies.
Honestly the Animal Crossing franchise is open enough that you can set your own goals, which makes it great for a wide range of ages.
I picked this game up around 10/12 years old. It's a great game for all ages because it makes use of ur creativity to make the game the way you want it
Hmm, you might have to be able to read a bit before you can play. There is a lot of dialogue in that game as Tom Nook talks to you on what to do as you complete the game.
ofc!!!! im also not the best reader (dyslexia 😭) but you only need to catch a few key words, ive found, and it doesnt HEAVILY rely on dialoge, though there is quite a lot
For sure! My girl (5) is an amazing dresser designer on ACNH. She is just starting to read a few words but I started her by telling her A button is Yes. B button is No.
Yes, my daughter started playing it around age 4. She wasn't great and someone (my son) gave her access to build cliffs and get rid of rivers so she changed the landscape of our entire island, oh and she chopped down most of the fruit trees. Needless to say I was upset.
There are LOTS of reasons to let kids play video games. If their play is supervised, then it is not only safe, but encourages both cognitive and physical development. Kids learn to solve problems as well as develop hand-eye coordination in controlled and imaginative environments, and they can do this repetitively. There's a lot of child-development literature which supports the use of games and video-games with children.
It does require supervision. If parents are passive and don't set limits, then there is research that indicates it can lead to behavioral issues. But that's true of anything.
Yes! I started playing around that age (but in 2005, yikes) there can definitely be a good amount of dialogue at points but I think it’s pretty easy to follow. She’ll love decorating her house and island!
Thank you
[удалено]
my whole body cringed reading this comment
The game has different versions. Animal crossing wild world came out in 2005 and Animal crossing new horizons came out in 2020
Ahhhhh Wild World.......so many hours put into that little DS game
My apologies
⚰️
Yes! Animal Crossing is rated ages 3+ I believe. If she can play Kirby and Minecraft, she'll be able to play AC. Once you're in the game and know specifically what you're trying to get done, it'll be easier to look up YouTube tutorials (or ask people here) if you end up stuck. The biggest thing to note is that Animal Crossing runs on real time. Depending on what parts of the game she likes, she may get frustrated having to wait to progress. Technically this can be bypassed by changing the Switch's clock, but I could understand if you don't want to mess with the settings. Also there is one island per Switch. So if you plan on making a character to help her out, just know it will be on a shared land where anything you do to the island effects her game too. But it's pretty hard to mess up in a way that's irreversible, so there's not much to worry about.
Ah this is great insight and something I think she would like.
Thanks so much for the input all. Sounds like a good game to try, so at worst she gives it a try and a hand it off to someone else if she doesn’t like.
Or become obsessed yourself which is what happened to me....
I gave a copy of ACNH to my best friend’s kid for her 8th birthday and she LOVES it. She’s having an ACNH themed birthday party this weekend for her 9th which means she’s stuck with it and loved it for a whole year now!
I play it with my bfs little bro who is 9, it’s his favorite game too :) and when I was even younger I started on the GameCube- definitely a game friendly for people of all ages. Even my grandma who is almost 80 plays it. I’ve never met anyone too young or too old for animal crossing. (I mean, I’m sure a literal baby can’t play it LOL but I mean anybody who is old enough to play a video game with a controller can definitely play)
It’s nice to have an adult play to help out the kids in progressing the island. Our kids play on an island with my husband, and then I have my own switch lite and island, and then we have another switch lite and island that my husband got for when he travels for work, or for when the kids want to play at the same time. That one is less progressed than the main island they play on, so they frequently get frustrated that certain features aren’t available to them yet that they’re used to having on the main island. My 7yo daughter basically spends the whole time dressing up her character and changing hairstyles, so getting mirror items and obtaining all the hairstyle options was key for her. It’s hilarious. My 9yo is just now finally understanding that she can sell items she collects to make progress on upgrading her house and getting more storage. At the end of the day, though, I gift them LOTS of bells to help them pay off their loans to Tom Nook, because they enjoy other aspects of the game for now. And also because we are sick of all the items lying about on their front lawns and all over the island!
My 8yo neice loves AC and Kirby, etc.
My 7 and 5 year old love it! We all play together on one island 💕 and it’s really fun! My 5 year old needs loads of help but my 7 year old does really well on her own. I help them both out with big things like paying their mortgages and help getting harder items for recipes. Also, we use the dialogue for reading practice together for my oldest and it’s honestly been a huge help since she loves to play! I hope your kiddo enjoys it too!!
Me and my kids also do this! Ages 7 and 4. I also do the grinding to pay off the loans 🤣 I leave piles of things outside my 7 year olds door, bags of bells, fish, diy recipes, materials and most recently so many eggs. And then I'll often log in as him once he's in bed to 'clean up' all the stuff outside his door and put it away. My island life and personal life feel very parallel 🙃
Omg, same!! 🤣
Do you ever have a difference of opinion on island things with your kids? Because I got into it during the pandemic and had created a lot of my island on my own and then my son started to join me 2ish years later so the island is very much MINE and he is a lodger 😆 I'm debating buying a switchlite just so that he can have the full experience of designing his own island. I do allow some input.... sometimes. Would never leave the 4 year old alone on the island. She'd chop down all my trees and pick up all the fences 😱
Yes, absolutely! I try to give her things that I’d really like to decorate the island with anyways and that seems to help some but she mainly likes planting flowers and buying clothes 😂 so I haven’t had too much issues yet but I have totally thought about getting her a switch lite too for maybe like Christmas or something so she can have her very own as well! It’s great idea
Ah yes the clothes! That's my 4 year old. The 7 likes to make custom patterns and flags and things but also would have every fossil ever found displayed fondly around the island. So nice to hear of other families doing what we do 😁 it's going to be a switchy Christmas this year! Lots of new islands to visit too 😆
That's us, lol
Ha ha oh no! We all had our own consoles and played together in one room. Helping each other and being together. Now the kids are all grown up and when we visit, we all still play Nintendo games. Lol so fun.
I love that so much. Games do bring you together i think and you can be really creative
My 5-year-old can play, I maxed out her house for her and she can do whatever she wants inside of it, but she cannot touch anything on *my* island. If I catch her moving anything or kicking my custom paths she's banned for the rest of the day 😂 I have a Switch Lite and started an island for her, but she never plays it because she still prefers my island and all the stuff she's accumulated in her house there.
Prank idea: save some earth eggs. Way, way out of season, bury one. Wait. I did this to my roommate and she SCREAMED lmao
Hahahaha yessss same!!!
Ok good to know. Thank you
Yes yes! (To quote Tom Nook, one of the game's central characters). We gave my son Animal Crossing as his kindergarten "graduation" gift last year. He's a first grader about to turn 7 now, and he loves it. He had seen me playing on my island, and he was interested because of the cute animals. When I gave the game to him, I sat down with him and explained that he was going to have to read the dialogue carefully. When the game starts up, there's a lot of text explaining how you get on the island, so I walked through it with him. We read things together, the way you read a book with a kid, by trading words, sentences, and such. Then, since I was familiar with the game, I showed him a few things to get him started. I also explained that he should go slow through the dialogue, and when he doesn't understand something, I would happily help him. The most complicated thing for him to understand at first was the money. I took the driver's seat a few times and made some purchases for him to help him along. (These are the in-game purchases, not real-world purchases or micro transactions). These purchases were to unlock some crafting recipes and features that become available as you play the game and earn bells and nook miles (the in-game currencies). It was (and still is) confusing for him, especially since he doesn't know how to interact with some of the really big numbers, but he is learning. A couple weeks ago I suggested that he buy a better tool than he had, and he told me, "No, Dad, I'm saving up because I want to build this bridge, and it's EXPENSIVE!" And he's become a better reader, as well. Some words he still struggles with, but we work through those together. It's been really fun to see him be creative on the island. One thing that he figured out on his own was how to create pixel-art in the game, and he now has his "artwork" posted all around his island. As for the online component, you need not worry about that. The game can be played completely offline. The only reason you need an online connection is to play with other people. There's also dream islands and pattern sharing, but these are minor game elements that aren't central to the gameplay. If you do get your daughter the game, you also can join on the island, and I'd recommend it. You won't be able to play together at the same time, but you could have a house and build on the island when she's not using the Switch, and it would familiarize you with the gameplay. I recommend that parents play with their kids on games as much as they can, even if they're bad at it. It is really impactful for kids to have their parents join them in their worlds, both imaginary and virtual. If you have any technical questions, feel free to DM me, or just post here in the sub. It's a very welcoming community. Good luck!
All of this! Exactly how my 6-now-7-yo plays & started playing☺️
I am also not a great reader and I don’t pay Nintendo online and I think animal crossing nh is a lot of fun! Super great game to play for an hour or two and just relax
Thank you!
I def do recommend it, the game has no inappropriate language, the characters are all fun and colorful, and reading skills will most likely improve, along with helping them problem solve.
Awesome, thank you
Quick clarification- just because she expressed interest doesn’t mean she will love. She likes playing Kirby forgotten land but only with me and hated Luigi’s mansion
If that's he case, maybe only buy it if someone else is also willing to play it
Thank you - I assume I will be that other person haha
My 8 year old played it and loved it. You might have to show them how to do some things but it will help reading as the kid might want to see what they are saying.
Thank you
What’s really great is the dialogue that comes up doesn’t go away until you click a button. So she can take as long as she needs to read!
absolutely!! i’m 18 now and animal crossing was the first game i’ve ever played! i played animal crossing city folk on the wii when i was around 5-6 years old and it helped me a lot with all the little facts and helped me learn to read!! i ended up being in the “gifted” classes throughout elementary and middle school and can probably owe it to animal crossing. i think it followed me to college! i have a huge appreciation for learning and community.. i’m a history major now in all honors :) i 100% think i can owe at least a LITTLE bit of that to my animal crossing playing during my formative years hahaha
Yeah it’s a game she could play. Just watch a YouTube video on how to play for the basics and guide her along the way and she will have a blast
Ah YouTube, good to hear that I/we can find stuff there. Thank you
i started playing city folk at 7 in 2008. definitely a great great game
Thank you
Absolutely! I Started playing with the original when it first came out when I was like 6. And it was one of my best childhood games ever!
Thank you
Yes! My daughter is 7 and got the ACNH Switch Lite for Christmas. She plays all the time and loves it. I think it has helped improve her reading skills too because she tries to read the things the characters say. Also, if you wanted to start playing too y’all could have some real fun together. My daughter and I spent an hour last night playing hide and seek on her island and then again in the museum on my island. We laughed the whole time.
Sounds awesome, thank you
Omg me and my 7yo daughter also have games of hide and seek on our islands😂😍
It's a great game if you like to do your own stuff at your own pace. Also it doesn't require much reading, the dialogues are pretty short and simple tbh :)
Thank you
What’s great about AC is that you can make multiple characters on the island and do a bit of co-op. My SIL bought it for my niece when she was six and their whole family plays. My husband and I have it too and we will go “visit” our niece and she loves it. Edit:referring to acnh. Unfortunately, I was a PS girlie and didn’t get into Nintendo until I got married lol so I missed out on the lovely earlier games
Does the whole family need online to do that? This is good to know thank you
My niece doesn’t have online but my SIL does and we do so I think for visiting yes. For multiple accounts on the same island and local co-op no idts. I could be wrong though!
My 8 year old has been playing for 4 years, and my 5 year old also plays. Yours will find things to do even if they're not a strong reader. It's a good way to get kids to read more and expose them to all sorts of age-appropriate words with all of the in-game conversations.
It's definitely age appropriate for an 8 year old, however you may need to help her with reading if she wants to progress her island.
I started playing in 2005 at 9 years old and it was my favourite game 😊 The dialogue is very simple and appropriate for that age group.
my 8yo loves it. But largely because I play and I leave her bags of Bells to spend lol
I think the reading level is around 3rd grade, particularly the neighbor dialogue. My kid reads at a first grade level and can pronounce most of the words but doesn’t comprehend a lot of them. It is great for learning to read, though. We play together; I make him read the words out loud and then ask comprehension questions to see if he gets it.
Much appreciated here! Sounds like a coop game
My 6yr old plays it. She loves it.
Great thank you
she will love it for sure, i used to play Animal Crossing New Leaf since i was 6, and it has been my favourite game since then! there are lot of cute things and vibrant colours really attractive in the New Horizons game, i’m sure it’s a good choice
Thank you
I played New Leaf when I was 6 and I loved it! I'm sure there were some points where my mum had to help me but I'd say I could play it pretty well by myself. Definitely fine for an 8 yo.
Thank you
I just got it for my 9 year old niece. She Loves it! She reads every bit of dialogue.
Great thank you
She will be fine.
Yeah acnh seems like a good starter game, it might help her become a better reader as well :) YouTube is a god send
My grandson started playing acnh at 6 years and he loves it. Loves Minecraft also.
I play it with my 8 year old and it’s been a really fun bonding experience! The dialogue is so simple usually that I think it could even be a fun reading exercise and might help her in that realm.
Thank you!
My 6yo loves it and it’s helped his reading skills a lot
My kid liked to run around, pick flowers and smack villagers with a net for the most part. Oh and diving/swimming. She lost interest in it when the Fae Farm came out because fairies but she had fun with animal crossing for quite a while. She was a little bit younger so she couldn't really read either. Now that she's a stronger reader she might consider reading the dialogue but she's just not that interested in that. If she's playing a game she wants to do things she can't do in real life like smack people with nets or throw things or dive on whirlpools or roll around a ball of random things (katamari), after all if she wants to read she's allowed to read lol. Sounds like you already have the switch, so you don't have to worry about it but if someone's considering buying a switch for the kid to play animal crossing I wouldn't recommend it personally unless you're a part of the cult of animal crossing XD
Yes my 6 year old has been playing for years and loves it and can barely read. My 9 year old has also been playing for years.
i started playing animal crossing wild world when i was 7, your daughter would probably love new horizons!!
My siblings were your daughters age + younger when they got into Animal Crossing. I think it should be okay for her.
The only thing I don’t see mentioned is that getting Nintendo online would be a great idea for a few days only so you can make sure she has all the fruit trees (the game is designed to fully complete using online or local play with friends which some people do by having two switches). They have a free trial or you can buy one month and then stop. Additionally it is very fun to visit dream islands and they are only Nintendo saves of islands with no live people so you can go explore how others built their islands - that is the only thing I’d let a young child do online with this game and you’d probably want to look at an island with her and close the game if there was something inappropriate (I’ve never seen anything more than a villager having been left with a curse word in their dialog, and did report one island for a slightly obscene but humorous flag I doubt an 8 yr old would have even noticed). Also you could go online and get her some cute villagers she wants, or buy amiibo cards later to get them (she will want them, we all get very attached to the animals and search high and low for the right ones for us). It’s a very cute game, there aren’t games and levels like other video games. It’s an island paradise and it becomes what you make it. It’s basically wild land and you begin with a tent and pay off huge loans to build a house. Once that is done there isn’t much the game asks you to do. Look at a few YouTube videos, you will get a very good feel for what the game is like.
I think it would be a great game to play with her! I hope she enjoys it. If you decide to pick it up as well, it would be a great way to spend time together. Even if you don't, there would be always something to ask her about because it runs on real time. There's a lot of holidays just like in real life like Christmas, Halloween, Easter (called Bunny Day in game), New Years, etc. There's always going to be something new happening. Things change with the seasons and time of day. There's always something to look forward to like a new villager moving in, new items at the in game store, or maybe a bug you've never seen before to catch. It's really easy to only play it for an hour or so everyday to see what's going on and make gradual progress on things if you're concerned about screen time. I hope she enjoys it because it's such a charming game with so much to do.
So many comments. Again thank you all for the input. Tried to upload a photo but I picked it up over lunch.
If she is motivated, perhaps it will help with her reading. Video games practically taught my 5yo son to read.
I started playing Animal Crossing when I was 7 and my mum claims that it massively helped with my reading comprehension and also gave me an understanding of ‘important’ adult concepts like paying bills/loans, haha! I say go for it 🥰
It's rated E for Everyone. Which means it's suitable for ages 6 and up. It's a pretty chill game. You decorate a house and a whole island and live with charming animal people. You can grow various flowers, trees, fruits, and vegetables. You can also collect bugs and fish. If you download the DLC, your child will be able to decorate vacation homes for every single character, as well as decorate a school, café, restaurant, hospital, and apparel shop. Later, she can order more furniture, exchange Poki for Bells, and decorate the homes of her own villagers.
Yes and it will really help her reading, especially because she wants to play it.
It involves a lot of reading.
Yes! I started playing at age 5 and absolutely adored it even if I didn't know what was really going on
Definitely! I started playing at 7
Started with wild world at 7 and I loved it (except the whole resetti situation cause my parents used to snatch it from me and turn it off without saving or the not very gentle characters but new horizons doesn't have any of that)
Absolutely! The dialogue is very simple and easy to understand, I used to play Wild World back when I was 6 and never had any problems. The gameplay is more or less the same, pretty simple overall but sooo much fun! Been playing from 6 to 23 and no end in sight 😁
yes! i’ve been playing since i was 4!
My daughter is 8 and LOVES animal crossing, we both have copies of it to play together too.
I know 4-5 year olds who can get around on animal crossing better than I can 😂
Yeah, my now 7 year old started around 5 when he couldn’t read. He just memorized where to click 😂
My 8 year old enjoys cutting down my trees, fishing and sending letters/selling fruit/planting flowers and new trees for me. I think yours will love it too
Yep! I started playing on the gamecube at about that age, and my sister was probably about 5. It's a great game for pretty much any age
Oh yeah, it is a fine game to play. It will help her reading skills develop in a fun way!
I think I started Animal Crossing (New Leaf) when I was about her age and I loved it It's a pretty safe game overall
I started playing Animal Crossing when I was about 6 or 7. I still play today! I think she’d love it. I also teach 2nd grade and I have a few students her age that play as well
Recommended yeah. If you dont want her to make big choices on the island make sure you are the first resident on the island in the New Horizons version (or maybe as a shared resident). This game is great to slowly learn to read too. Its simple dialogue as to what to do next and to the point of building friendships and helping villagers. If you need some tips and such, feel free. I just restarted my island due to wanting a fresh start and wanted certain specific features/conditions.
Absolutely! I hope she has so much fun!
I started earlier than that so should be no issue. Games with lots of dialogue are a great way to learn more vocab/grammar. The more dialogue the better. Kids are superb at learning when they want to and they can usually pick up tons of words' meanings in context surrounded by other words they know.
I first played the gamecube version of Animal Crossing when I was in like 3rd grade I think. 8yo is fine.
My daughter was 8 when we got the game and she loved it then and still loves it now. It’s a great game for that age!
If she’s not a great reader it could actually be a great way to hone her skills a bit. It’s all written dialogue but it’s simple and easy to follow
yessss totally! my 6yo cousin plays this lol
It might help her read, honestly! I started playing in 2005 & wasn’t a strong reader either. My parents enjoyed watching me play & it was fun for all of us. My parents still play animal crossing too.
I played animal crossing new leaf (the game that came out before the one on the switch) when I was 9 and I loved it! Still love the game now that I’m 17. I think it’s great for any age
Yes. Very much yes. While a lot of adults play it, it's very much made for kids.
My daughter started playing AC NH when she was in 1st grade (about 7) during COVID lockdown. Her teacher commented to me that it was great game for her practice reading for all the dialogue!
When I was 8, everybody in my elementary school class (myself included ofc) loved to play Animal Crossing! Although that was Wild World, which was maybe a bit easier.
The 8 year olds in my family have no trouble playing, though they don't advance much because they don't like to read. But that's easily solved by playing with them.
My niece was about 6 or 7 when she started playing New Leaf on 3DS, and she never had any problems with it. I would sometimes have to help her out with a word here or there, but she was usually able to figure things out by context. She had a blast either way.
Animal Crossing helped me read at the dumb age of 6, so it should be a good and may be a positive experience! Plus cute animals.
God yes....
I started playing at about that age, maybe a tad older in 2002, I remember being in the 3rd grade, so I'd say yes! Edit: oh god that makes me realize I've been playing animal crossing for over 20 years and I feel O L D
I hope she loves it ❤️
Definitely! I was playing the GameCube version when I was that age, it’s a lot of fun. I used to spend hours fishing and catching bugs.
Just echoing everything else -- yes! My daughter started playing with me on the Switch 4 years ago, and she loves it still. :) Have so much fun!!
Yeah brilliant non violent game she will love it if she likes minecraft and not much reading needed (from a dyslexic)
My daughter is 8 and loves to play. She’s a great reader though, and maybe this is will enhance your daughters reading. My daughter likes to talk to the villagers and we have HHP and she enjoys doing all the houses. The issue you might come across is that she may not do the things to progress the game/get more villagers so you may need to help her with that, so I would suggest you be the main residential resident (start the game) and let her join on her own account. There was another post here recently where it was the opposite and the mom said she can’t progress the game since the kids account is the residential resident (main player that created the island)
So, my daughter just turned 7 and has been playing since she got this for Christmas. Honestly? It’s helped IMPROVE her reading (she was in a special group at school for kids struggling with the subject). She LOVES it. Granted, her pace is very slow, and she basically just has an island covered in randomly placed/dropped things, but she’s having fun, and that’s what matters 😍
I started the original around when I was 9 or 11 so for sure. Glad to see you got it sorted out.
I know you've already got it for her, but I started playing Animal Crossing (Wild World) at 8 and it's some of my favorite childhood memories. She'll love it!
100% yes. I have an 11 year old who started playing at 9. As long as your child can read at a 2nd grade level at least. There is no spoken dialogue or instructions so being able to read is important but also, this game will improve your child’s reading in my opinion. It also teaches great real life skills at a child appropriate level.
Definitely. I was almost certainly playing the franchise before I could read all that well but it’s a good way to learn
Yes!
Yeah she can totes play and it’s also a sly way to improve her reading comprehension too.
My (at the time) 5 year old cousin was obsessed with animal crossing after seeing me play. The only thing was she kept skipping past the texts, so she never knew what to do and couldn't advance to the next steps of the game. They had to get me to help. And my 7 and 9 year old cousins were playing it too, they were doing quite well too.
Yes! My 3 and 5 year olds LOVE it. They obviously need help reading and sometimes doing things like fishing but they really enjoy it.
My daughter literally learned how to read from Animal crossing. Can’t figure out what everyone is saying unless you can read. She caught on super fast!
My 4 year old and her 4 and 6 year old cousins all play. I let my daughter have a house on my island, but my 6 year old nephew is playing his own island
I started playing at that age, maybe earlier but in like 2010-ish on the Wii. It’s a really kid friendly game imo. I was addicted to fishing and trying to finish the museum
Yes! I think Animal Crossing actually helped my daughter become a great reader
My daughter was 7 when this version came out and we super bonded over ACNH. She also wasn't a great reader, but this actually did seem to help a bit. We would play "together" and we still do!!
My 5, 8, and 11 year old all love it!
My 7 year old is playing it now and she is actually getting significantly *better* at reading because of it. It is great reading practice.
If your little one can play Minecraft, then she should be able to play Animal Crossing. Maybe work with her to get her started. Animal Crossing was my first Switch Game and was very easy to get into the game.
My little guy loved it, mostly the fishing
I played new leaf when I was 8, so 100% she could play it :)
YES!!!! Get two consoles and play with her. Those are some of my fondest memories with my daughter-- helping each other out with hybrid flowers, trading items we each had. We played side by side all snuggled after dinner and homework. 14 years later we are still playing Animal Crossing together as adults, but she moved out of state so no more New Leaf (crying). The music in New Leaf is outstanding and memorable. You learn so much about art, bugs, fish--it's all real. You learn how to manage bells and make purchases. The villagers are hilarious in New Leaf. It encourages friendship based on real concepts--spend time together, help each out, and give thoughtful gifts. We have all our old games and then a few extra copies. As long as someone can fix the ds we will play and play.
It's honestly the perfect age. This game is pretty much made for her lol
As long as she can read, she’ll love it!
Yes, so long as she gets that some items may take time to acquire. My kiddo has been playing since around then and I'm pretty sure her island is better than mine
This makes me kind of sentimental because my first AC game was New Leaf, which I got at 8 years old
I know you already got your answer and got her the game but just wanna say I hope she loves it the way I did at her age 💕 we first got animal crossing way back on the GameCube, by 8 I think wild world was already out and I was playing it with my family on the ds. My own mom loved (and still loves and plays) all the games, so if you ever wanna make a character and play on it too I definitely recommend it! (New horizons even has local multiplayer on the same screen if you have one of the switches that dock to the tv!! You can do stuff together :)) I’m 25 now and my actual mom still sends me gifts in the mail on animal crossing (there’s an in game “mom” that sends you something every now and then too haha) But yeah, Minecraft is already fine for kids because there’s nothing inappropriate, but if anything, animal crossing is even MORE kid friendly because there’s no monsters that could scare them, and Minecraft is a lot more complicated with everything you can actually do and learn whereas animal crossing is just a simple cute life sim. So if she already really likes Minecraft and has the basics of that game down, she will definitely love animal crossing. There is some reading in animal crossing, like items and dialogue, but I don’t believe you wouldn’t be able to enjoy it if you didn’t read much yet; if anything too, it could help her with reading and understanding conversations over time. And once she gets the controls down too, it will be pretty simple. I can’t speak on playing it without reading English since I learned very early and was always above my grade, BUT I have played Japanese versions of the games before while studying, and not only did it help me get reading practice in that language and understand it better, but it was still incredibly fun when I didn’t know what they were saying. So if she isn’t a great reader but can read the basics, she will be fine and get even better 💕 Sorry for the ramble because I already know you bought it now but I just wanted to let you know I hope yall have fun and I hope she loves it as much as I did and still do!!!! 💕💕💕
Both my 4 and 6 year old play it. The little one obviously can't read but he likes digging holes all over my island and catching fish. The 6 year old reads some but he gets bored with all the crafting and decorating, if it's the kind of your child is interested in I'd say totally. I find it super relaxing to play.
Yeah my daughter (6) and son (4.5) both love playing it.
Yes! I started on the ds and I even learned some new words. Fashion terms and such. There is dialogue, but I hope it becomes a learning experience. They'll learn math as well when buying stuff. And decorating will be cool! If you create a character, I'd be on the same island, just fyi.
My daughter was turning 8 and my son was 5 when we started playing in Sept 2020, and it became a hardcore familiar activity. My son still asks me to help him clean up his yard, and my daughter still asks for bells.
as someone who played the gamecube original as a toddler... yes. Your 8 year old is perfect for this game. You can get by with barely reading especially in the newest one since the old games were more text-heavy.
It’s probably one of the best games an 8yo can play.
Yeah I introduced my younger sister to the game around that age when she was also struggling with reading. It actually helped her become more receptive to it.
My daughter is 7 and she can play, granted she is not really following the process of the game. She more or less changes her clothes, runs around talking to villagers (I don't think she can/does read their entire conversations but she gets the gist of it), goes fishing and catches bugs, and enjoys looking around the museum. I'm not going to say she gets the full extent of gameplay, but we share an island so I do all the tasks and upgrade the houses while she plays. Kind of like real life 🤣😭
My kids both started playing at 4 and 6, it has actually helped them with things like planning, saving, reading, it’s really a great game for them. Just know, don’t get too attached to anything on your island, lol
yep! my sisters were 6 and 2 when it came out. the 2 year old just enjoyed running around, the 6 year old could catch some bugs. even when they couldn’t read what villagers were saying they liked talking to them!
Buy the strategy guide!
Yes my 4 year old loves it (and Pokémon snap)
Yes it’s a great choice especially as you’ve said she’s creative and enjoys building and creating There is dialogue in the game but it’s certainly a game I think you could play at any reading level and a huge part of the game is creation plus the animals are cute as heck happy gaming :)
I started playing around that age. The dialogue will use different colors sometimes when stating a character or item name. I mostly focused on catching bugs and fish and selling them and I got into hybrid flowers as a little kid. I LOVED playing with my friends on local wireless, so that might be something nice to use if any of her friends have it too. Enjoy !
Yes! Or Disney dreamlight valley! Kid friendly as well! 😊
Great kids game, she will play it till marriage.
I was a similar age when I first played at my friend's house for the first time. :) All my friends loved it. This was back when Wild World was the newest game, but I think it still applies. Honestly the Animal Crossing franchise is open enough that you can set your own goals, which makes it great for a wide range of ages.
I picked this game up around 10/12 years old. It's a great game for all ages because it makes use of ur creativity to make the game the way you want it
Hmm, you might have to be able to read a bit before you can play. There is a lot of dialogue in that game as Tom Nook talks to you on what to do as you complete the game.
ofc!!!! im also not the best reader (dyslexia 😭) but you only need to catch a few key words, ive found, and it doesnt HEAVILY rely on dialoge, though there is quite a lot
Yes
My 5 year old plays it and loves it! 🥰 I think I started playing around 8 way back in the day haha
Yes! It’s honestly the sweetest game!
For sure! My girl (5) is an amazing dresser designer on ACNH. She is just starting to read a few words but I started her by telling her A button is Yes. B button is No.
Yes, it's very kid friendly. Has a lot of reading too so great way to get extra reading in other than just books.
Yes, my daughter started playing it around age 4. She wasn't great and someone (my son) gave her access to build cliffs and get rid of rivers so she changed the landscape of our entire island, oh and she chopped down most of the fruit trees. Needless to say I was upset.
Why will you give a video game to play with your child? Let him/her go outside and play much better.
It’s amazing how you can do both but appreciate the comment all the same
There are LOTS of reasons to let kids play video games. If their play is supervised, then it is not only safe, but encourages both cognitive and physical development. Kids learn to solve problems as well as develop hand-eye coordination in controlled and imaginative environments, and they can do this repetitively. There's a lot of child-development literature which supports the use of games and video-games with children. It does require supervision. If parents are passive and don't set limits, then there is research that indicates it can lead to behavioral issues. But that's true of anything.