How an accidental $5 purchase turned my toddler into a gaming fan

Anyone who’s a Dad of a toddler knows that free time is a fleeting concept. Weekends are no longer based around late-night Halo marathons, playoff hockey doubleheaders, or catching up on episodes of 24. Nope, these days Saturdays and Sundays are all about Daddy-and-Son time, a wonderfully random series of exhausting events involving lots of running, meal preparation, post-meal cleaning, running, trips to the playground, mowing the lawn (at naptime only), running, comforting, desperately searching for juice, fixing broken toys, and running.

My son is a couple of months shy of 2, and is already quite a talker with loads of personality. He knows what he likes – namely cars, trains, tools, cameras, and telephones, to name a few – and he also knows what his Daddy likes – football, baseball, hockey, music, and video games.

Of course, being just shy of 2 also means that his attention span is pretty darned short. His playtime is generally spent rushing from one short activity to another, unless he’s watching one of his favorite TV shows on Noggin. In that case, every once in awhile he might actually sit and watch for all of 10 minutes.

I give him credit, though, because he thinks I'm awesome (and the feeling is mutual) and loves doing whatever I am doing. And (occasionally) that means playing video games.

Lately, whenever I get home from work, he runs up to me and says “Daddy! Games! Games! Games!” because, hey, this is my kid after all. He knows I like to play 'em and he is really starting to enjoy watching me. Naturally, this is not a habit I am looking to discourage in any way.

So we head upstairs (as my wife, a full-time stay-at-home Mom who’s on her own with the boy from 7 AM to 7 PM most days, collapses in a heap) and I crank up the Xbox 360. A few weeks ago, I’d pop in MLB 2K9 or NBA Live 09 and play a few minutes with the little guy watching and reacting. While I do know that one day we'll be sitting around playing some violent shooter or the latest incarnation of Grand Theft Auto, I plan on having his first decade or so of life's exposure to video games being completely pleasant.

Inevitably, though, he’d lose interest and I’d have to abandon an early-inning baseball game or mid-period hoops match to go running after him as he darted out of the room.

I needed to find something a little better for us to enjoy together.

That’s when I remembered a nonchalant, $5 purchase I’d made many months ago on the recommendation of the Player One Podcast, an Xbox Live Arcade compilation disc. It’s got a series of Arcade games on it, including Boom Boom Rocket, Luxor 2, Pac Man Championship, and a few other smallish titles that in years past I never would have played for more than a minute or two.

A few days ago, after our latest trek up the stairs to my office, I looked at the little man and said “Boom Boom Rocket”. He looked a little perplexed, then said “games!”. I popped the disc in, and said “Boom Boom Rocket” again, and started it up. I remember this game getting absolutely vilified in the press, but otherwise had no idea what I was in store for. Turns out it’s a fireworks game, full of explosions, colors, and cool effects all set to music with a Guitar Hero-rhythm game mechanic.

Exploding, colorful fireworks? You can say it’s been the hit of the household ever since that moment. Now he's shouting all of the colors that he's seeing, saying "Boom" whenever a big firework explodes, and generally loving every second while he clutches my arm. Meanwhile, I'm having fun exposing him to one of the things I love in life, and even getting a few Achievements along the way. To say it's a great time for the both of us would be an understatement.

Now, when I get home after work, Leo runs up to me and says “Daddy! Boom Boom Rocket! Boom Boom Rocket!”. And it’s just about the best thing ever.