I'm a father now, have been for 3 years. It has been a long dry run with my thirst for video games satiated exclusively by short bursts of portable and mobile games. Sure I've picked up a few of the bigger console blockbusters. Many of which I have yet to finish and more then two still sit sealed in cellophane...(Portal 2)

My kid is almost 3 now and he's not really a sit down and watch TV kind of kid. (He takes after his mother with all that running outside in the grass and exercising and crap.) Lately though he has shown interest in my iPhone games so I picked up a few simple slider puzzle games for him to enjoy. He likes them.

My question to all you parents out there, I know you're out there somewhere, is when is the right time to introduce a kid to video games? Serious dedication and skill games not mobile/flash toys. I realize that all children are different so I'm not asking for an age specifically but a maturity milestone sort of recommendation.

Oh and while we're at it, when do you suggest I introduce fighters and shooters....?

i say around 5 or so. make them happy games nothing violent. for the shooters i would say around 13 or something. take away the mic when he is like 16 give him the mic. 
 
i'm not married, or have a girlfriend, but it's kind of where i got into video games. i started with a NES. i played mario and other games.

E rated games are recommended for kids 6 and up. So start at 6 with easy games that require little reading

I think 5 years old is the best age to start playing Call of Duty, get that shit out of there system before there to old.

@Hizang said:

I think 5 years old is the best age to start playing Call of Duty, get that shit out of there system before there to old.

He's not even joking, you should listen to the guys on Xbox Live, they can't be older than 5.

When I was 5 I remember waking up, and my dad was in my room with a Super Nintendo set up to a TV in my room playing Donkey Kong Country. It was a very welcoming introduction to gaming.

I'm now 21 and attend UC Berkeley, so he must have done something right. As for introducing game genres... I would say just let him discover genres on his own, don't worry about it too much.

Don't force it on him. Just play by yourself in front of him and naturally his curiosity will take the better of him.

Perfect thanks guys. That's some great information to work from. I tried playing some racing games in front of him but he just didn't care. Well see with time. I feel a bit like a drug pusher... XD