I am constantly on the lookout for age-appropriate games for my children to engage with as my children are all still young at ages 13, 11 and 8. With three children's busy schedules, we are in the car quite often transporting back and forth from schools and activities. We are also sitting around waiting for a sibling during a lesson or activity. It's not easy trying to entertain my children quietly during these times because my kids get bored just sitting around waiting for their siblings.

Tomodachi Life

Enter into my life . . . Tomodachi Life . . . the universally appealing life simulation game that allows the gamer to create Mii (me) characters who live in their own apartments in a complex on an island. Every day since I downloaded Tomodachi Life, my girls have been creating new characters, checking on their characters, interacting with their characters, watching their Miis interact, eat, fight and fall in love. The more they interact with their Miis; which are basically our family of five with numerous other characters in the mix, the more areas of their island open up for discovery.

The girls are watching the Miis go to the cafe, the amusement park; they are selling their "stuff" at the pawn shop and heading to concerts in the concert hall. My daughters, age 8 and 11 are enamored with  Tomodachi Life; they created my husband and I, hoping we would fall in love and have baby Miis. However, that did not happen.

My Mii husband didn't like me as much as my daughters wanted him to and we actually had a little scuffle; tossing our belongings about in his apartment. It was quite hilarious! My girls deleted 'old Daddy Mii' and created a 'new Daddy Mii' and we are falling in love and hopefully will live happily ever after. The girls are encouraging their Mii parents in every way to make babies. They can't wait to have a Mii baby!

My girls are playing Tomodachi Life smartly and didn't rush to fill the apartment complex with numerous Mii characters. They each created a few Miis and are busy ensuring their Miis flourish in Tomodachi Life. Their Miis need to be fed, clothed and stimulated; they even have dreams and wishes. The girls are the leader in deciding how their community interacts and flourishes. They love to show me how happy my Mii character is . . . except when my husband Mii failed to fall in love with me!

Making a NEW Mii Character on Tomodachi Life: #TomodachiLife

My son created a Mii character who they named Creepy Bob and Creepy Bob is the most popular character in their apartment complex. My son customized Creepy Bob's appearance, voice, hair, eyes and personality. I was also able to import some celebrity Miis on the Nintendo DS simply by scanning a QR code from the official Tomodachi Life website. You should check out what is available for your gamer girls as well!

My daughters(and son) love to purchase items, give it to their Miis, earn more money, and buy more items to give to their other Mii characters. Their Miis are unpredictable and they never know what to expect. I hear peals of laughter whenever they are interacting with their Miis. They have only been playing for one week and have so many more discoveries to uncover in Tomodachi Life.

There really is so much to inspire your children on Tomodachi Life, and the best aspect is this game is age appropriate, delightfully hilarious, engaging to various ages and FUN! Tomodachi Life is available for digital download from the 3DS eShop on all Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL and Nintendo 2DS devices or in stores $34.99.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Every day is a new day in Animal Crossing: New Leaf as you begin your day as the mayor of a town that is constantly changing. In this Nintendo downloadable game, the gamer is the mayor of a town and the mayor needs to make the money. The mayor needs to make the money in order to build up his town.

My daughters love Animal Crossing: New Leaf because all your friends are animals. I think my daughters could actually live in a world like this in real life. That is good because Animal Crossing: New Leaf is actually played in real time.

The girls get to dig up fossils, plant trees, catch fish and search for bugs . . .  seriously this game couldn't be any closer to my girls real life. If they could do these activities all day long in the real world, they would be ecstatic. Once when my daughter caught a fish whilst playing Animal Crossing: New Life, a statement came across the bottom as her character was speaking stating: "I caught a carp. I really seized the diem." She flipped out and started shouting around our home "Carp Diem" "Carp Diem"! (and yes, she totally knows it is Carpe Diem, but it is little joke in our house as my kids take Latin lessons everyday in school). Needless to say, she really connects with this game.

My two daughters, ages 8 and 11, work together to build a new home for their mayor and are working hard to improve it. They were so excited to set a limit on how late the shops could stay open at night. Because, if they have to go to bed early, so do the shop owners!

Presently the girls have only been playing Animal Crossing: New Leaf for one week and they are working hard on building up their little town. There are a number of projects they will be able to undertake as they progress in the game. Their new home and town is quite "pretty" and definitely geared towards the girly side. I love that they are able to vamp it all out in the manner they love. 

They are discovering as they log on to play at various times of the day that there are different activities and functions all the time. I don't think they have caught the same insect twice. There is always something new to delight and surprise my girls.

I personally think their favorite aspect of Animal Crossing: New Leaf is visiting the old mayor, Tortimer, on his tropical island, where he has retired. They get to swim in the ocean  and catch underwater seas creatures. This reminds them so much of the time they spent doing this exact activity on our last vacation in Turks & Caicos.

Waiting in Line for Santa is the Perfect Time to Play a Little Bit of Animal Crossing: New Leaf: #ACNL

Today we visited Santa and my youngest daughter asked Santa for a Nintendo 3DS of her very own. She specifically asked for very own Nintendo 3DS so she would be able to become best friends with her sister and play Animal Crossing : New Life together.

My girls love that Animal Crossing: New Leaf is downloaded digitally to their shared Nintendo 3DS and available at all times, so it’s easy to play for a few minutes no matter where we are (like waiting in line for Santa) and what ever game may already be popped in the 3DS.

Tomodachi Life and Animal Crossing: New Leaf are two engaging Nintendo games that I happily allow my daughters to play. Both of these games are age-appropriate, fun and engaging and I don't have to fret about my girls learning or seeing something that I would not approve. I love that they were able to incorporate our own family into their new games and they love that they can involve us in their games.

Giggling With Tomodachi Life Characters

Tomodachi Life is available for digital download from the 3DS eShop on all Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL and Nintendo 2DS devices or in stores $34.99. Animal Crossing: New Leaf is available for digital download from the 3DS eShop on all Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL and Nintendo 2DS devices or in stores $34.99.