Coming back to this, you really need to be careful about the disc drive situation before the birthday. Since the PS5 Pro is digital-only, you might want to consider the Sony PlayStation 5 Disc Drive for PS5 Pro if your kids have a collection of physical discs. Otherwise, those games simply wont work. It is a significant extra cost, so I would suggest verifying their game library first. Regarding other accessories, make sure to ignore the expensive add-ons for now. The console does not include the Sony PlayStation 5 Vertical Stand anymore, but you can safely sit the unit horizontally to save money. For charging, I would suggest a budget-friendly option like the NexiGo PS5 Controller Charging Dock instead of the branded Sony version. It performs the same task for a fraction of the price. You also dont need to worry about storage space yet because the 2TB internal SSD is quite large. Basically, unless they have physical discs, you probably dont need to buy anything else right away. Just keep it simple and focus on the games they already have.

I stumbled on this thread and felt I should mention something often overlooked by new owners. Since you have already invested so much money, the most important thing you can buy right now isnt a game or a fancy skin, but proper protection. I would strongly suggest picking up a high-quality surge protector like the Belkin 12-Outlet Pivot-Plug Surge Protector 4320 Joules before you even plug that console in. Standard power strips offer almost zero protection against voltage spikes, and for a seven hundred dollar machine, you really need to be careful about electrical stability. It is a small price to pay for peace of mind. Another thing to consider for the long haul is storage management. While the Pro comes with a decent amount of space, modern games are massive. To keep the system running smoothly without constant deleting and rewriting, which can eventually wear down the internal drive, you might want to consider the WD_BLACK 2TB SN850X NVMe Internal Gaming SSD with Heatsink. Make sure whatever you buy has a built-in heatsink tho. I have seen too many people buy cheap drives that overheat and throttle the system performance. Honestly, if the budget is tight, just stick with the surge protector for now to keep the hardware safe. Just make sure the kids dont block the vents because these units get incredibly hot during long sessions... heat is the number one killer of high-end electronics.

honestly dont stress too much because you have already done the hard part by getting the console itself. When i first set up my own pro model i felt like i needed to buy every single add-on just to make it feel complete but i quickly learned that most of the stuff they push at the store is just extra fluff. My experience with the system has been super smooth and i am really satisfied with how simple the setup can actually be if you ignore the noise. There are basically three things that made a huge difference in my daily routine:

• Getting a dedicated charging station for the controllers was a total game changer. Cable management used to be a nightmare when i plugged them into the front of the console with cables. The one i got lets me just click them in and they stay ready without the clutter.
• Storage became an issue much faster than i anticipated. Adding an internal drive was way easier than i expected and it totally solved the anxiety of having to delete games constantly to make room for new ones.
• Since the pro doesnt come with a disc drive built-in, the separate attachment was a necessity for my massive collection of physical games. If your kids have a bunch of discs already, you are gonna need that part for sure. Everything in my current setup works well and i have no complaints about the performance. Just take it one step at a time and you will be fine.