When is the right time to show Star Wars?

[Palifan]

Hi all,

This is a question that I'm putting out to all the parents out there, when is the right to to show Star Wars to your son or daughter?

This is something that's been on my mind recently as my son is now four and a half and starting to take an interest in Star Wars (oops, that might be my fault ). I feel he's already been slightly ruined as not only has he grown up looking at images from my collection but he's also seen some of the Clone wars series as I was finishing off watching all the episodes recently. It did dawn on me how action packed that series is and wondered what he would make of the limited light saber battle in A New Hope, but at least I've not let him see any of the live action films yet so hopefully that will make a strong impact. Also he now has a crush on Ahsoka and I can see I'll have to explain to him why she's not in any of the films (let's face it, she's a much better idea than Jar Jar ever was).

I was almost 7 when I watched Star Wars at the cinema, but back then there was very little entertainment at the end of our finger tips like there is today so I'm imagining that the age to watch a film like this has lowered a little. I know I certainly didn't understand everything at the time I watched it but did really enjoy it (slight understatement :lol: ), so I don't feel that my son has to clearly get everything that's going on with it. I know it'll be a completely different experience for him watching these films due to all the exposure to Star Wars that's out there in the world, but do hope he can see them with very little knowledge about the storyline. He's never going to get the same surprise of seeing Darth Vader for the first time like I did with him coming through all that blaster smoke, or seeing this strange little green creature called Yoda without any prior knowledge of who he is, but at least there are so many other amazing things to capture a child's imagination with this world.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this subject as I can imagine it's something that some members on here have either thought about or had to decide what to do at some point.

Ian

 

[JuniorChubb]

My son was not interested n Star Wars at all when he first saw it (about 5)

What got him into it was Star Wars Lego on the Wii at about 6. Once the ball was rolling he got into the films. I think I tried to get him into it at too young an age and his interest is not as strong now (expect when FF comes around :wink: ).

I think the best thing to do is wait until they ask about it, with kids if something is always there and available it gets taken for granted and this leads to boredom, I would also wait until they are old enough to understand the films too.

Whatever his opinion now he still loves the Hoth scenes and the Obi Wan vs Jango scenes.

Good Luck

 

[Palifan]

Thanks for the swift response!

Really appreciate it and you've made some good points although my boy seems to be pretty into it at the moment and all his super hero figures haven't seen the light of day for the past month or so.

I was planning on giving it some time and hoped to introduce him to them with the 3D versions that now aren't happening. As long as he's up to speed by the time the new film is out it will mean that we can go see it together.

Ian

 

[PGowdy]

I don't have kids but i remember i was at least 5 or 6 when i saw the first one. You've gotta be old enough to take it in. Personally i'd say around 6 tho Empire may be tough for a 6 year old. Pretty sure i didn't see Empire till i was a bit older. Used to watch A New Hope and Jedi over and over and over again. 8)

 

[Palifan]

Empire is the slightly dodgy one with children. I remember when my nephew watched it that he went into denial for a couple of weeks after seeing it :lol:

 

[Dfran8]

I don´t have kid yet but I can speak from my experience.
My father took me to the movie theatre when the first one was released in 77. I was 3 and I was blown away. How not to! (endless spaceships, powerful score, great scary villain... the Force... and of course, lightsabers!).
I was 6 when I saw ESB and 9 with Jedi.
Also loved (back then) Ewoks and Droids TV series, the ewoks movies... everything!

Nowadays there´s much more choice. You have the two different CLONE WARS shows, soon It´ll come REBELS... cool videogames like Battlefront, Force Unleashed, even the Lego ones are great.

and the merchandise...

what a great time to be a SW fan.

Besides, kid are used to everything. They´ve seen Harry Potter vs Voldemort, LOTR, Transformers, Superheroes...

 

[Jez]

I think i was 6 when i first saw Star Wars. My Son must have only just turned 5, if that, when he first watched Episode IV. Now aged 8 he absolutely loves them all, mainly the originals but he also likes Episode 3.
I loved Episode 5, especially the Hoth scene.
Star Wars will always remain a great family film.

 

[JuniorChubb]

I was planning on giving it some time and hoped to introduce him to them with the 3D versions that now aren't happening. As long as he's up to speed by the time the new film is out it will mean that we can go see it together.

I took my son to see Phantom Menace 3D and it was a better experience than I expected, especially with him jumping up and cheering when Anakin won the pod race. I was really disappointed when the wheels ground to a halt on the other 3D version but Grant gave me a glimmer of hope on them a while ago. Not sure if they are still in the pipeline.

I don't think the comparisons to 'when I was a kid' stand true with Star Wars. You have got to remember how old the original film is. Kids today grow up watching TV and films that are a lot faster paced than the Star Wars films and the realm of sci-fi is not new to them. When I first saw Star Wars it was amazing, I had seen nothing so cool in my life, and it was not constantly available to watch. My son struggled with Ep 4, found parts of it boring and I don't think he has managed to watch it all in one sitting yet despite the DVD sitting on the shelf for his whole life.

CGI Ninja Turtles is much more appealing to him ATM :twisted:

 

[Michael Sith]

I think JC has nailed it there.

Kids today have been watching hi budget films cgi content, so to watch SW ANH for example, the attention span would be pretty short. So I would suggest the best time to introduce, would be as and when there seems to be an interest at an age where they can reference the film in context with when it was made.

Bit like me watching Jason and the argonauts, original with stop motion cos my dad said it was awesome, to me it is now a classic, but back then I wasn't that impressed.

 

[Palifan]

Thanks for everyones thoughts on all of this, I can't believe someone got to see it at the age of 3, it must have been a hard cinema experience to have ever beat!

My son has watched a lot of super hero cartoons, both old and new, but he hasn't really seen any live action big budgeted films yet. I'm thinking that as long as I keep him away from these for a bit longer there should be a good chance that watching episode 4 will still be a new experience for him, no matter the age of it. It's slightly scary to think that it's rapidly approaching being 40 years old but I think the story telling and entertainment is timeless enough to push the right buttons. I won't be surprised, or for that matter upset if he ends up liking the second trilogy more as it's more aimed at a younger audience in my opinion and it'll be interesting to see how the new ones turn out.

I'll probably end up showing them to him at around 5 years old but will wait and see what he's watching around that time. At the moment he's still into watching dinosaurs programs and most of the effects in the shows he watches aren't as good as the ones in both trilogies of Star Wars. The end of the day you just can't beat an elephant dressed up as a Bantha if you ask me, you can just tell it's really there.

Ian

 

[poncho]

7-9 years old i reckon is the best time to introduce it
i loved jedi as a kid with all the aliens and big fight on endor at the end

of course as an adult empire every time

 

[JuniorChubb]

you just can't beat an elephant dressed up as a Bantha if you ask me, you can just tell it's really there.

8)

 

[spoons]

My kids all watched Star Wars for the first time at around 3 or 4 - loved the action scenes but bored by the talkie bits

Star Wars is quite dark with the Vader choking, and Tarkin torture but no real bad stuff - apart from the incest

When my son was 3 or 4 he watched Attack
Of the Clones (or is the last one?) and when Jango lost his head, my son asked if it could be stuck back on with Sellotape

Funnily enough my eldest two would rather watch Doctor Who or Harry Potter now

Basically any time is fine, in the end they will find a series or film from their childhood - who knows it could be Episode VII...

 

[Palifan]

Star Wars is quite dark with the Vader choking, and Tarkin torture but no real bad stuff - apart from the incest

When my son was 3 or 4 he watched Attack
Of the Clones (or is the last one?) and when Jango lost his head, my son asked if it could be stuck back on with Sellotape

:lol:

Thanks for your comment on this subject.

I've already told my boy that he can have a set of the first 12 figures released once he's seen episode 4 (vintage of course 8) ). I get the feeling he'll sit there until the end just to get his hands on the prize but he does really like the few clone wars figures he has and also his lego mini figures. I'm sure it'll be part of his childhood for at least a short while and I think you're spot on with him ending up with what ever he picks as being from his childhood and not necessarily mine. I'm happy either way as it's what I love and I certainly don't expect him to follow in my footsteps with it. At least we'll get to watch the new ones together and there's always popcorn for him if he doesn't really want to see a few oap's giving it their all.

Ian

 

[spoons]

Good luck with all - happy times

My daughter still loves Attack of the Clones and the three kids still play with vintage and modern Star Wars - they just like Harry Potter better

 

[Palifan]

Good luck with all - happy times

My daughter still loves Attack of the Clones and the three kids still play with vintage and modern Star Wars - they just like Harry Potter better

Damn you Potter!

 

[x-pack]

Oh the joys

5 or 6 seems to be the age. My cousin has a little lad who's about one and a half. I keep wondering when I can buy him a Star Wars toy :? Was thinking of a plush Hoth Wampa or Taun Taun. Sure i've seen those somewhere.

 

[spoons]

Good luck with all - happy times

My daughter still loves Attack of the Clones and the three kids still play with vintage and modern Star Wars - they just like Harry Potter better

Damn you Potter!

:lol:

 

[Palifan]

Oh the joys

5 or 6 seems to be the age. My cousin has a little lad who's about one and a half. I keep wondering when I can buy him a Star Wars toy :? Was thinking of a plush Hoth Wampa or Taun Taun. Sure i've seen those somewhere.

I gave my son a Luke beater when he was about 2 and a half and about a minute after he asked me 'what's this" as he held up the body in one hand and Lukes head in the other. I think plush is the way to go for the younglings!

 

[plantman]

When i showed my son star wars he loved it and wanted the figures ect, but as nobody at school watched it or had the figures he forgot about it, if i ask him what he wants to watch he never mentions star wars at all,

He will watch it when i do though, im not going to force him into star wars if it isolates him, for now my kids watch it when i do and thats good enough for me

we do still have light saber battles though lol