Fern Gulley too much for a 2yo? How about Land Before Time?

[MidnightCommando]

We are thinking of getting DD a movie for Christmas. So far, the only TV/movie she's seen is Barney (ugh) which she loves and she was briefly interested in the Bee Movie when DP and I were viewing it.

I remember Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest as having a good message, although I haven't seen it in years. Is this a good choice for a 2 yo? If not, any recommendations on a film which I can put on occasionally?

TIA!

[midnightmommy]

I rented Fern Gulley for our son this last summer and he freaked! There eyes are huge in that movie and they just looked too scary for him. He was almost five at the time.

[textbookcase]

It's a great movie, but I think there are some kind of scary parts in it...I remember being a little scared when I was in elementary school.

[sapphire_chan]

I remember being both scared and annoyed at the heavy-handed environmental message (as a kid who had never thrown away a recyclable item). Of course, Babe did the same thing to me and I saw that as an adult so :.

[Baby_Cakes]

I loved this movie when I was 9 or so, but I think some of the images of the bad guy - Hexxus - can be pretty scary.

[MidnightCommando]

Thanks all. Obviously I haven't seen it in a while I think this present can wait.

Any thoughts on Land Before Time? DD is heavy in a dinosaur phase

[Daffodil]

My DS watched lots of Land Before Time videos as a 2 year old, because his older sister loved them. He seemed to enjoy them and didn't think they were too scary. But when DD saw the first couple, at 4, she found them almost too scary to watch at first. I think pretty much every one of them has at least one scene where someone just barely escapes from a fierce carnivore. And in the first one, Littlefoot's mother dies.

IMO, the perfect first movie is My Neighbor Totoro (though 2-year-old DS actually found Totoro kind of scary.)

[mammastar2]

The one dd really liked watching at that age was Little Bear. Very gentle, episodic, and actually sparked some wonderful imaginative play.

[jeliphish]

My 2 year old has no interest in cartoons or cartoon movies. She would much rather watch a "real life" movie. If your DD is responding well to Barney (which I find annoying as well ) I bet she would like something of that nature. I am a big fan of Mr. Rodgers and I am looking for a dvd set for my little one. He always sends a geat message (sharing, be kind to others, importance of being nice to your siblings, etc.) and the tone is very soft and mellow.
I think the message in the two you are thinking about would be too great for a 2 year old to pick up on- and I remember feeling scared when I saw the land before time when I was little.

[transformed]

Charlottes Web is delightful, the cartoon version from the 70's.

[Marsupialmom]

I love Fern Gully so I would buy it but not give it as a gift.

If she only watches Barney now I would only choose shorter Movies or TV shows that are on DVD.

Since my youngest is 8 I don't know what to recommend. Maybe check out the library and see if anything there catches her attention then go buy it for home use.

[Kama82]

I loved the land before time and fern gully as a kid, I was about 6 or 7 when I saw them. They are way too much for a 2 year old though. I wanted to share the land before time with my daughter because I loved it so much but I ended up fast forwarding through almost the whole movie.
The death of his mom.... the many chases by sharptooth, the long sad lonely journey knowing his mom was dead and they don't have much hope. Just too much for a 2 year old.

[Ceinwen]

We've got all eleven (twelve?) of the Land Before Time, my dd is obsessed (she's six!).

I agree that it would be too much for a two year old, mostly the chase scenes with the 'sharptooth' and the loss of family in the beginning.

Great idea for in a couple years though! I have to second Little Bear for now, I absolutely love that show.

[Calidris]

with Land Before time (we have all 13, and in addition have downloaded all the TV episodes, DD is very obsessed ) I think the first movie is the most intense and difficult. The other episodes, while they have scary moments, are not as tragic as the first episode (the death of Littlefoot's mother is very sad, and for a very young child, might introduce the concept that mothers can die)

DD has been watching them since early 3 (though episode 1 only around 4 I think)

[LittleBlessings]

The Land Before Time is such a great movie. We got this for DC for Christmas. We had a hard time finding the original. We did end up getting it from Amazon.

GOOD LUCK

[terrordactyl]

its scary! the land before time movies are great tho