How old to see "Star Wars" for the first time?

[merpk]

Is a 5yo old enough? Or is it too scary?

I know every kid is different, but sometimes there's this feeling of how young is too young ...

Anyway, any thoughts?

- Amy

[hahamommy]

We introduced Star Wars to Hayden last year, he was 3.5. BUT I must say that he has a very strong grasp of fantasy vs reality, better than most kids his age. He's seen all five existing episodes a million times and quotes them often. If ever the word *try* is used in his presence, he responds with: In our house we trust Yoda, we don't try, we just *do*!! :LOL He also reassures me that even if I go *to the dark side* I'll still be his mommy and he'll still love me! Hannah loves Princess Leia and reminds her brother regularly that she, too, is a Jedi Knight
I guess I would have to say that it really depends on the kid ~ I know 6 year olds who cannot handle Monsters Inc, they definately couldn't handle Star Wars ... If they really understand that this is a story from someone's head, not real, then YES! share the movie. Maybe watch the *making of* first (It's on Episode I and II DVDs) so they see George Lucas and he talks about the story ideas...

~diana ild

[CanOBeans]

My 5 year old just started watching Star Wars. He was scared of the storm troopers when he was younger but decided just recently that he was ready. And he did fine, loved it all. My 2.5 year old watched some of it too and was fine -- she loved Yoda and the Ewoks.

[3boysmom]

My five year old loves Star Wars!

[mamaduck]

ds#1 was about 5.
ds#2 is only 2 -- but is exposed by association. It is terrible -- he sees/hears things we never would have let our oldest near at that age. Just because big brother does!

Things sure do change with subsequent kids.

[Jenmom]

things DO change...

I had a friend visiting with her DD (who had just turned a year). You'd get near her DD with a cup and she'd tilt her head up for you to hold it for her *LOL* that's when I said "you can tell she's on only child!"

editd 'cause I forgot to say...I think all my kids have seen Star Wars...it didn't really scare them. In fact "kids" movies scare them more (like Snow White).

[merpk]

That is so interesting. Thank you all ...

And I was worried about the violence, the shoot-'em-up atmosphere.

Interesting.

How about Star Trek?

(Come out of the closet now, Jenmom )

And that comment about being more afraid of Disney/kid movies also gave me something to think about.

I love this place.

- Amy

[mamaduck]

Star Trek -- No. Not yet. Star Trek represents what is possible. And it addresses complex issues.

Star Wars it totally completely imaginary not real -- long ago, in a glaxay far away....... Pretend.

[CanOBeans]

Originally posted by amyrpk
(Come out of the closet now, Jenmom )

Yeah!

[khrisday]

We recently rented the first of teh prequels, and went to see Attack of the Clones at IMAX (sit in the back! that's my suggestion LOL). DS is 6 and dd is 3. It's so true that younger sibs get exposed to so much earlier than the first kid- she was definaetly not inot or ready for it, but ds was great. One thing that I noticed in those two movies was that the shoot 'em up violence was almost totally against clones or machines. The only person against person battles were the hand to hand combat fights (with light sabers), which I hadn't thought about until we saw it.

[~member~]

The first time my DD saw Star Wars, she was maybe 3 yrs old, almost 4. She LOVED it, but only the first two. Yoda scared her and so did those little hairy people, the wookas? Nookas? i've never watched them, sorry.
She saw Indiana Jones and LOVES those movies way more! She thinks it's so cool that what's-his-name (she's sleeping or i'd ask her) got off that space ship and is exploring earth. "I like him better this way. He's happier, don't you think?" my DD said to me during one of the movies.

What is that actor, Harrison Ford's, character name in Star Wars? Now, I won't be able to sleep until I figure it out lol!

[khrisday]

Han Solo and the Ewoks

[Jenmom]

oh yes, my kids have seen Trek...

my oldest DD went to her first ST con at 10 months old! You should've seen her face when she saw a Klingon! I have her picture with Q from that con. Mostly with the kids I watch TNG. I think they are a little more tame than some of the others. The episodes that are less tame we avoid (having seen them all that's pretty easy *S*).

[oceanmommy]

Star Wars came out when I was 4. I saw it several times in the theater. I had a brother who was 7 at the time and he explained a lot of the finer points of the movie to me. I was never really scared by it. To me, the worst villain was Darth Vader, and he was just a man. Not nearly as scary as, say, the cobras in Ricki Tikki Tavi ! Now those gave me nightmares.

[PapayaVagina]

Just wanted to put in a story of mine....

when my brother and I were little I remember watching the movies on our Star Wars sheet laid out in front of the TV and eating popcorn on it!

My parents still have that sheet!

[Ms. Mom]

Ok, so I am overprotective. Ds is almost 8 and I haven't let him see Star Wars. I really stick to the PG13 lable.

I've never let him see a movie with shooting: I know, I'm lame, but it really buggs me.

He's getting upset with me, so I may have to re-evaluate myself.:

[mamaduck]

doula4 women -- that is a sweet memory! I remember seeing if for the first time at a drive-in theater, in the back of my parents station wagon. The laid the seat down and put a mattress back there. We wore our pjs and when the 2nd feature started we were told to lay down and go to sleep. It was a great memory!

[sarahmae1]

Hi. My ds will be 2 in just a couple of days and Star Trek is the only thing he ASKS to watch! LOL. It's really funny, my dh got him hooked on it young I guess. He's also seen Star Wars, but he didn't watch the whole thing. If there are particuarly 'bad' parts I make my dh cover his eyes.


"Sherak, sherak!" My ds (Lucas) asking to watch his favorite show - Star Trek.

[Viola]

The first Star Trek movie was rated G, wasn't it? It shouldn't be anything too scary, but I don't know that it would hold the attention of a child who was too young.

My husband and I were watching Star Wars II on the big tv in our basement, and we set up our daughter on my little tv I have by my treadmill. She was watching Maggie and the Ferocious Beast, but got bored after awhile and came over and started watching the Star Wars movie with us. She was fascinated by all alien creatures. Then she lay down on the couch and fell asleep before the big fighting scenes.

[gratefulmama]

I don't know, my dd is 21 mo. and not too into movies yet. But I have a funny story:
My friend let her ds watch Star Wars when he was 4, and he was totally into it. When he was trying to poop on the potty, he would say, "USE...THE...FORCE!"
Hee hee!
I saw it in the theater when I was 9 and I didn't totally understand it.