Dear Dr. Renee,
We are huge Star War fans. How young can children start watching the Star Wars movies?
Momikan Sywalker
Dear Momikan Skywalker,
Happy “May the Fourth” Day!
I’m afraid I don’t have a clear black (dark side) or white (rebellion) answer for this. However, I do have an opinion …
You know your child best, so take their personality and reaction to scary things into consideration. Some children can watch anything and be fine, while others have nightmares and very bad reactions to the mature material (i.e., they could act out behaviors, display violent tendencies, etc.).
I remember watching the original “Star Wars” movie at the drive-in with my dad! If I remember correctly, I was 8 or so … but I have a daughter who was easily scared when she was little, even by the cat in Cinderella. So we held off watching the official Star Wars movies with her for a while.
I would suggest you err on the side of caution and wait until at least 6 or 7-years-old for the original movies. And yes, I suggest starting with the movies in the order they were released. The newer ones tend to have more graphic violence and mature topics, so I would hold off on those until later, 10-years-old or so – again, you know your child best.
That said, there are ‘younger’ versions of Star Wars that you may be able to start with. Just like the many different Star Wars books (preschool board books to chapter books), there are many different movie options ranging from Lego Star Wars to the real deal.
A great site for more detailed information to help you make your decision is “Common Sense Media.”
Oh, and that daughter who was scared of Lucifer the cat when she was younger? She spent the month of October (prior to covid) binge-watching horror movies with her High School friends.
May the Force Be With You,
Dr. Renee 🙂
What a cool what to celebrate May 4th by putting parents minds at ease about Star Wars (and other relevant content) Loved that movie! May the force be with as you continue to help and support both parents and children. What a great platforM, concept answering a letter a day from your fans!
Thanks Crystal Nicole! While some of the questions asked cover very serious topics, I was able to have a little fun with this one!
May the Force be with you, too 🙂
What a great help. My kiddos have all watched the entire series at the point (mine are a bit older) even through the Mandalorian series. We love May the Fourth, but don’t forget to be watchful for the Revenge of the Fifth. 😉
Ha ha April! I didn’t even think about the Revenge of the Fifth! Thanks for pointing that out (we enjoyed the Mandalorian series, too) 🙂
What a fun post to read! It reminds me of Ann Landers or Dear Abby!
Thanks Martha – I’m glad you liked it 🙂
I remember watching Star Wars in a crowded theatre with my mom and dad. My kids never really cared one way on another about the Star Wars franchise. We have taken them to see some of the newer ones — didn’t get much out of them. It’s a little disappointing that they aren’t as engaged — I remember the excitement of my childhood about these movies.
Hi Dominique! Isn’t it funny how our kids can be so different than we are even though we raise them? I wonder what movies they will be excited to take their kids to in the future… 🙂
You just reminded me how my daughter was petrified to watch the movie “ET”. Her head was affixed to my shoulder, clearly looking in the direction opposite the movie.
Hi Roy,
Isn’t it amazing how different kids react to things? Our daughter mentioned above (not by name, of course) used to try to climb out of her high chair to hide behind a parent when Red Robin came by the table…it was fascinating to see her binge-watching horror movies as a young teen. 🙂
Thank you, Dr. Renee for your parenting insight on the appropriate age to watch “Star Wars,” and I love your title with a play on the movie’s common salutation and today’s date. I appreciate the letter writing style as it takes me back to the old newspaper column’s of the Dear Abby section. Looking forward to more parenting advice. Sending my love, Jaime.
Welcome Dr. Jaime! – so glad you enjoyed it-I had fun writing it. I’m going to answer a question a day in May and had to tackle this one today 🙂