Scooby Doo. In reception class.

[foodfiend]

After two weeks of rehearsals, songs and nativity play performances, I'm not really surprised that the teachers parked the reception class in front of the TV a few times at the end of last week, but I was a bit startled when dd revealed that they'd watched Scooby Doo (I think the film rather than the cartoon - at 4 she's not exactly a reliable witness). She watches a bit of telly/DVDs, and I've not yet taken her to the cinema as she finds films on DVD quite overwhelming, so I'm waiting for something I feel confident she'll enjoy. I've never actually seen the Scooby Doo film, though I understand it's not much cop. AIBU to have a slight feeling that if they're going to park the kids in front of the telly they ought to find something that's any good? And is the Scooby Doo film suitable for 4 year olds? I'm new to this whole school thing...

[SparklyJules]

Did she enjoy it?

[AngelZigzagsSparklyYuletideLog]

Scooby Doos not that bad!

Bad people get caught and get 'taken away'

I wouldn't worry too much though from what my DD says about the teachers putting on a film for them, hardly anyone watches it and they just end up talking and messing about.

[foodfiend]

She seemed more interested in the Jammy Dodgers they were given, to be honest. (I'm not all that happy about that either, but there you go - still trying to work out what to be surprised by.) I don't think it's frightened her or anything, as far as I can tell, though the kind of thing we've mostly watched together haven't really included a lot of bad people at all. I think Sid in Toy Story is about the scariest TV villain she's come across so far.

[foodfiend]

And Angel - that's rather what I'd hope! I can't help feeling that in reception, it's not like it's a choice between Hard Sums and a nice relaxing DVD. Couldn't they just have some time to play with the lego or something?

[methsdrinker]

My daughter was scared by scooby doo in reception. She had never seen it before, I had a week of nightmares about some ghost thing. Took me ages to realise hat it was scooby doo and then had to work out where she had seen it. Some kids I know love Scooby at 3 but mine don't like anything too scary. I mentioned it in passing to the teacher who looked as if I was a nutter. I think my lot are on the low down on scaredom threshold

[MrManager]

No, they needn't find anything good, YABU. There's only so many times you can watch a Pixar film.

[HereMeRoar]

Interesting idea MrManger. I wonder how many times that is? My kids haven't reached that magic number yet, and not through want of trying .

[thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter]

HereMeRoar - I 2nd that!

[SofiaAmes]

Scooby Doo gave my dd nightmares for weeks when she was 4 (ds was 6 and had it on). I would be absolutely livid if it had been my child.

[thereisthesnowball]

My 3 year old DD loves Scooby Doo (the TV series). She is always playing Scary Monsters (which is basically growling as loudly as she can). I was a bit when DH first put it on for her (she was 2) but she has never been scared by it.

[WowOoo]

Ds watched Toy Story 3 last week in school.

Dh was livid as in the cinema he was petrified apparently. I was a bit annoyed about it as he's having the DVD for Christmas.

Do all schools park the kids in fromt of TV at the end of term?

Have not let ds watch Scooby Doo as i thought it might be too scary.

[LaWeaselMys]

I don't think the film matters. They would have switched if someone was frightened, and kids get frightened by all kinds of random things. I have turned off The Lion King for reception kids before.

[nancydrewrockinaroundxmastree]

Watching TV in school is a bit rubbish (although I understand it) but TBH Scooby (TV series not film, haven't seen it) is one of the better options: many of the disney/pixar films are far more frightening/adult.

My DD year 1 thinks everything is scary (she can't watch finding nemo so traumatised is she by the begining!) but scooby doo (TV series) is her absolute favourite.

Part of the attraction I imagine is that the ghosts and monsters are never real - it is always someone dressed up.

DS1 is 4 and it also has the benefit of being one of the few things that is not totally gender specific and so they will watch it together, which I imagine is part of the issue with keeping a reception class entertained.

[nancydrewrockinaroundxmastree]

laWeaselMy Yep DD wont watch Lion King either

[pawsnclaws]

I think as long as it's a U film, it's fine. Anyway, the teacher would've got away with it if it hadn't been for those pesky kids ..... .

[MrManager]

I wouldn't watch E.T., it terrified me.

[neolara]

My 3 year old LOVES Scooby Doo. He's obsessed by the cartoons. Excellent female role models (Velma always solves the mystery!), no meaningless violence and parts of the script are genuinely quite funny.

[mrswoodentop]

We had weeks of nightmares after ds1 was shown Beauty and the beast in reception!He's 17 now and although there is no lasting damage that I an tell he still doesn't like scary films

[foodfiend]

I agree that there's stuff to like about SD (monsters are fake, clever women - though I'm not quite so sure about the cute/vapid clever/plain thingy) but perhaps for slightly older kids. True though that you just never know what will scare them - when we watched Ponyo she was terrified the little boy would drop the bucket and the fish would fall out and die.

I just can't help feeling that there's something better they could be doing than watching a not-terribly-appropriate full-length feature film. It wasn't even the last week of term. She's come home like a bottle of pop last week, and after standing still in the hall singing songs for the concert five times, and sitting in front of DVDs I think I can see why.

[AnneTwacky]

I have another 3yo that loves Scooby Doo, and she's well got on to the fact that all the monsters are someone dressing up/ remote control robots. She finds it more silly than scary.

Beaker, on the other hand, well let's put it this way, no Muppet's Christmas Carol for us this year.

[lara84]

My 5 1/2 yr old son is to scared to watch alot of disney films, little mermaid and aladdin etc but he loves scooby doo (although dont think hes seen the film) he doesnt find it scary at all, he says its just good people dressed up pretending to be bad! I would rather they watched that than one of the disney films, but each child is different and you'll probably struggle to find a dvd thats going to please 30 children and their parents.

[BonniePrinceBilly]

Daphne is not vapid! She is smart too, its actually the blonde boy thats made out to be the dumb one of that lot.

[Hassledge]

I don't think the Scooby Doo films are scary - they're badly made and badly acted, but they're not scary. And yes, Fred and Shaggy are the idiots - both the girls are smart.

foodfiend - you don't have to like it, but I think you do have to accept that this is fairly standard run-up-to-Christmas stuff in most primary schools. There will be DVDs and biscuits every now and then, and no one will suffer for it. Just focus on whether or not she's happy and developing as she should, socially and academically.

[PatriciaHolm]

Scooby Doo the movie was a PG, so probably not the best thing they could have chosen tbh. DS's reception class have been watching Shrek, which he doesn't like, and DD's watched Monsters Inc last year which she hated - mine DCs don't do remotely scary films!

Reception would probably be safer with a bit of Cbeebies or Charlie & Lola really.