Would you let your 4yo watch nature programmes that are not meant specifically for kids?

[EvenBleakerHouse]

My 4yo DS is fascinated by wild cats and has gorged on Sky's 'Wild Files' for kids. But that doesn't have any gory bits.

Would you let your 4yo watch something like the 'Big Cats' documentary that was on BBC last year?

Yes, I do.

Yes! Dd (2.4) and I love an Attenborough evening at the weekend. We mainly watch sea life stuff as she’s obsessed with ‘fishies’ at the moment.

Yes. But, when younger, I often found that the adult programmes had too much talk and not enough action for DD so she lost interest.

My DS watched wildlife documentaries from a very young age (probably younger than your child). He loved them all, including fairly gory scenes. He was completely matter-of-fact about them, understanding that wild animals kill and eat other wild animals. He was never distressed by the scenes, but we always watched them with him. When he was older he joined a local Wildlife Watch group. He is now at university doing a zoology degree !

I dunno.
Meerkat Manor left me traumatised when I thought Fleur would die.

Yes, my older boy especially loves any documentaries about big cats.

I would want to watch them with him so I could change channel if necessary - I saw one recently where a baby chick got torn in half by two bigger birds, and I think that would upset him.

Yes both of mine watch all sorts of nature programs both currently loving the documentary on bbc one on Australia

Yes mine always have done.

I can’t cope with adult nature documentaries myself so I wouldn’t....

Yip mine does although we stopped watching the Attenborough dynasties one as it was fairly brutal. When they pop over to my parents that’s the only thing on as my dad hates children’s tv but will watch hours of nature documentaries.

Yes, it’s the only way I can get my 2 yo to sit still for more than 2 minutes 😂 that or programmes about farming.

Depends on the child. My three year old adores things like Blue Planet - my 7 year old has always been absolutely distraught after seeing even a tiny bit of gore, or seeing an animal even left alone (he has already decided that he wants to be a vegetarian).

My dd watched a David Attenborough with me when she was about 5 about elephants migrating on the Serengeti.
A baby elephant got lost and died. No footage of the dead elephant but you saw it running to and fro in distress. Dd was distraught, but got over it quickly.
We chatted about it over the next few days, and she said animals were more vulnerable than humans ( she only knew about privileged humans) which I thought was a good takeaway life lesson.
Neither of mine have ever been bothered by gore, but ds (11) gets anxious about global warming.

I’d hate them to see gore as part of a violent movie, but it’s not exactly gratuitous when it’s lions and gazelles.

Yes, but watch with.

Yes. My ds loved David Attenborough from an early age and still does.

DDs and I watch David Attenborough together and have done for years - seen Blue Planet, Africa, Frozen Planet, The Hunt, etc. They have also seen some Disney wildlife films - African Cats etc. I think it's OK as long as you watch together and discuss it.

Thanks all. Really helpful to see your replies.