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Original poster

What age is appropriate for watching Harry Potter films?

71 replies

DontLeaveMeThisWaay · 01/01/2020 21:06

DD1 is 6 and has recently discovered Harry Potter through her friends talking about it at school.

I have sat with her and watched the first 3 films which she has been okay with. She is desperate to watch the next one. I know they get progressively more scary and dark and if I’m right, the last 4 are rated as 12.

I’m just looking for some advice on if you think I should allow her to watch any more or if I should wait now until she is a little older.

Thanks for your help ☺️

OP posts:

SquashedOrange · 02/01/2020 08:55

Who knew that having your child read all the HP books by age 7 and of course before they've watched the films, was such a badge of honour!

My 5&7yo have watched the first two and we're stopping there for now. We went to Florida in the summer and wanted to get them into it before hand, they are both big fans.

I personally don't see the point in them reading them themselves much before Year 4/5. There's more to reading than just decoding the words.

Buscake · 02/01/2020 08:57

My kids are 8,7 and 4. They’ve all seen all of them. The only nightmare was when the middle child was 6 and was scared of the dementors. They are all Potter obsessed esp the 4yr old. Eldest two have read all the books.

Canadianpancake · 02/01/2020 08:57

@CountFosco the audio books are wonderful. So much more enjoyable than reading hp aloud.

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Films

Medievalist · 02/01/2020 09:01

My 25 year old ds grew up with Harry Potter. He read each book and saw each film as soon as they came out. In primary school he suffered from occasional bouts of night terrors. I eventually realised that each bout started not long after he'd seen the latest HP film.

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 02/01/2020 09:03

DD watched them with her dad younger than I would have liked around 6/7 I think and has rewatched them many times since then. She read the first 3 at 7 then I stopped her.

However, the type of violence in HP is very different to the violence in other films like transformers and avengers that children in her class watched at a young age. She still hasn't seen those films and she is 10 now. You could watch it with her and fast-forward but explain the scarier bits.

bettybattenburg · 02/01/2020 09:16

If they are rated as a 12 then there is your answer. Certainly not age six, that's half the age stated

WaterSheep · 02/01/2020 09:17

My 6 year old...now thinks HP is babyish, which is rather disappointing.

I think it's a shame that a book series is already considered babyish by a 6 year old, simply off the back of watching the movies. But I suppose it's bound to happen if they race through things too quickly. Hopefully your child revisits them when they're older. So they get time to understand the nuances of the plot, and appreciate how things cleverly link together.

LittleBearPad · 02/01/2020 09:27

I’d imagine that a lot in the films has gone over the head of the 6 year old who thinks they are babyish.

One of the reasons I’ve stopped DD after book 3 is that I don’t think she’ll be able to process the complexity of the plots from book 4 onwards, putting aside the fact I think they are too scary. Although she is perfectly capable of reading and not ‘deciding’ the first three books which she’s now read about 5 times each - Squashed

sashh · 02/01/2020 09:56

I think they need to be able to read them to actually understand the films.

Damntheman · 02/01/2020 10:03

Depends on your child I guess. I wouldn't let my six year old anywhere near them, he wouldn't sleep for a month!

I'd be more tempted to make the child wait until they're the same age as Harry is in each book/film. So 10/11 for the first, Dementors are a terrifying concept, as is the idea of having a mortal enemy from birth. I'd rather my children were much older. But then I seem to be in a minority with this, I also won't let my kids watch the Star Wars films (6 and 3) and I know many parents who have sat their toddlers down to them so.. what do I know?

MissE6791 · 02/01/2020 10:40

I’ve just rewatched the 4th film and it is pretty dark, far too scary for a 6 year old. Read the books first.

Baaaahhhhh · 02/01/2020 10:52

My 6 year old...now thinks HP is babyish, which is rather disappointing

And this illustrates exactly why 6 year olds are too young to either read, or see the later books/films. It is because they do not understand it, and therefore dismiss it.

FeigningHorror · 02/01/2020 10:53

But HP is actually quite babyish, in fairness. I mean, it’s a kids series.

Damntheman · 02/01/2020 11:39

It's not babyish at all. Just because a thing is marketed as 'a kids series' doesn't make it automatically babyish. Richard Adams insisted forever that Watership Down was a children's story, is that automatically babyish too?

TeenPlusTwenties · 02/01/2020 12:12

Surely 'babyish' means aimed at pre-schoolers?

HP is aimed at 10-18s, and adults.

Baaaahhhhh · 02/01/2020 12:13

All HP books were printed in "adult" versions, same story, just in different covers. I know, because I have them all .

FeigningHorror · 02/01/2020 12:21

By babyish I mean comparatively unsophisticated. Though I was wrong of course to imply all children’s books are — in fact Watership Down is very sophisticated, and I doubt my seven year old would grasp the whole rabbit mythology and language stuff. But HP is more or less likeable, densely-plotted coming-of-age fantasy meets the school story.

LeekMunchingSheepShagger · 02/01/2020 12:21

Mine read the books first when she was 7/8 and then watched all the films afterwards.

bruffin · 02/01/2020 12:30

DS was 5 when the first one came out, he saw it at the cinema, dd was 3 and we didnt take her. DS said at the end When can i see that again!
The films came out as they grew up so we didnt really have an issue as they were 14 and 16 when the final film came out. Both of them started reading the books when they were 9/10 so appropriate age.

lemonsquash4 · 02/01/2020 13:01

Following with interest. I grew up with Harry Potter (and have re-read several times since) and can't wait to share the books and films with DS (who is now 2). I had planned to give him the illustrated edition of Book 1 the Christmas after he turns 5, then give him one per year. I plan to give him the film of Book 1 the Christmas after he turns 6 and one a year after that. I think the films are scarier than the books and I am also keen for him to read the books first. If my plan succeeds, he will receive the final book the Christmas after he turns 11. Of course, he may have zero interest or hate it!

VickyLouT · 03/01/2020 14:16

I'd be interested to know how much of the very intricate and detailed plot the year 2's that have apparently read the whole series have taken in

So.. we have Harry Potter trivial pursuit and my year 2 ds can answer every question so I'd suggest he has pretty good grasp of the plot! Lol. Some kids are just into this stuff, is it that hard to grasp? #incredulous

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