What age would you let your child watch Harry Potter?

[lizpi]

DS is only five, however I'm a big fan and he is itching to enjoy it too.

I appreciate he's too young, but what age did your DC watch it?

DD was in Junior school and we had the rule she had to read the book first. I think she was 8 for the first book, 8.5 for the second and at 9 she bought all but the last two.

They are very dark, the film rating for some of them is also there for a reason.

I have friends who let the children watch them early, she is a massive fan but also admitted that a) the story line got over her youngest head when book 4 came along and b) she only grapped details when she re-watched it when she turned 7.

Just started watching the first film with my 7 year old (year 3). Have paused as we want to finish the book first. We’ve said we will read the first 3 books now but wait until he’s older to read the remaining ones, as we both recall them being a bit darker.

8 and 5, watched the first 3.

My youngest watched all but the last two at age 4. They hide for the basilisk though the dementors don’t bother them at all!

Isn't that because at 4 they don't actually comprehend properly why dementors are scary.

If they don't understand it properly then it's not surprising then it's not going to impact them.

Eldest was 6, youngest was 3. We have read 2 of the books together. You know your kids

DD has enjoyed the first two, she’s 4.

Once they had read the books. Dd1 was six when she started. Eight when she had read/watched them all. DD2 is 12 abd still never watched them all!

We did it once he had read the books. So as he read each book he was allowed to watch each film.

After he's read the books, obvi.

I used it as encouragement to read the books first. My daughter watched them young but DS is very ‘sensitive’ and so even at 9 would find them too scary.

there are so many fantastic movies and books for this age range, why take away the magic and excitement by starting with Harry Potter at such a young age?

We watched the first one at 8 followed by the next two. We won't go further than that until much older. Books too.

I know a 5 year old who has watched some of the films, only allowed to watch after reading/being read each book, and that has worked for them. My DD6 wants to watch it, but she is pretty sensitive and would find them scary, so I won't let her yet. Same with WednesdayI think it completely depends on the kid and only you can make that call.

My dd is 4 and loved the first film but the others are too scary .. but she loves scary as she puts it!! Loves the goosebumps films and the curse of bridgewater on Netflix and has been obsessed with those films from the age of 3 .. anything I've thought might be scary I laugh at it and say how funny it is and she's good with that!!

Mine watched them at 5/6 and liked bits of them and didn't ever get scared, but didn't really understand the story or characters and so for that reason I felt they were too young at that age.

Mine watched the first 3 at 6 and 8.
I think the third was a bit much, because my little one kept talking about the werewolf at bedtime. She didnt say she was afraid or anything, just mentioned it all the time, so it was definitely on her mind.
they are a year older now and havent asked to watch more.

Because the magic and excitement hasn't been taken away. She is enthralled by them, she does imaginative play based on them, she asks really good questions about what is happening and we have had some really fantastic conversations because of them. She isn't scared or disturbed by any of it because she knows it's not real and I have always been right there with her explaining things if she asks anything.
Have you watched and really paid attention to disney films? There are lots of aspects which are quite heavy going but yet they're sold as kids films, not sure what the difference is?

They are not the only books and programmes she watches.

Ultimately, you do you. I know my child and she absolutely loves the Harry Potter world and is the proudest Slytherin you'll ever meet 🤣

I love a good MN brag as much as the next person but surely pp are not seriously claiming that their DC had read all of the novels by the age of seven?

Mine watched it the first when it was released on vhs (all those years ago) ages 4 and 5. They sat glued for the length of the film,impressive for them as those boys were always jumping about. They grew up watching the films as released.

The perfect age is after they have read the books. That way they will bring their own imaginations to the story, rather than absorbing someone else's interpretation.

That's impossible, I'm afraid, and has been since 2001. You would have to live in a bunker to get to the end of the novels without absorbing the look and casting of the films. Do you really think those of us who read the novels as they came out avoided the films in the meantime?!