to think "how to train your dragon" is not suitable for a 3.5 year old?

[alicethehorse]

Lots of it is fine, but specifically the scenes with the fight with the big scary dragon at the end. DP thinks I'm putting ideas into DS's head by suggesting it is scary.

I think he's just too young to see those kind of images?

Please could I ask, if you've seen it, what age do you think it's suitable for?

Also, if you think IANBU, please could you help me explain why to DP?!

My DC love this 'How to train you Dragon'. My youngest is 3.4. It depends greatly on the child IMO. I've also found that they tell us if it's too much for them.

In answer to the link, it depends on your 3 year old, on dvd my 3 year old wasnt bothered by it at all and it is probably the eldest film she has seen - that bit is all in the light and although it is loud and big it doesnt have an air of real menace - unlike jurassic park say.

I can only judge it by what mine and seemingly lots of other dc find scary at that age - if yours does then fair play but it doesnt seem to be that common - unlike numberjacks, monsters inc or other films.

And I think my definition of 'damaging' is different to yours - I believe that HTTYD is less bad than gender negative films or constant advertising or overly pink things, dd is not allowed to watch them as I think they will be far more damaging to her sense of self than HTTYD. I see how this may make me lentil weavery though. It has a strong female character in btw.

It does have a strong female character, yes :) We were enjoying it till we got to that bit.

I agree on gender negative films, constant advertising and overly pink things too btw.

Thanks for answering about the link :)

I don't think it's easy to determine what a small child will find frightening. You (and the censors) think HTTYD is frightening. My DS doesn't. He is however scared of most of the Wallace and Gromit films, which all have a U rating. So much so that he asked me to give his DVDs of them away.

I think when it comes to films, if you're not sure about something, watch it on DVD rather than at the cinema, then you can FF through the frightening bits/bits you think are unsuitable which is what I do.

Can't you just do that rather than banning a film which your DS is really keen to watch (am assuming)?

It depends on the child, ds was terrified of Mr Tumble and used to scream in terror if he came on the telly, he used to have nightmares.

Dd for some reason was pretty scared of Auntie Mabel.

I wouldn't let either of them watch anything I thought very age inapropriate and will turn stuff off it they don't like it. Ds got HTTYD when he was about 6 so dd would have been going on three, never thought twice about her watching it, it is one of their favourite films.

"I mean that it's not necessary in the story IMO. They've written it in because they want to have a big fight scene. The stealing from the village is the excuse for the fight scene."

Can I just say that the stealing from the village is the whole motivation for the entire dragons vs vikings shenanigans?

Also, was it Labyrinth which had the small baby howling, surrounded by Jim Henson puppet monsters?? I didn't like that bit as a child but as a mother I just couldn't bear to see an upset child like that or David Bowie's shit hair.

Oi!

"Can I just say that the stealing from the village is the whole motivation for the entire dragons vs vikings shenanigans?"

I missed the beginning, must have missed that bit!

My now 4 yo but then 3 yo loves it. My 6 yo also loves it but is a bit more freaked by the scary bits. Actually at 3/4 I think they just take 'bits' from a film and will just lose interest and wander off if they don't like it