ET for an almost four year old?

[curiousgeorgie]

We're going to Florida soon and I've been showing my DD all the Disney movies, some Dr Seuss and the first two Harry Potters so she recognises stuff while she's there...

I said to my DH I was going to let her watch ET today and he said its far too scary... Admittedly it's been years since I watched it but I can't remember it being scary?!

Anyone?

Scared the bejeebers out of me when I was a kid and I wasn't a particularly sensitive child! The bit where he was in the shed & threw the ball out....but we didn't know what was throwing the ball. I ended up behind the sofa

Jurassic Park & HP all good.

Be ready for the conversation as to why you can't go and visit ET on a planet far, far away.

I'd probably hold off simply because I don't think a 4 yr old is going to understand why all the scientists have rocked up to do tests on ET. Aaawwwkward conversation
That's the scary bit when they are all trying to escape in a panic, not ET's physical appearance.

I'm a bit confused that people would say Harry Potter is more appropriate for a small child than ET. There aren't any evil forces in ET.

DD watched all the Harry Potter movies when she was 3/4 but got really scared of ET for some reason. I haven't offered her to watch it again and she's 6. I'd give it a go and see how she reacts after the first jumpy scene. DD hated the outside scene when Eliot goes in the dark.

You think Jurassic Park is better? Isn't it far scarier?

Jurassic Park is far scarier, all those massive dinosaurs v teeny little ET.

Mine all watched it about that age. They were fine with it.

I wouldn't say it is scary, just very sad.

Sometimes kids are so young they miss the point and don't understand fully/ don't think through what they've seen, and are therefore not scared - potentially it comes back to haunt them later :o or they are just numbed to what they see on a screen and are "not scared" of full on horror films by their early teens...

Wasn't this same question posted a few months ago?

I did search (on the app though) and couldn't see it?

Swoosh I think HP is totally inappropriate too - but assume all the preschoolers watching it are in happy ignorance of the concept of evil forces, and are watchibg it on a very superficial level.

I was four when ET came out in the cinema and my Dad took me to see it. A special trip, just two of us, as my DSis was at a birthday party. I remember very little about the whole thing except the smell of the cinema and my poor old soppy Dad having a bit of a weep . I don't think four is too young to see it, personally.

But doesn't HP have lots of ghosts and demons whooshing out being all scary?

I like www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews - lots of parent reviews and suggested ages. Suggests 7 for ET and 12 for HP films

Its a childrens film. Let a child watch it

ET is very old and dated anyway and for older children. Not because it is scary but has too much in it that a younger child wouldn't relate to.
Why not read her the story and just the major bits, show her some pics and then she knows.
Part of the experience for my dc was seeing things that they didn't know before, that were new to them.

My DS watched ET around that age - he was bored as hell and turned it off before an hour was up. I remember having the same feelings about it when I watched it at eight.

To be honest there are much better kids films being made today that I don't see the point of dredging up stuff from the archives. Bugsy Malone is the only one that seems to cross the generations IME.

I think ET is a true classic that will be 'dredged from the archives' for many years to come. Bugsy Malone is okay but not exactly 4 year old appropriate.

Sometimes kids are so young they miss the point and don't understand fully/ don't think through what they've seen..

True. The "penis breath" comment at the start of ET had no meaning to me whatsoever aged 3/4 until I watched it aged 10.

Sister very upset at 4 seeing et all those years ago but upset as he wanted to go home and was very I'll rather than being frightened. Maybe watch with you and answer any questions. Depends on the child.

WT… Fakebook?!

I have not let my 9 yr old watch ET yet as I think he'd be too upset.

but he is more sensitive than average.

Here it is:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=QaWUaboCIrM

I would let a 4yo watch it.