Star Wars - suitable for DCs aged 5 and 3?

[curlytoes]

My 5 year old DS has come home from school asking to watch Star Wars. If he watches it then his 3year old brother will inevitably dip in and out too. haven't watched any of these films for so long I can't really remember if they're suitable. If they're ok then where should we start, with the new prequel films or with the original films? Ps I hope this reads ok. I'm on my i phone and can't scroll back to check my post.

5 yes, 3 no, imo. For the original three films. We haven't let our 5yo watch the prequels yet, and he is quite happy with that.

They are really long (and quite boring tbh) so you will probably find the 3 year old will have no interest anyway.

Don't bother with the prequels at all. I'd say you can start with A New Hope with a 5 yo and if the 3 yo dips in and out, there's nothing too awful. But I wouldn't let them watch Ther Empire Strike Back or Return of the Jedi until they're at least 8.

Strikes, not Strike.

Thanks for this. One film will probably be enough anyway. Star Wars seems to be the current playground game and I think DS1 just wants to know what's going on.

DS1 is SW mad. He sat and watched a film with daddy shortly after being 5. 3? No way. Ds2 is 3 now and its far too scarey, plus he isn't that interested, as others have said.
Helps that my dh liked SW. Does yours?

my two were both scared by star wars till they were about 7/8

My ds's (9 & 12) have pretty much had star wars as part of their lives for as long as they can remember.

DS2 would sing darth vaders theme when he saw him - he was only 2 and couldn't say darth vader

He was also obsessed with Count Dooku.

Whereas I would be wary of episode 3, episodes 1&2 are boring, you can't go wrong with 4, 5 (at a push - it's also a bit boring) and 6.

And I had no idea about Luke's Aunt and Uncle dying until about 2 years ago, my 2 certainly have never mentioned it.

We found that the clone wars (10 minute cartoons) were best as there was always some action going on. Sometimes in the films it gets a bit boring.

I was wondering about the clone wars cartoons. I saw some DVDs on lovefilm. Maybe the first Star Wars and those then.

I logged on this morning and this was my exact question, so thank you OP for posting!

depends on the child, my ds4 is just 4 and LOVES star wars and has seen the films, plus he watches his older brothers play lego star wars on the xbox and knows all the charachters etc, we have some star wars books and he sits with them flicking through and naming them all! he isnt scared of star wars but is terrified of elmo goes to grouchland, figure that one out!

there is star wars the clone wars series on tv, the episodes are short so that may be a good starting point with little ones, my boys all love that :)

We were 10 and 13 when SW came out, so remember the whole buzz. We have decided that somewhen between 5 and 6 would be a good age for DS to see SW for the first time, though he's already an expert on half the ships...

So, about 6 months to go for us.