Films suitable for sensitive children

[FairyPenguin]

DS has never really enjoyed any films, complaining that they are too loud or too scary. He finally enjoyed something the other day - Mary Poppins! I think the classics might be more suited to him as they are slower-paced and don't have the animated baddies or the fast action which is what he seems most scared of. I think having people in them also caught his attention (rather than all animated). He liked the visual humour in the scenes too, and he does actually like watching Mr Bean (Rowan Atkinson originals!) and things like Swashbuckle on TV. Cartoons are hit and miss really because they often had bad people or bad things that he gets scared of.

Can anyone recommend any other films or TV series suitable for a 4yo, that will keep his attention and capture his imagination, please?

[Khimaira]

Robin Hood and The sword in the stone are favourites here. Also Planes, Shrek, the Thomas films (Hero of the rails and king of the railway), Barbapapa (but my DC speak French) and the room on the broom/gruffalo

[Littlefish]

I absolutely agree with greythorne on the list of old musicals

DD watched most of those repeatedly for several years.

[Whereisegg]

Not sure if any of the Carry On films would be suitable?

[Yamyoid]

I have one exactly the same too. He loves Ivor the engine, bag puss and morph.
He won't even watch Peter Rabbit on cbeebies, I think he worries about him getting into trouble.
However, we persuaded him to watch despicable me and he enjoyed it.
He'll also watch Star Wars, especially number 1, and we fast forward through violent/scary bits.

[BrianButterfield]

The Thomas the Tank Engine films like Hero of the Rails or Misty Mountain Mystery are very gentle wih no baddies.

[shamelesshussie]

I absolutely adore The Red Balloon also but it might be slightly upsetting for little people I still can't watch it without welling up!

I heartily recommend My Neighbour Totoro as well, it's gorgeous, magical and fairly placid, my two adore it still

[WhinGin]

What about the Alvin and the Chipmunks films? if your ears can take the squeaks A mixture of cartoon and live action, nothing scary as such and quite a lot of slapstick.

[Greythorne]

Have exactly the same thing with my dc.

Shriek - too scary.
Toy story - too scary.
Finding Nemo - harrowing.

Tangled at a friend's house nearly pushed them over the edge!

We have gone for old films which do indeed tend to be gentler and we have found musicals a big hit (accuse the pun) as there are no "scenes of peril".

Sound of Music (except the ending, obviously, which we forward wind through)
Mary Poppins
The Slipper and The Rose
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (I park my feminist sensibilities for this one)
Singin' in the Rain
Calamity jane - great cowboy film
The king and I

[HauntedNoddyCar]

Oliver Postgate things like Bagpuss and Ivor the Engine? Dd would cheerfully watch episode after episode of them. Not films though.

[FairyPenguin]

Laurel and Hardy! Brilliant. Great idea! He loves Mr Bean!

[Whereisegg]

what about some slapstick?
Laurel & Hardy, Mr Bean...?

[FairyPenguin]

Oh I know what you mean, SomethingkindaOod. Some things both of mine are fine with, others really affect them.

Unfortunately I can't really do the fast forwarding as DD would want to watch so just trying to find something the whole family can sit down to instead of DS getting upset.

Is Planes any good? Is it very similar to Cars?

[Rhythmisadancer]

Peter Pan and 101 Dalmatians were faves w mine at that age, tho' we used to have to fast forward the"scary bit" where Horace and Jasper steal the puppies!

[SomethingkindaOod]

Agree with Hop, such a fun film.
The problem is it's not always east to tell what will affect them. My not at all sensitive 13 year old DS still tears up at the end of monsters Inc when Sully finds Boo again. This is the child who watched Saw at his friends sleepover and feel asleep half way through because it was boring! (It was too over the top apparently)
There's a Pokemon film with a beautiful piece of music about half way through that sends him off as well.

[wigglesrock]

Smurfs
Rio
Jungle Book
Peter Pan
George of the Jungle
Turbo

[drivenfromdistraction]

Also my sensitive DC really love The LIon King, though we had to talk them through the hyenas-in-the-elephants-graveyard bit the first couple of times.

[FairyPenguin]

Actually what am I thinking - he started off enjoying Shrek but we didn't finish it!

[FairyPenguin]

Thanks for all the fast replies, and all the suggestions. Will definitely try some of those. The ones that leap out at me are Winnie The Pooh, Wind in the Willows, Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

He already likes Shrek, Cars and Toy Story (original only), but these are all ruled out: Finding Nemo (sharks), Wallace and Gromit (all the baddies), Blackadder (I know he will find it too noisy!).

Thanks for the ones to avoid too, very useful! I will look into some of those that I don't know much about.

[TheLostWinchesterWife]

If you have LoveFilm they have quite a few of the b older films on including Finian's Rainbow and The Gnome Mobile (has tge girl and boy from Mary Poppins in that one)

[thebear1]

My ds was sensative, could not do Finding nemo as the mum fish goes a few minutes in. Toy story had to much peril for him. Cars was a big hit, no badies and they are not cute. Even Shrek was to scary.

[Homebird8]

I have a sensitive DS1 (11) and it's always difficult to find films for him too. We've had success with Mr Popper's Penguins, might be worth a try.

[MarshaBrady]

Wall E is gentle.

[arselikekylie]

Bedknobs and Broomsticks is great.

[babybythesea]

Finding Nemo? Toy Story? And how about some real old classics like Whinnie the Pooh (the proper old one where the film is interspersed by pages on a book turning over and the characters jump from one page to the next) and The Wind in the Willows (the animated one with David Jason and Michael Horden, or indeed the newer one with Matt Lucas as toad).

[Timeforabiscuit]

Tinkerbell secret of the wings, and I actually really enjoyed it