What films would you let a 4 year old watch?

[cosmicdiva]

My ds1 is 4 and a half and I think I would like him to watch the occasional film but i'm having trouble finding ones I think are suitable and that he would like. So far Mary Poppins hit the spot, as did Disney Cars, although I felt that it was too grown up and wished i'd watched it first. We had Annie from the library and he asked me to switch it off as the fight scene early on upset him. I freely admit to a degree of control freakitis but can the film certificates be relied on? Or is it best to stick with cbeebies and Thomas dvds for now?

chub DP put on pirates of the Caribbean for DS the other day. He got bored. He wants to watch Star Wars but I wasn't sure if he would understand it.

and the goonies I forgot what passed for a kids film in the 80s

Strike out fail

Oh the shame.

I have just bought Pirates of the Caribbean for DS - inspired by this thread I have looked and seen its a 12! I have told DH it will be fine as it was on in the daytime over Christmas so that proves it is not TOO bad.

Goonies, Annie, Bugsy Malone - all films that I was excited to show DD, all films that made her cry!

The BFG always goes down well with DS. And he loves the remake if hairspray

My 4 yo loves Cars (the first one is better for younger children), Bolt, Madagascar, Finding Nemo (i've always skipped the first part where his mum gets eaten, The Lion King (I ff through the bit where Mufasa dies), Lady and the Tramp and Monsters Inc. If you watch together you can always skip scary parts.

my dd2 (nearly 5) watches films because she has 2 older siblings (I am veyr strict about ratings, so we watch U not PG or above) but to be honest she gets bored because a film is too long, and takes too long to engage. When my oldest was this age he watched kids dvds with episodes about 20 mins long (thomas, tweenies etc) He happily watched 2 or 3 episodes after each other, but never the same length in a film.
When he first saw Nemo and Cars he didn't like them, or found them a bit scarey. I think most traditional Disney are hopeless in this respect too (sleeping beauty etc)

Monkey, mine are all scared of shrek!! (9 yo says he isn't scared he just doesn't like it... has hated it since aged 4 !)

Ice Age is very popular in this house dh's favourite film but we have to fast forward bits for dd2 or she hides her head in my lap

Antz is terrible. It's not really a good film at all but especially not for kids. Bug's Life is much better if you want insect-themed viewing

My 4 yr old ds1 is desperate to watch paranorman and frankenweenie. Considering he gets scared by scoobie doo I don't think it's a good idea. I've had to ban certain cartoons as well as just don't think they're suitable. That awful one with rigby and morticae - don't remember what it's called - is a banned one. Wish I could ban the Simpsons! I hate it but its dh's favourite showandnow ds1 loves it too.

Cartoons can be quite tricky to judge. My DS has seen trailers for Paranorman and Frankenweenie while at the cinema watching other kids' films, but I have no intention of taking him to them - not even as comic kids' horror.

I also don't really like the Simpsons for kids under 5/6. Plenty of time for that when they're older. It's a great show but better for older kids IMO.

lots of the ones here have been good for fraidy cat dd at 4, but would also add Surf's Up- about surfing penguins. Only once scary bit, which is less than 30 seconds long and it is a fun film for adults too.

Disney - Bambi, Robin Hood, Dumbo, Snow White, Aladdin.

surfs up is great.
The ice ages although a mum dies at the beginning of the first one.
cars
the madagascars
tangled
wall-e
finding nemo
robin hood
puss in boots.
The Sword in the Stone
Megamind
Despicable me
The Lion King really upset DS.

We love films. My mum let him watch jurassic park once and he adored it. I was horrified. I only let him watch things that I think are funny, although since having children my threshold for this has lowered somewhat. I find peppa pig hilarious now.

I didn't like the incredibles or cloudy with a chance of meatballs.

I can give very detailed reviews of all of them if you want. I've watched them about a million times each.

Another vote for My Neighbour Totoro, brilliant film!

All the Disney movies, Narnia, James and the Giant Peach, my children really like chitty chitty bang bang, Annie, Madagascar. We've seen all the more recent ones at the cinema. Took my DS aged 5 to see Paranorman and it is quite scary.

But at 44 I find the initiation scene where Nemo meets his tank mates scary.

IMDB always have a good comprehensive parents guide for the films. It gives exact details of what may scare/confuse the kids so you can make a more informed decision on what will suit your child.

My 4yo DS loves Tangled, Brave, Monsters Inc etc but runs out of the room if he catches those godawful Opera Singers on The Wiggles DVD trailers.

When I was younger my Mom woke me up to watch The Fly with her as she was too scared to watch it alone lol.

I don't think it affected me overly much, but safe to say I won't be subjecting my DC to the same type of film at that age!

DD (3.5) is totally fearless and has quite grown-up films. She appears to understand most of what goes on but I think they take away what they want.

Her uncles bought her the complete Harry Potter series last xmas and she loves them. Otherwise, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (not the others), Wizard of Oz, Ice Age series, Narnia films are firm favourites.

She's getting Mary Poppins for Xmas.

Totally depends on the child though - her 8 year old cousin is too scared to watch even the first HP, whereas DD's favourite one is the Goblet of Fire 'because it's scary'.