When choosing a movie for children, it's not always necessary to go for the obvious. Don't underestimate the type of material that will be interesting to them. For example, you may want to look beyond movies labeled "for kids." Sometimes, "children's" films are simply boring to some kids. Many children enjoy documentaries about nature, and science or travel. Don't rule out old movies. Material doesn't have to be new and flashy to keep a child's interest. It may also help to look beyond your own tastes. Material that may seem very flat and boring to you, may be calming to a child. The child's reaction is really a good barometer.
A film does not have to have monsters in it to be frightening to young viewers. Think back to the types of things in movies that may have scared you as a child. Most likely, it was the mood or tone of the film, or the use of color, texture and music. On the other hand, frightening material may be acceptable to some young viewers as long as movie conflicts are resolved adequately enough for the child to feel comfortable with the outcome or action. Consider that special effects in movies are now so refined that, visually, they appear very real. Be sensitive to the fact that young children often do not have much experience in determining between movie fantasy and reality.
Many movies available today are often film treatments of classic and current children's stories, books, fairy tales and legends. Some scripts are written to enhance or expand on already existing stories. These are great for later conversation. Talk to your children about the movie they have seen. Take the opportunity to ask them why they think a character may have acted the way they did. Try to flesh the characters out, and see if they can become more dimensional than just a character in a movie.
Of course, it is helpful to be aware of the length of the film, and the attention span required to view it. The obvious advantage of video in this case is the ability to stop the film when your children are no longer interested, and the ability to pick up where you stopped, much like a book.
Finally, the best thing you can do is to find out about a film before viewing it and, if possible, preview the content. Then make time to watch the film with your child. Discuss the film and what happens. The big advantage of family fare at home is that talking is allowed during the movie.
