At what age do we introduce...

[Nessa]

I've watched Star Wars (ep 4) with my 3-year-old son and he loves it, and asks to watch it everyday. My husband thinks he's too little so asks me not to let him watch it. It does have a few intense moments, but it's only PG. It's not like I'm showing him ep 3, for goodness sake. My daughter was too sensitive to show things like this, so I waited. But my boy loves this stuff.

At what age is it appropriate to show things like this? How young is too young?

[Fellfrosch]

My son has seen all three original Star Wars, and he'll be three in a week and a half...but I think that was too early. He loves them, but we noticed that every time he watched them he'd start playing a little more violently--he'd end up hitting his sister with a "ightsaber or something like that. So for us and our son, too early means "not mature enough to separate movie action from real violence."

[Nessa]

too early means "not mature enough to separate movie action from real violence."

I'm thinking it's different for each child. Some kids can handle it, others not. As for my boy, he was already violent, it wouldn't make a difference.

[Fellfrosch]

I agree--your son is too violent.

No, just kidding. I agree that it's different for each child. My daughter can watch action movies without hitting anybody.

[Sigyn]

I was three years old when my sisters took me to see Return of the Jedi in the theaters. As far as I know, I was fine with it. Some little kids are more sensitive to scary stuff than others, but I think Star Wars (at least eps.4-6) are okay for little kids. There are some things they won't pick up on yet.

[FirstMateJack]

My wife and I have no kids oursevles, but my older bro has three daughters, who are the quintessence of estrogen (we give him a hard time) ages 7, 4 and 2. The two oldest watch star wars (except 3, obviously) and love it. although, at 4 the oldest had a little hard time.. but the 4 year old loves it, I think it is different.

I have another nephew who is 7, and should probably not be allowed to watch any kind of fighting, he emulates it in a kid way. but he emulates it.

[Rosencrantz]

My little nephews beat the crap out of each other all the time with lightsabers.  It's just kind of how they play.  I would definately link it to star wars, and I know none of them were any older than 2 or so when they first saw them.

[blcdrayco]

I've heard that the best litimus test for whether a kid should be allowed to watch vilent movies is to see their reaction to star wars.
Also, young males do tend to play/fight in just about every species.  It makes sense that watching an exciting movie wold stimulate a response like that.

[The Lost One]

My three year old boy loves Star Wars and if we told him that he was too young to watch it he would throw a fit. If fact, he tells me all of the time that he wants to be a Jedi. Of course, we've personally have never allowed him to watch ep. 3.

He also loves several other PG movies that are similar in intensity to Star Wars. While, I'm not totally for all of these movies, my wife's rule is that if it won't give him nightmares, then it is okay. I also stipulate that the movie has to have a clear depiction between good and evil (my main reason for why I don't what him to see ep. 3).