We have all waited so long for the December 18, 2015 opening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens that the suddenly very near date may have some people scrambling for last minute preparations, namely, ensuring that their children are ready for what will, obviously, CHANGE THEIR LIVES FOREVER.
Here’s the thing to remember, it’s never too late to prep your kids. After all, we’re getting children ready for Star Wars, not a good preschool, and while most people start planning for both well before conception (have you checked your midichlorians count lately?) there is always time for a bit of catching up. For instance, everybody knows the benefits of playing music for babies in utero, so why not fill their little echo chambers with the collective works of Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes? Or perhaps the Max Rebo Band? John Williams is pretty good, too.
For those with younglings and a sense of adventure, why not take a Star Wars vacation?
Did you know that in Washington, D.C., you can see a Darth Vader gargoyle on the Washington National Cathedral?
Can’t make it to Tunisia for all of your Tatooine needs? That’s okay, some scenes were also filmed in Death Valley, and it’s super hot, too!
Looking for something a bit cooler? Take the family to Finse, Norway, aka Hoth, and by “cooler” I mean really freaking cold.
However, if you really want to feel The Force (and the power of the dark side) then visit the Disneyland Resort for their amazing Star Wars: Season of The Force event in Tomorrowland. Trust me, it’s awesome.
Of course, the easiest way to get kids ready for Star Wars: The Force Awakens is to watch the previous films and the subsequent animated series that they have inspired. Granted, there are a lot of them, more than most people realize (or care to admit), and while some television series like the Ewoks cartoon from 1985 might earn you some street (trail?) cred, they aren’t really necessary for the enjoyment of the film(s). Other shows, like the Star Wars Holiday Special, are just really, really bad, making The Phantom Menace look like an Oscar contender by comparison.
Speaking of The Phantom Menace, you have probably heard people argue about the order in which one should first see the movies: by release date (the right way) or chronologically (wrong), and wondered what the big deal was. The big deal is tradition. And spoilers. And Jar Jar Binks.
If kids watch the movies in chronological order they are going to start with polished fluff and lose the lore, the mystery, in the process. They are going to think Jar Jar Binks is amazing. They are going to know [spoiler] that Anakin Skywalker is Darth Vader before they ever meet Darth Vader, and that just ruins everything. IT RUINS EVERYTHING.
Seriously, only a nerf-herder would start with Star Wars: Episode I, and you don’t want to be a nerf-herder.
Here is what I recommend in suggested viewing order:
1.Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
2.Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
3.Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
4.Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
5.Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
6.Star Wars: The Clone Wars (animated television series)
7.Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
8.Star Wars Rebels (animated television series)
[Note, to watch in chronological order (NOT RECOMMENDED) Episodes IV-VI should be at the end of the list rather than the beginning. Parents, also be aware that The Force Awakens and The Revenge of the Sith are both rated PG-13 while everything else is PG or lower.]
Really, what it all comes down to is creating an environment where the kids and parents are able to have the most fun possible, and to do it together. After all, Star Wars isn’t just about The Force, it’s also about family (we can only hope that someone at the Skywalker family Thanksgiving had access to the new Adele album) and the bonds made through the memories and magic thereof. It’s about that moment when everyone is attached to the same amazing thing that feels bigger than all of us, bigger than a galaxy—it’s the moment that the force awakens.
See what I did there?
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