How do you teach a young Padawan about the ways of the Force? How do you introduce them to all the stories that happened a long time ago in a galaxy far far away? If Star Wars is something you loved in your youth it can be special to share that love with your little one. Thanks to the internet it’s easier than ever to help teach your kid and let them embrace their imagination going through the universe of Star Wars.
Toys
What do kids love the most!? Well obviously a great place to start! I had some stuffed animals I’d gotten at Disneyland years ago and my son was instantly drawn to them! I had Chewbacca, Yoda and Wicket. There are so many great options between Disney Store, Amazon, Target, Lego your little one will love them. One word of advice is make sure any lightsabers (or noisy toys) can have batteries removed or have an off switch (thank me later) I’d also say Halloween is a great time to get a cool costume and get in to character.
Star Wars Block
This book also made my list of Favorite Toddler Books. It goes through the entire movie cannon (in order) and introduces you to characters and different planets. It was something to point things out and point at the characters, make any noises (or quotes, songs) that your child can use to associate with the characters.
Books on the Movies
Little Golden books are a simple way to introduce kids to the storyline of Star Wars Movies. It hits the basic plot points and is just the right amount of pages that you can get through the stories in 1 sitting. After the Block book this was the perfect foray in to understanding the greater stories and seeing what the characters are all about.
Other Golden Books
Golden Books has some other short books to hone in on more specific elements. Here are some of my favorites:
Novels/Expanded Universe
Throughout the decades there have been many novelizations and an entire Expanded Universe. This can be great as some of these can help you use your imagination and really learn more about some of your favorite characters. It was always nice to go out of the confines of the Skywalker saga and imagine the adventures of some of my favorite characters. Though Disney has come in and declared a lot of the Expanded Universe as non-cannon, that shouldn’t stop you from exploring. I’d read a few of the Timothy Zahn Novels and they were all great.
There are a lot of Novels and Comics out there, it can seem overwhelming. So if you’re wondering where to start there is no wrong answer. Take anything that sparks your interest and run with it.
How and What to Watch
Can most children sit through a 3 hour movie? No! Even over multiple sittings it can take a long time to get through one film. Luckily with the books we read he understands the movies and the relationships of the characters. So YouTube has become the go to, there is a Star Wars Kids Channel and series called “Galaxies of Adventures” these are short videos and they really highlight moments or character personality traits. Also just looking up your favorite moments and clips so they things in curated chunks.
With Disney Plus there are also a lot of options both Cartoon and Live Action. I’ve enjoyed watching the Clone Wars series and particular love the Simpsons mash up of “The Force awakens from Its Nap” as it combines two of my favorite things. When it was time for the movies, I started with Return of The Jedi as it has all of the key characters, solid action and the Ewoks do give it a lighter feeling. I also just fast forward the movies and focus on key/fun scenes.
DisneyLand/DisneyWorld
If you are lucky enough to live near a Disney Park the new Galaxies edge is incredible. Walking around it feels like you are part of the story. Even if kids are to young to go on the rides they will still enjoy all the sights of the park. My son still talks about seeing Chewbacca and Rey hanging out at the Millennium Falcon. For me getting to hop on the Falcon for Smugglers Run was a dream come true!
Like everything with children enjoy it! If they aren’t in to it, there is nothing to stress out about. Embrace their interests and have fun! May the Force by with You!
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