What content is appropriate for children's age?
What criteria for choosing films for pupils?
From the beginning to the end of primary school, children aged 3 to 11 go through different phases of distinguishing reality from imagination and build their own representation of the world. Age is one of the main criteria for choosing a children's film because children's comprehension ability differs at ages 2, 4, 8 and 10.
Taking a child's age into account when choosing a film is important because the content and messages of a film must be appropriate; the child must be able to recount what they have seen. The complexity of the staging, the psychology of characters, the density of information, as well as the quality of visual and sound environments and the pace of films must all be considered.
© Marjolaine Rouzeau. Children's age as a film selection criterion
The young child, between nursery and primary school, exercises their intellectual, sensory, emotional and relational capacities. If videos or films are not in line with their intellectual development, they will experience comprehension difficulties and become bored: their interest, curiosity and attention will decrease.
The child must be able to recount what they have seen
A message too difficult to understand for the youngest, or too childish for older ones — a film not adapted to children's age will have the same effect: lack of pleasure and concentration.
Films should be an educational resource, supporting children's development, allowing each child time to observe and imitate, and encouraging younger ones to express themselves, imagine, and invent their own imaginary worlds.
© Je Regarde. Carlos De Carvalho & Aude Danset: Premier Automne, 2013
From early childhood through adolescence, films adapted to children's ages will be excellent educational tools at school, as well as a resource for supporting education at home.
A well-chosen film will awaken curiosity, spark questions in boys and girls, and foster communication within the family with parents and grandparents.
© Marjolaine Rouzeau. Films in service of children's development
At their youngest age, the child, particularly fragile and vulnerable, is not prepared to face the outside world.
Give children time to watch
Exposure to images not suited to their intellectual, emotional and sensory development can harm their daily need to explore and discover new things. Properly selected films, on the contrary, create a favourable environment for this learning period.
It is difficult to judge the match between a child's age and what they watch. Each child has their own learning pace and comprehension abilities; parents and primary school teachers are best placed to judge the harmony between film content and the young viewer.
However, the astronomical quantity of children's films available on television, DVD and the internet presents a real challenge.
Is this message appropriate for my child? Is this scene too violent for their age? How do I capture their attention? How to find and choose a film that is both entertaining and educational?
Films likely to captivate the youngest viewers
Are comedy films better suited to toddlers than musical films? It is not easy to choose in this audiovisual jungle, and very few organisations offer guidance to help adults make the right choices for young children.
© Carlos Lascano. Short film by Carlos Lascano: Lila, 2014
The films we select have very original stories, screenplays and visual universes likely to captivate the youngest viewers. They are not films created specifically for children — they are even rather aimed at older audiences — but we select and classify each film whose educational content is in line with children's age, growth phases and development.
Films for early and middle childhood are often difficult to choose, but paradoxically, abstract experimental films offer an excellent example of age-appropriateness.
© Yamamra Animation. Abstract film by Koji Yamamura: Anthology with Cranes, 2011
Abstract short films were not made for children, but rather in an experimental context. Yet this abstraction, the importance given to shapes, colours and rhythm, is very well suited to the youngest children. They spark curiosity and invite bodily expression in particular.
Do you have your own criteria for selecting films suited to young children? An opinion on the age from which a child can watch a film? The views of teachers and parents are essential for us to continue offering quality films, according to young children's age, in complete safety.