Watch a great movie together with your child

Parents often complain that after getting married and having kids, going to the movies has become a luxury dream—or even an “impossible mission.” Is this really the case? Why not choose a family-friendly film, turn your home into a cinema, and make “watching a movie” a great opportunity for parent-child bonding? What are the benefits of watching movies with your child? What kinds of movies are suitable for preschoolers? Let’s find out together.

In today’s busy society, interactions between parents and children are becoming increasingly scarce. How can we find common topics to enhance the quality of parent-child interaction? How can families “do something together” with full attention at home? How can parents naturally share their experiences and outlook on life with their children? And how can they understand their child’s inner hopes, fears, or worries?

Li Weiwen, author of “The Moment Dreams Take Flight,” discovered through long-term experimentation and reflection that watching specially selected films together with children at home is the most natural and stress-free way to achieve the above goals.

Mom and dad might think, “Aren’t kids already spoiled with so many resources—picture books, toys, cartoons, all kinds of enrichment classes? Why waste time watching movies with them?”

Benefit 1: A low-barrier medium of communication
Text vs. visuals
Both text and visuals are tools people use to learn. In terms of the brain’s ability to recognize and process information, they each play different functional roles.

Li Weiwen points out that sensitivity to visuals stems from evolutionary and genetic inheritance (for any species, survival is a difficult challenge—you’re constantly worried about being eaten or preparing to eat others, so you must be extremely alert to changes in your surroundings). This is an innate, conditioned ability that everyone possesses.

Text, on the other hand, is a product of modern civilization that requires acquired learning to use. It’s a higher-barrier medium of communication, but it can also carry the most imagination and content. Therefore, cultural accumulation and complex thinking often rely on the help of text.

Li Weiwen says that because receiving visuals requires almost no effort—no prior practice or preparation is needed to understand them—and because they easily capture attention and provoke immediate emotional responses, they serve as an excellent medium for younger children. Parents can take full advantage of the power of visuals by selecting appropriate films to watch and share with their children. Watching movies can actually be a very low-cost form of “situational teaching,” especially effective when it comes to life education.

Benefit 2: Sparking resonance with life experiences
Children have strong feelings but limited ability to express them. They often have a lot of emotions inside, yet parents have no way of knowing, and sometimes the children themselves can’t sort out their thoughts clearly. This is where movies can create resonance.

Li Weiwen believes that the most effective way to truly influence life and change behavior is through the power generated by being moved. Although movies tell stories about other people, the parts that resonate with children are often things they are currently concerned or worried about. Their emotions can also be soothed and understood through the film, and during times of frustration, hardship, sadness, or discouragement, certain scenes or plotlines in the movie may become sources of strength to help them get through tough times.

In many novels, movies, and even news reports, we find that some children who suffer injustices—such as being bullied at school or abused by step-parents—don’t dare to tell anyone. Why is that?

Li Weiwen points out that besides lacking adequate language skills, children often don’t speak up because, based on their very limited life experience, they assume they are the only ones going through such situations. For example, in a kindergarten, a child may think that apart from themselves, no one else is being bullied, not knowing that in other places, many children have had the same experiences. This can happen even in elementary or middle school, and they often don’t know how to handle it.

Through movies, children can learn that others have gone through similar experiences and have managed to overcome them. This helps them build confidence and face the same challenges with the characters, or even seek help from others.

Even children who haven’t faced the same problems can gain reference models for dealing with similar issues through movies, making it easier for them to respond when similar situations arise in the future, thus strengthening their emotional resilience as they grow.

Li Weiwen says that amidst busy work schedules, adults rarely take the time to listen attentively to their children’s feelings. We often assume that as long as kids study well and play happily, there’s nothing to worry about in their lives. We forget what it felt like to be a child ourselves—we no longer remember that kids also feel sadness and unhappiness.

The German box office hit film “The Class of ’99” once reminded us: “Adults always forget that crying over a broken doll in childhood is the same as crying over life and death later on.” This is a reminder not to overlook a child’s feelings just because they are young.

Benefit 3: Helping a child’s dreams take flight
Movies help humanity dream
Due to limitations in time and space, the physical range humans can explore is quite small. But our imagination can break free from the constraints of our environment, taking us to brand-new worlds. Movies are a powerful medium of imagination, almost like a dream factory—they bring the impossible to life before our eyes and take us to places we could never go.

Aspiration is the motivation to learn
The world a child can access is far more limited than that of an adult. A good movie can help a child imagine future lives and different worlds, building aspirations for life. This power of aspiration can turn into motivation to learn or become the blueprint for building dreams.

That’s why Li Weiwen often describes the time spent watching movies with children as “the moment their dreams take flight,” and the living room at home as the place where those dreams begin.

Q1: How do you choose the right movies for your child?
A child’s mind is as pure as blank paper, so whatever content you offer them, mom and dad must choose carefully.

Preschool age: Choose positive and uplifting films
Li Weiwen stated that he does not advocate exposing preschool children to too many scary or negative movies, as children at this stage are building the foundational framework of their cognition, and such content can influence how they perceive the world in the future.

“For young children, it’s best if movies have relatively ‘positive and uplifting’ content, and they absolutely must have a happy ending—that’s very important. The plot can be tense, and there can be villains, but they shouldn’t be too evil, and ideally, no good characters should be truly harmed. Of course, the movie shouldn’t be too violent, too gory, or too cruel—that goes without saying.” Additionally, parents might also consider whether the movie has any positive impact beyond being entertaining.

Adolescence: Sincere Discussion Is Key
Li Weiwen reminds parents that these standards aren’t always applicable. When children reach adolescence, the criteria for choosing movies change again, because by then, their cognitive frameworks are mostly formed, and they begin to think more deeply and question things. If you continue to feed them only positive, dreamy content, they’ll think, “You’re just talking nonsense!” At this stage, it’s better to discuss the issues raised in the movies with them in a more sincere manner.

Q2: Do Parents Have to Watch Movies with Their Children?
Li Weiwen says that, fundamentally, it’s still better for preschool children to explore the real world more, and if they are to learn through visual media, adult accompaniment is ideal—why?

Screening Content for Children
Parents won’t know whether a movie is suitable for their child unless they’ve seen it themselves. While watching movies with their children, parents can also observe how their kids react to certain things and guide them accordingly. If any unintended negative content arises, parents can address it immediately with some remedial measures.

Controlling Children’s Screen Time
What problems might arise if parents, due to being busy, use movies as babysitters? Li Weiwen points out that children who lack parental companionship while engaging with visual media can easily end up spending more and more time on it without realizing it. Over time, this becomes a fixed habit, not only crowding out time for learning life skills in the real world but also blurring the line between reality and virtuality.

It’s Best to Do Your Homework First
Li Weiwen reminds parents that children usually won’t let you pause the movie every few minutes, so it’s best for parents to watch the film once beforehand and jot down any discussion points they want to bring up. Otherwise, after watching the movie with their child, they might forget and miss the chance to share insights.

Q3: How to Create a Suitable Environment for Watching Movies?
To help children fully immerse themselves in the movie, setting up an undisturbed viewing environment is the most basic requirement.

Simulating a Cinema Atmosphere
Li Weiwen suggests that, just like in a cinema, everyone should turn off their phones, the lights should be dimmed, and the sound can be turned up a bit to create the mood of the story—this will help children get more engrossed.

Q4: How to Discuss the Plot with Children?
Don’t Use It as a Lecture Opportunity
Li Weiwen especially reminds parents not to use the post-movie time to “preach” to their children. Especially for adolescents, who dislike it when parents or teachers seriously discuss grand principles. They tend to express their inner worries, fears, or anxieties through humor, banter, or seemingly casual remarks.

Parents Should Share Their Thoughts First
Also, parents shouldn’t rush to force their children to share their thoughts right after the movie. If it feels like a school assignment—where every movie watched requires a report—children may feel pressured and grow to dislike the activity.

Li Weiwen suggests that parents can take the lead by sharing their own feelings about the movie in a natural, non-preachy way—perhaps even recounting embarrassing or silly stories from their own past—and then patiently wait for their children to open up.

Additionally, for slightly older children, parents can also provide some background information or discuss extended themes related to the movie to broaden their horizons. The child will think, “Hey, my parents aren’t so bad after all!”

Q5: After the Movie and Sharing Thoughts… What’s Next?
Guiding Children Back to the Real World
When a movie features things beyond a child’s life experiences, parents can use their free time to help the child engage with real-life counterparts. For example, if a tiger appears in the movie, parents can take the child to the zoo to see a real tiger on the weekend. That way, the child won’t always think tigers are as small as “Tiger” from cartoons. Li Weiwen believes this is something school teachers rarely manage to do—but it’s an area where parents can really shine.

This way, when children encounter images of tigers in other media later on, they’ll quickly associate them with the real thing. Building this kind of associative ability early on enhances and accelerates children’s learning capabilities in the long run.

Source: Excerpted from *The Moment Dreams Take Flight*, CommonWealth Magazine.
Movie images provided by Delight Film.

There are many great films, but even more movies are available on the market. How can you find the golden nuggets in the vast sea of films and spend your very limited family time meaningfully with your children? Let Teacher Li Weiwen recommend a few classic movies perfect for parent-child viewing together.

How to Train Your Dragon
USA, 2010
Directors: Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois

Synopsis:

In ancient times, the Vikings were generations-long enemies of dragons, which fostered their tradition of revering brave and combative warriors. However, the chieftain’s youngest son, Hiccup, was scrawny and kind-hearted, so he was looked down upon by everyone.

One day, Hiccup accidentally captured a young Night Fury, the most deadly dragon in legend. When he had the chance to prove himself and gain the tribe’s approval by killing the dragon, he hesitated. Instead, he became friends with the Night Fury, ultimately ending the long-standing conflict between dragons and Vikings...

What is the most powerful martial art in the world?
Teacher Weiwen says:
Recently, I saw a news story about a Japanese kindergarten putting on the stage play *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*. None of the parents agreed to let their children play the supporting roles of the seven dwarfs — they all wanted to be the lead. In the end, all the children played Snow White, and the teacher played the dwarfs.

Parents around the world are anxious, fearing their children will fall behind others. They believe that in this era of intense global competition, one must outshine others to be noticed — that only those who are eloquent and brave enough to take the stage and receive applause have a chance.

But what if a child is naturally shy or has a gentle personality and doesn’t like competing? What can be done? Is there a way for the child who is always clapping from the audience to build confidence? Or what if your child seems lazy, unambitious, and uninterested in learning? Perhaps this wonderful animated film can offer both kids and adults a different perspective.

Movie Dialogue
1. How do you think one can turn from enemy to friend, like Hiccup and Toothless?
2. Do you think fighting can solve problems? Does being able to fight mean you’re brave?

Finding Nemo
USA, 2003
Director: Andrew Stanton

Synopsis:
The story mainly follows Marlin, an overprotective clownfish father, and Dory, a blue tang fish he meets along the way, as they search the vast ocean for Marlin’s lost son, Nemo. Along the journey, Marlin gradually learns that he must be willing to take risks and that his son is capable of taking care of himself...

The Tug-of-War Between Protecting and Letting Go
Teacher Weiwen says:
As children grow and develop their own ideas, conflicts with parents inevitably arise. Children want independence but often lack the ability to handle things on their own, leading to trouble. Parents, in turn, become more anxious and controlling, which fuels friction in parent-child relationships. Just like Nemo in *Finding Nemo*, who looks down on his father Marlin’s timidity.

Marlin once lost his family due to an accident. Traumatized, he became overly protective of Nemo, which indirectly led to Nemo being captured. Dory, who accompanies Marlin, is a fish with short-term memory loss and is quite forgetful. She serves as a contrast to Marlin, because she boldly faces challenges while ignoring possible risks — and ends up receiving a lot of help.

Parents often hesitate, wanting to be certain their children can be independent before letting them spread their wings. But the truth is, we never know when that independence will come — and without truly letting go, we’ll never find out. On the journey of growth and learning, our goal shouldn’t be to avoid mistakes. On the contrary, we should be willing to make them. In this ever-changing, uncertain world, the most important ability our children can develop is learning to adjust and correct themselves through brave trial and error — that’s the skill that will matter most in facing the future.

Movie Dialogue
1. What do you think courage is? Have you ever faced something scary but did it anyway?
2. How did you feel watching Marlin risk everything to save Nemo?

Monsters, Inc.
USA, 2001
Directors: Pete Docter, David Silverman

Introduction:
Monsters, Inc. is the largest power company in the monster world, supplying energy used by monsters. It's commonly known as "Monster Power," and their energy comes from the screams of human children. The main job of Monster Power employees is to sneak into kids’ closets around the world, scare them, and collect energy. However, as children today are growing braver and harder to frighten, the monster world faces a serious energy crisis...

Are there really monsters in the world?
Teacher Wei-Wen says:
When friends advise us, we often boast: "I wasn't raised to be scared!" But that’s just us trying to boost our own courage—because truthfully, we were raised on fear. Not only individuals, not just in childhood, but even now—how many political systems and social safety measures in human society have been born out of our fears?
Kids especially love ghost stories—they’re scared yet fascinated. That’s because humans are curious about the unknown. Also, kids are usually afraid of the dark and fear that monsters might suddenly appear in empty corners. Disney’s animated film *Monsters, Inc.* quite creatively addresses many children’s inner fears.

In the animation, those oddly shaped monsters hide in closets to scare kids, aiming to collect their screams as energy. But deep down, they are actually terrified of children and are constantly tormented by them. As the kids laugh along, they also come to realize that perhaps what we fear might fear us even more. And something that looks scary isn’t necessarily evil—it might just look different from us. This movie confronts the unspoken fears inside children. Once we face them openly, they won’t be able to hurt us.

Movie Dialogues
1. Do you know what “the gates of hell open in July” means?
2. Are you afraid of things you can’t see? Talk about why you’re afraid of them.

Over the Hedge
USA, 2006
Director: Tim Johnson
Voice actors: Bruce Willis, Steve Carell, etc.

Introduction:
The story begins with a turtle named Verne and his forest friends waking up from hibernation. After this long sleep, they discover that a tall green mysterious structure has appeared right in the middle of their home. Raccoon RJ tells everyone that beyond the bushes lies “the endpoint of a happy life,” where creatures called “humans” exist solely to eat and drink lavishly rather than simply to survive. Thus begins an epic battle by animals to protect their habitat...

A Battle for Food Appreciation
Teacher Wei-Wen says:
If I wanted to share an environmental movie with children while also encouraging them to take practical actions in daily life, I would recommend *Over the Hedge*. The film contains themes of friendship and happiness, depicting how animals try to steal leftover food from human trash bins—which is still edible—and leads to a series of lively and funny events.

I believe that for young children, the most meaningful and practically achievable environmental concept they can engage with is starting with food—especially the snacks and desserts in the movie, which are most likely to spark their interest. Parents can begin by discussing food waste, guiding children to understand that all food comes from nature, and that wasting it is a major cause of harm to the environment. This helps them develop good eating habits and cherish the meals their parents prepare for them.

Movie Dialogues
1. What happens when the Earth’s natural resources run out?
2. What can we do to save the Earth’s resources?

Up
USA, 2009
Director: Pete Docter

Introduction:
Carl, an elderly man, wants to fulfill a promise he made to his wife 70 years ago but never could—to soar across the globe and experience a grand adventure. Meanwhile, a young boy named Russell hopes to earn a scouting badge by helping the old man and safely returning a rare bird home.

During their jungle adventure, they encounter the fame-obsessed adventurer Charles Muntz. In a thrilling yet hilarious journey, both ultimately complete their personal growth, gaining valuable lessons and experiences...

A Brave Journey of Dream Fulfillment
Teacher Weiwen said:
I always feel that animated movies these days aren’t just made for children—often, adults watching them have even deeper emotional reactions. *Up* includes all the elements kids love: a chubby, enthusiastic but clumsy Boy Scout named Russell, a stubborn yet somewhat adorable old man in his 70s named Carl, plus a rare, colorful giant bird named Kevin who loves chocolate, and a talking dog named Dug.

Kids will be drawn to the lively scenes and burst out laughing, but for adults, amid the laughter there’s much more to reflect on. Carl recalls how, at age 8, he promised his little girlfriend Ellie that one day he would take her to the Amazon jungle to find Paradise Falls. He lived every day with this dream in his heart, but unexpectedly, from the time they met, married, and until Ellie passed away, the daily routines and trivialities of life prevented them from ever taking action to fulfill that dream. The film frequently evokes a poignant sense of the passage of time, resonating deeply with the audience.

Throughout the entire movie, and what captivates children the most, is the image of the little wooden house where Carl spent his whole life being lifted into the sky by tens of thousands of colorful balloons. A house is often more than just a house—it holds memories of life and time, but it can also become a shackle that traps a person. However, this burden may be an obstacle, or it might offer the warmth of companionship and become a source of strength to inspire moving forward. By the end of the adventure, Carl and Russell achieve their dreams, change themselves, and discover their true selves.

Movie dialogue
1. Do you know what an adventure is? Tell us your adventure story.
2. Do you like yourself? What are your strengths?

The Adventures of Tintin
USA, 2011
Director: Steven Spielberg
Voice actors: Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig... and others

Content introduction:
Adapted from the Belgian comic artist Hergé’s work of the same name, it tells a story about pirates and treasure. One day, Tintin buys an old model sailboat as a gift for Captain Haddock, which sets off an exciting adventure. After discovering the historical backstory of the model, Tintin, his dog Snowy, and the captain decide to uncover the secrets of the Unicorn...

Ignite children’s curiosity about the world
Teacher Weiwen said:
The timeless comic *The Adventures of Tintin* is a shared memory for many people around the world. Even today, nearly all children in Europe are familiar with Tintin’s stories, and the comic has been translated into nearly 60 different languages worldwide. The film adaptation makes it accessible to younger children or those who struggle with reading text.

In the story, Tintin is a reporter whose curiosity, sense of justice, and never-give-up optimism are all qualities we hope children can emulate. Especially now, when many children are too introverted and lack a spirit of adventure, the thrilling plot of the film might just ignite their passion for the world. I wonder if the wandering, adventurous lifestyle familiar to European youth is inspired and encouraged by *The Adventures of Tintin* from a young age?

Movie dialogue
1. What do you need to go on an adventure?
2. Who would you most like to take with you on an adventure?