Star Wars: The Complete Saga is, without a doubt, one of the greatest family film franchises of all time, created for adults and children to enjoy together.
So why not start your little ones on their incredible journey to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: A New Hope?
It’s the sort of story that children will recognise from their animated Disney movies; a young boy heads off on an adventure, accompanied by two bumbling sidekicks and a wise old mentor. And, naturally, he winds up rescuing a princess, defeating evil, and being named a hero along the way.
But, while the tale is (we’re going there) as old as time, there’s no denying that each and every single film in the Star Wars Saga has a LOT to offer our children.
First things first, it teaches them to find their inner strength (in the form of The Force); Luke Skywalker might not believe he has what it takes to be a hero, but he proves himself wrong come the end of it all.
Secondly, it gives us a great female role model in the form of Princess Leia. She’s quick-witted, intelligent, doesn’t suffer fools, and she DEFINITELY kicks some serious butt. Plus there’s the fact that she’ll give kids a dreamy new hairstyle to try at some point soon.
Thirdly, it teaches us about staying true to ourselves and NOT bowing to peer pressure. Anakin Skywalker, in Episodes II and III, is led astray by Emperor Palpatine, and winds up losing everything – and everyone – he loves as a result.
Fourthly, there’s the fact that this film series will open their imaginations like nothing else. One mother, speaking on her blog, explained: “He loved Chewbacca and I have now answered more questions about Wookies than I ever thought possible. ‘Does the Wookie have a last name? Does the Wookie ever wear pants? What does the Wookie look like if he gets a haircut?’”
She added: “[And] oh heavens, the lightsabers! The concept of such a device was pure magic for W. I was thankful we had a random left over glow stick in the pantry from last Halloween as it allowed W to instantly transform into a young Jedi.”
Yup, all of those utterly alien (ha!) concepts have proven to be, time and time again, perfect imagination fodder for little ones.
Fifthly, it’s also worth considering that the Star Wars saga can allow parents and children to discuss some very important topics - all while enjoying a great movie. You can talk about what makes characters good or bad. You can discuss which good characters made bad choices. And you can discuss deeper topics, like forgiveness, absolutism and redemption, too. It just depends on which bits your little one is interested in.
But, most importantly of all, there’s the fact that the Star Wars movies were created for adults and children to enjoy together.
That's right; while there are themes that may not be appropriate for younger viewers, most of that will go over their heads (much like the adult jokes in a Pixar film), as they begin to fall in love with the characters. The films will become a launch pad for the imagination as it opens them up to a whole new world. And they will definitely give you guys a LOT of fun DIY crafting sessions to try together this summer.
So what are you waiting for? With the NOW TV Sky Movies Month Pass you can start watching The Complete Star Wars Saga with your little ones straight away. There’s no contract and there’s a 30 day free trial so you can give it a go commitment free.
Check out all of the Star Wars Movies and more at NOWTV.com. 18+. UK only. Content streamed via broadband/3G to two compatible devices. Sky Movies Month Pass automatically renews after free trial at £9.99pm until cancelled. Stop renewal at any time. See nowtv.com for details.