Is The Croods a Good Movie for Young Kids?

The Croods comes out in theaters this Friday, March 22nd and you may be wondering if it’s a good movie for young kids. My family and I were very lucky to have seen an advance screening of The Croods and we all enjoyed the movie. Our seven-year-old laughed hysterically throughout the movie, and even our two-year-old was able to sit still and be entertained. In my opinion, The Croods is definitely good for young kids, but will also be loved by the whole family, even adults. Let me tell you a bit more about the movie, though – with no spoilers, of course!

The Croods is all about a family living in a cave that finds themselves on a journey (both physically and emotionally) when the cave is destroyed. The family consists of a mom, dad, three children, and their grandmother (the mom’s mom), which you can imagine creates plenty of comedy. The fact that The Croods are a multi-generational family is something that many people can relate to. Though there’s plenty of expected mother-in-law jokes, the family dynamics add to the charm of this movie. I found myself feeling like much of the dialogue and situations could have occurred in my own family.

The scenery of The Croods is spectacular and really helps keep kids engaged. The Croods travel from their cave through lush green landscape, with plenty of creatures seen to captivate kids. Older kids will enjoy comparing the life of The Croods to their own lives, while younger kids (like my toddler) will enjoy the abundance of visual comedy that allows them to enjoy the movie despite not understanding all of the jokes. Parents will appreciate the tender moments too, of which there are quite a few considering the family is constantly in danger. I found myself tearing up at the end of the movie and know that my husband was affected too – daddy-daughter moments always seem to get the best of us!

I have to say that one of the best things about The Croods, though, is the character Belt. Belt is the pet of Guy (the new guy the family meets – get it?) and truly accounts for a lot of the laughter. In fact, the entire theater would burst out in laughter each time Belt did his “Dun dun dun” sound effect. My baby boy walked out of the movie repeating it, which of course, was the cutest thing ever. You can see what I mean in the following trailer (at around 1:33).

The Croods is sure to be loved by your entire family, including young kids. There’s even some great messages to walk way with from The Croods:

Lessons Kids will Learn (and that You’ll Love) from The Croods

1. Don’t be afraid to try new things.
2. Families take care of each other.
3. It’s good to explore your world.
4. Trust your instincts.
5. Be brave.

If you want to check out more of The Croods, you can find more clips, read about the characters, and even get Belt’s sound effect as a ringtone on the official site. Let me know what you think of The Croods after watching it this weekend!

Disclosure: Our family was provided complimentary admission to an advance screening of The Croods in order to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.