What can my five-year-old watch for some quiet time?

Tamariki are different from one another and react differently to what they see on screen. For example, my niece loves the Harry Potter films while my daughter cannot get past the scene with the troll in the first film. And it’s not just kids! People of all ages can have different sensitives and preferences to different things.

Here at the tari we are thinking about New Zealand audiences when we’re determining ratings and content warnings. We want to especially make sure our tamariki are protected from harm and we get that sometimes parents need just a little bit more information before pressing play.

Here are some steps when you’re choosing something to watch:

1. Check out the rating and the content warning. Find a rating
2. Search for a full break down for popular content. We publish ‘featured decisions’ that give you in-depth ratings descriptions. Leo
3. Our blogs explore trends and advice, as well as personal opinions on navigating entertainment. What’s the difference between a PG and an M-rated movie? And can your kids watch the new Wonka film?
4. Our resources are based on research and expertise in the tari. Brain development – how it works, why it matters

Hot tip: Parental controls are your best friend when it comes to kids and screentime. So make sure you have set them up on all your favourite devices and platforms, including gaming devices. Age ratings determine the content options available in your child’s profile or game store on service.

Need a head start on popular kids series and films that make good viewing choices with your whānau? Here are some recent releases where we have broken down the content so you can make the best call for your whānau:

• Wish
• Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
• Wonka
• The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday
• Leo
• The Monkey King

We want to take the research load off parents and give you the best advice, tips and viewing recommendations all-in-one place. Parenting is a tough gig but we have got you in the content department.

Further reading:

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau? (blog)
• The ‘Bluey’ parenting hack (how to start those tricky conversations when your kids are young) (blog)
• Why parental controls are your video on-demand life hack (blog)
• PG, Violence and Avatar: The Last Airbender (blog)
• Parenting Mini Gamers (blog)