Since movies for kids seem to come out so few and far between these days, Ayva and I have been anxiously waiting for “The Croods” to come out for weeks. Seeing the big billboards on the highway, and on passing buses helped to build our anticipation, so we were the first people in line to see the movie on opening day. The movie did not disappoint!

“The Croods” is about a family (yes, the Crood family) that lives during prehistoric times. They’re not quite evolved to the refined people that we are now, with their knuckles just a few inches short from dragging on the ground. They chase after animals for their food, have yet to discover fire, and are afraid of the unknown, which is just about everything. The father of the family, Grug, encourages children to live by the mantra that has kept them alive, “Never not be afraid.” One night, his curious teenage daughter Eep leaves their cave at night time (a BIG no-no). She meets Guy, and a tip from her new friend about the end of the world as they know it, sets her family up for an adventure to find a new safe place to live. The theme of the film, being open to new experiences, is inspiring, and definitely felt uplifting to me.

Even though “The Croods” is set in a time long ago, there’s nothing old fashioned about this movie! “The Croods” is extremely witty, with some of the best wordplay that I’ve heard in a film, especially a family film, in a long time. The overall production quality of the movie is incredible. Now, I’m not a diehard movie buff, but at the end of the film, I told Terrence that I’d be surprised if “The Croods” doesn’t win an Oscar for Best Sound. Yeah, it’s that good! Adults will really enjoy this film just as much as the kids will.

Alright, so, let’s get to it. Is “The Croods” okay for 3-year-olds?

YES

• The characters in the movie are well developed, and even little kids will be able to understand each of the family member’s “motivation” for their actions.
• There are a lot of simple  jokes and pranks that are repeated often in the movie that preschoolers will pick up on and start to look out for.
• Every one of the characters has good qualities. There are no real “bad guys” in the film.
• While there are some scary parts, they all get resolved in a not so scary way in the movie.

NO

• The movie starts with a really loud, fast-paced chase scene where the Crood family is trying to catch their dinner. The music, while perfectly matched with the scene, even made me jump a bit.
• Throughout the film, there are closeups of some of the prehistoric animals, and a couple of them are really scary. At one point in the film, when a shark/walrus thing bared its teeth, Ayva flinched into me.
• The film is very clever, and a lot of that will definitely go over a preschooler’s head. They just won’t get it.
• I would NOT recommend this movie for parents of children with sensory issues.

Please remember, these are just my thoughts on “The Croods”. Every child is different. Ayva loved it, but she does sit on my lap, snuggled up during movies. She also gets a lot of the subtle nuances in movies, and enjoys watching most films. You should take your child’s individual behaviors and needs into consideration before seeing any movie. If you decide to check it out, let me know what you think!