Pete's Dragon Movie: Educational Activities and Games for 2 to 5 Year Olds

Let's face it, kids love movies, but it's been proven that they should watch no more than 2 hours of TV a day. So why not combine their love of a movie and activities that will help them learn and grow? Following are suggestions for the movie Pete's Dragon released in 1977. These activities would also work well for preschool classes and party games for this age group.

Watch the movie

Let your kids watch the show while you prepare the activities for the rest of the day or attend to other responsibilities.

Rhyme Activity

Teach your child this rhyme. They'll enjoy learning and doing the actions.

Here is the Sea

Here is the sea, the wavy sea (wiggle your fingers)

Here is my boat, (make a boat with your hands)

All of the fishes (put your hands together and wave them from side to side)

Down below (point down)

Wiggle their tails (wiggle your fingers)

And away they go (put your hands behind your back)

Read a Book

There are a lot of incredible books available to go along with the movie Pete's Dragon. Pick one you think your child would enjoy and involve them while you are reading. Ask them questions about the pictures and story. Following are a few suggestions of books to read.

• That's Not My Dragon (Touchy-Feely Board Books) by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells
• Funny Faces Dizzy Dragon (Funny Faces) by Roger Priddy
• Hide and Seek in the Lighthouse (Hide and Seek) by Phillipa Wingate

Paint

Give your child a container with water and a paintbrush. Take them outside and show them how they can "paint" on the driveway, fence or house" just like Pete helps paint the lighthouse.

Make a Dragon

Cut the egg holding part of an egg carton in half long ways, so that you have two long strips of the carton. Put the long strip upside down. Help your child decorate it to look like a dragon. Attach wings to popsicle stick and push them through the middle part of the egg carton. Put a face on the front. The egg carton works perfectly because they look like scales on the dragon.

Make Funny Faces

In the movie Pete's Dragon makes funny faces in the school house. Set you and your child in front of a mirror and make funny faces together. If you have a younger child, point out different parts of their face, like their eyes and ears. If you have an older child, ask them questions about their senses and how they work.