Discovering the joys of Harry Potter is a rite of passage for kids today. Since J.K. Rowling released Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone more than 20 years ago, kids have been devouring the books, watching the movies, and—at least for superfans—playing games and apps and visiting websites devoted to the young wizard. One of the delights of discovering Harry Potter is that you see him grow up. But along with that, the subject matter of the books and movies gets scarier, the villains get viler, and beloved characters die.
And now, with the wizarding world expanding to include prequel adventures like Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, ebook shorts based on Hogwarts lessons, and real-world spellcasting games, it’s not always easy to figure out where to start.
If your family is just getting into this magical world, here’s a quick age guide for enjoying Harry Potter with your kids. Keep in mind that all kids are different, so assess your child’s ability to handle fright and peril before you see the movies or read the books.
7–9: A great age to begin (for younger kids, consider reading aloud together).
- Read:
- Watch:
10–11: The movies get darker (the books get more intense, and beloved characters die).
- Read:
- Watch:
- Play:
12+: Your kids can probably handle everything J.K. Rowling sends their way (but you might want to go with them to the more mature movies).
- Read:
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two (10+, but includes spoilers for Book 7, so don’t read it until after you’ve finished that one)
- Watch:
- Play
And for a complete list of every single piece of media related to Harry Potter, check out these books, movies, apps, games, and websites.
Watch: Harry Potter Age Guide
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