Why Animation is Important for Kids and What They (And Adults) Can Get Out of It
I think that one of the benefits of me adoring animation as I do is that I’ve discovered one important truth about the medium: the art form of animation has the ability to teach younger kids values that are essential for developing into better people and facing some of the all-too-real issues awaiting them in adulthood.
The “She-Ra” reboot teaches kids about the importance of bonds and makes us connect with a relationship between a hero and a villain (Adora and Catra) to help us realize that the latter wasn’t always as evil as she turned out to be. With Catra, it teaches us with Catra that some bad people are lost souls trying to find a way to free themselves from their own hurt, even if we still don’t understand them or agree with them.
“Gravity Falls” can teach younger ones that the future ahead can be a sad, even frightening, experience, and the past can be an admittedly sweet retreat, but it’s always healthier in the long run to move forward. With Dipper, we see that sometimes, the quieter, less extroverted souls are the ones who are braver and wiser than we might imagine, and, when it comes to who they care about or what they care about, they will fight tooth and nail for it and won’t be held back.
The show teaches that, while not every family is the same or even incredibly close, they can help you through your hardest times in the road ahead. We see that, sometimes, the people from your family can be your best friends, and the love from them should never be forgotten or scoffed at.
“DuckTales” (2017) can teach kids about the incredible power of love, unconditional or familial, and its ability to help others in confusing times and, sometimes, save people. We see that with how Della’s love for her sons inspires her to fight every day to survive and, later on, inspires her to learn to be the best mother possible.
We also see that with Lena and how Webby’s friendship and unconditional love with her inspires her to be a better person and makes her see how toxic the abusive relationship with her guardian has.
Lena has an emotionally affecting storyline and journey of her own that probably connects with others who have either been in abusive relationships or times of their lives when they dealt with times or people that weren’t kind to them. Her story is a good way of reminding those who were abused or been in a bad relationship that the ones who truly care about us and love us don’t try to make us their prisoners or hurt us and, they can help bring us away from that cave of self-loathing and insecurity that we’ve been in for so long.
I’d even argue that “DuckTales” (2017) is a beautiful show for kids because of how it talks about heroism. Whether it’s with the triplets or Gyro or especially the likes of Lena, Drake, and Della, it teaches kids that heroes can come from the least likely places and from anybody. It teaches that heroes don’t always have to wear capes or have actual superpowers but can be loving, smart people wanting to do good in the world in one way or another and being devoted to the friends or family that they care about the most. They can be heroes through their selfless, passionate actions or the great example and values that they stand for.
“Inside Out” teaches kids about the significance of expressing yourselves emotionally in a healthy way, regardless if that emotion is different from pure happiness. “The Peanuts Movie” is good at talking to younger ones about the importance of moving forward after one’s failures and the unexpected but powerful impact that one loving person’s actions can have on another.
“Spirited Away” discusses the value of hard work and trying to adapt to the adult world as best as you can. It is essentially a wonderfully done fairy tale talking to its audience about a girl who, with her courage and the ties that she develops with the people in it, transforms into a more mature woman of sorts and learns about the value of selfless love and kindness in a frightening and ever-changing world.
I could go on all day, but I think that’s especially important to emphasize now. Kids are going to learn about values or ideas in a zillion different ways, and I believe that, more often than not, animation, whether it’s through a cartoon or a Disney film or so on, is one of the first mediums through which they pick some of these ideas up. Some people still scoff at animation or something from Disney and dismiss it as “only little kids’ stuff,” and that’s a shame. I think there’s a lot from these shows and movies, even ones that are marketed towards kids, that not only children but adults can learn from and get something valuable out of.
Sometimes, I think that animation helps adults maintain whatever innocence or childlike joy is still there as they advance more in their lives. I’ve certainly felt that for myself. In a world and times where things don’t always make sense (and, you could argue, seem to only get more frustrating or difficult), it’s good to not only encourage kids who love these shows and movies for sheer entertainment or emotionally felt storytelling but because I do believe that several of these works could play a role in helping them be better people, whether it’s through the morals, values, or ideas that they talk about or the hardworking, heartfelt characters that they identify with.
Those are my thoughts. :)
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