MovieChat Forums > Mary Poppins (1965) Discussion > Why do children find this BORING today?

Why do children find this BORING today?

posted 15 years ago by cliffcarson-1
80 replies | jump to latest

I talk to many parents today and they all tell me the same thing, that their children can't sit through MARY POPPINS. That within 10 minutes of playing the DVD or VHS, the children get restless and don't want to watch it. I've heard this time and time again. There could be several reasons for this. Times and movies have changed and so have children's attention spans apparently. The pace of children's movies today are alot faster than in the days when Mary Poppins was made. They have quicker editing and CG! effects. Also, children aren't conditioned to sit through musicals the way they were back in the day. Also, the characters of Jane and Michael don't enter the story till about 15 minutes within the film.

[–] ooohhhmmyyyy 15 years ago

Maybe because Disney movies have changed. The older ones have music in them and now the new ones don't have songs in them singing by the actors. So if kids don't grow up watching that stuff, the musical ones is going to bore them. I grew up watching older Disney movies, one of them was Mary Poppins and Pete's Dragon and I also watched Bednobs and Broomsticks and I was born in 1985. Disney movies had changed by then in my times. Some musical parts bored me like candle on the Water so I used to fasten through it. It was nothing but Nora standing on top of the light house singing and there was no action. Obviously Disney was for everyone back then and now it seems to be aimed at kids only.

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[–] whomod 13 years ago

The way i presented it to my 3 year old (2 at the time) was by introducing her to the song "Supercalafragalisticexialadocious" first on car trips. Then I played her that one scene from my DVD. Then I later introduced her to the film starting with the scene where they're straightening out the nursery onwards and later from the part where Mary Poppins first flies in.

That first part of the film is dreadfully slow by todays standards and i could see where it would lose a child of the 21st century. But now having been introduced to the funner aspects of the film, has no problem seeing it from the beginning.

So I would say that you can first incorporate the music from the film into a child's world and go from there. As it is my daughter is very theatrical and likes to act out scenes from films as they play out, complete with props. So her 1st impulse with this film was to dance out all the numbers, especially "Step in time" which is her favorite song (followed closely by the Andrews Sisters' Oh Johnny" from the 1st Narnia film).

I also found this film helpful in getting her to take medicine as she had that scene to reference at times when she really didn't want to take her medicine. She just needed to be reminded of that one scene and she was more focused on recreating that scene more than she was focused on objecting to the medicine.

[–] kellymariekitty 10 years ago

Yeah exactly, I was born in 1981 and those films you listed were ones I was brought up with.
I love films like this, they are perfect and timeless.

[–] kellymariekitty 10 years ago

Ps there was no action cos Nora was singing about her love that was lost at sea.
It's not meant to have action, it's meant to show she's still holding on to him and waiting for him to come home.
It's a moving song

[–] crlnrgbrght5 8 years ago

Walt Disney made his movies for everyone, not just kids. That's how it was when the Disney Channel first came about, but now it's all aimed at tweens and teens.

[–] cliffcarson-1 15 years ago

There was a report about young children on one of the morning news shows where a teacher was complaining about the attention span of her grammar school students. At one point she said in order to settle them down she put the film MARY POPPINS on and the children wouldn't watch it, that they found it boring and kept "carrying on" in spite of it. This was coming from an elementary school teacher.

[–] good_girl 12 years ago

I ha the complete opposite experience - I showed it to a class of 23 6 year olds recently and they adored it, without exception :). They now ask to watch bits of it when we finish a bit early and several have now bought it and rewatched it at home.

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[–] Daisies5060 15 years ago

I was babysitting my cousins today and I made them watch this movie. I'm 17, and I've loved it ever since I was very young, but my cousins, ages 13, 10, and 3, weren't too amused by it. I think they somewhat liked it, but the 3 year old was very antsy (I'm not sure if it was maybe just because she is so young) and would not stay in the room. The other two watched it, but they didn't seem amazed by it. It's surprising to me because I've been enthralled by the movie since I was 4. This is Disney at its best. It's a shame that now Disney has become so commercial. All of the magic is gone.

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[–] okwong-e 15 years ago

The commercial movies kids are exposed to today are alot more fast moving than the family movies of yesteryear. In other words a movie like POPPINS must seem very 'slow' to kids today.

[–] gcarras 10 years ago

"The commercial movies kids are exposed to today are alot more fast moving than the family movies of yesteryear. In other words a movie like POPPINS must seem very 'slow' to kids today."

VERY good point!!

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[–] Hortences 10 years ago

Actually I have to take the opposite view - I'm 16, Texan, my little sis is 11, her friends are 9 thru 14. They're well into Barbie films, we've got the whole collection, going back a decade. They're neither fast paced or commercial (beyond the obvious link to the Barbie doll).

They also love Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (well, anything British, like Nanny McPhee, The Narnia films, Harry Potter). I do too. They're just average bright kids. I guess not everyone's into Bratz and Cheetah Girls.

[–] queenoftheuniverse1 9 years ago

Children will generally like what they are properly steered toward. If they are given free rein to watch anything they choose and/or are given bad choices they will opt for those bad choices. If they are steered toward quality films and shows then that is what they will enjoy.

I never allowed my children to watch garbage shows or movies and they both grew to adults who enjoy classic literature and films and quality television programs.

Now my daughter's children are the same. They also like the Barbie series which I was not a fan of until I sat and watched a few of the movies with my granddaughters. Many of the story lines in the Barbie movies from 2000-2010 are based on classic fairy tales and novels and they are actually enjoyable to watch. I am still on the fence about the ones produced lately which seem to be moving toward the Barbie franchise theme of fashion but the two or three I have watched of those still seem to be a reasonable alternative to much of the other poor choices available today.

I have sent many classic Disney DVD's to my granddaughters for birthday and Christmas presents and they seem to enjoy the classic stories as well.

[–] kino_vamp 15 years ago

I'm sure there are many children who don't like Mary Poppins today, but I've actually never met any. Over years of babysitting, little cousins & now little nieces/nephews, the kids I'm around have always enjoyed this movie. My two year old nephew was enthralled by it the other day, and believe me he's got no qualms about letting you know when he's bored. ;p

[–] RaptureRider 15 years ago

If kids today are finding Mary Poppins boring then i just pity them. I grew up in the '80s and it was just a fantastic time to be growing up - i'd hate to be youngster today.

I'd like to think Mary Poppins will always find its way into the hearts of each generation and i'm sure despite some, it will.

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[–] cliffcarson-1 15 years ago

I agree with you. I hope so too. If anything this film will reach the right people no matter the number. This and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and OLIVER! too. And the musical remake of LOST HORIZON, that one too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9nMzoaLZZQ

[–] BethH24 15 years ago

I have also wondered what kids today think of movies such as Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Oliver.I loved those films when i was younger and still do.I think they are suitable for all ages.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] commanderblue 15 years ago

It's by far one of the most intricately woven kids movies I've ever seen. I never tired of Mary Poppins back when I was 7, 8 and 9 haha.

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[–] viktornacht 14 years ago

Hmm... that hasn't been my experience at all. I've got two kids (age 5 and 2) who watch it together and absolutely love it. They've probably watched it a dozen times. One of my co-workers has two kids who also love it. I don't really have any theory why these kids like it, other than that it's a good, solid example of a well-made movie with a great story that appeals to all ages. Movies like that don't ever get outdated.

[–] flippensweet88 14 years ago

Not what I experienced at all. The kids were laughing like crazy and kept saying Mary was "awesome" when I watched it with kids.

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[–] smrhyne-1 14 years ago

My children, who are now 30 and 27, loved it when they were small, but my great niece and nephew don't like it at all. All my niece would say is, "I don't like this kind of movie", whatever that means. I guess many of today's kids find it boring because they are allowed to watch programs such as "Family Guy". It's a cartoon, but it's definitely not for children. It has violence, nudity and profanity, but you'd be surprised to know how many parents let their kids watch it.

[–] whomod 13 years ago

Because the mindset in this country is that if it's animated it must therefore be for kids. Which is rather ignorant IMO.

[–] mr_bickle_the_pickle 9 years ago

thats the mindset when it comes to musicals as well.

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[–] abbyrose1984 14 years ago

This wasn't my experience the other day. I put Mary Poppins in for a one-year old and she not only danced to every song, she was enthralled by the scenes in between and was even laughing at Bert dancing with the penguins.

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