You know the story: stuck in one building for weeks and years with no end in sight. That’s the life of Rapunzel, the heroine of Tangled, who was snatched at birth because a witch realized that her hair was a fountain of youth. A rebel robber – Flynn Rider, also known as Eugene – unwittingly saves Rapunzel and her chameleon sidekick as they take an epic journey to fulfill her lifelong dream of seeing floating lights up close.
Kids inside for the last month during stay-at-home orders will likely relate to Rapunzel and her fate of at-home boredom. She finds a lot to do and is quite the jack-of-all-trades, but none of those necessarily help her when she enters the real world and meets new people. What to discuss with kids:
- Who to trust. This is a tough one for kids of all ages. Mother Gothel raised Rapunzel, but loved her only for the magic her hair could bring. She taught Rapunzel to be scared by outsiders because if Rapunzel left, Mother Gothel couldn’t stay young. Then Rapunzel meets Flynn Rider, a swashbuckling thief who also lies a lot. Who does she trust and why? This is a great lesson to teach kids about trust and how to find it.
- Hobbies are important. Rapunzel had 16 years to become a master at many skills: music, painting, pottery, cooking and cleaning to name a few. As kids are stuck inside and don’t want to work on school lessons 12 hours each day, it’s important to have hobbies that teach us to be experts at something new. What new hobbies are your kids eager to try?
- Step outside your comfort zone. Rapunzel was raised in a tower and for 16 years she never left. That was her comfort zone. When she finally escaped, she was torn if she should go or not, because she didn’t know if it was really a good idea to try new things. It is. Because failure is OK as it teaches us how to succeed.
Movie-inspired activities
Now that you’ve seen Tangled, try these screen-free activities inspired by the movie.
- Learn to braid. Spring and summer is the perfect time to pull up long hair and add something cute. Kids can learn to braid with these hairstyles, and if your child’s hair isn’t long enough yet, try the activity on yarn or a doll.
- Frying pan catch. A frying pan! Who knew? Use some pans to play catch with a soft-toss ball to stay active in the back yard.
- Make a paper lantern. The lanterns that Rapunzel loved flew into the sky, but in real time are a pretty big fire hazard. Instead, make these newspaper lanterns that kids can enjoy all summer long with an LED light.
- Paint murals. Rapunzel loved to paint everything she saw outside her window. Where can your kids paint their favorite views (the sidewalk, a big piece of paper, a canvas)?
- Brainstorm. The lanterns were used in the movie to help the king and queen cope with the loss of the princess and try to lead her home. Ask kids what they think they can do now to help. Maybe it’s to paint positive messages on the sidewalk, call a neighbor or older relative, or find a way to help in our #KindKidChallenge?
Have a Watch This, Do That idea you want to share with our readers? Send your idea to editor@chicagoparent.com with your pitch for the show and the activities. We’d love to share your idea on ChicagoParent.com.
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