In a attempt to check out something different and to instill an appreciation of the joy of film festivals from a young age we took Miss J (3) along to Toons for Tots on Saturday morning. She was very excited for the cartoons and the really big screen, and possibly even more excited about the prospect of popcorn for which she has an insatiable hunger.
Toons for Tots was delightful. A collection of 9 short cartoons, lasting approximately an hour which was about as long as it could be for the 4-7 age bracket.
All the films were quite different, ranging from the storybookesq to the abstract. All of them were very well pitched and enjoyable. A personal favourite was the whimsical tale of The Little Bird and the Leaf. which is beautifully drawn and very endearing. Miss J preferred the ‘one with the witch’ which was Room on the Broom, a sweet story about a witch who befriends assorted animals who join her on her broom until it breaks whilst they’re being chased by a dragon. The animals who in turn reject the most recent newcomer, in the end all work together to scare away the dragon. Then they build a cool new broom with space for them all. Lots of positive values and cute animals which J liked.
It’s enjoyable for adults too and makes for a nice break from Dora & Co. It’s finished in Auckland but will have screenings elsewhere. And you should take your munchkin (or borrow one for the day) and head along.
