Preschooler-safe slapstick
October 9, 2018 6:19 AM Subscribe
My two (almost three) year old has just discovered Winnie the Pooh and the Hunny Tree. The parts where he falls out of the tree (hitting every branch on the way down), getting his butt stuck in the tree (and later in Rabbit's door), and being flung about by a rapidly deflating balloon makes he laugh hysterically. So, my kid clearly loves slapstick. What else can I find to delight her?
I'm hesitant to introduce her to the Three Stooges or Looney Tunes, as I think she needs a few more years under her belt to understand the difference between fake comedic violence and hitting/biting/eye-poking her friends.
I did read this post and, while helpful, I'm not sure if that's exactly what she's into.
I was a huge, huge, huge fan of Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner as a kid, so I might see if I can cherry pick some of their episodes. Basically, I need Inspector Jacques Clouseau for preschoolers.
I'm hesitant to introduce her to the Three Stooges or Looney Tunes, as I think she needs a few more years under her belt to understand the difference between fake comedic violence and hitting/biting/eye-poking her friends.
I did read this post and, while helpful, I'm not sure if that's exactly what she's into.
I was a huge, huge, huge fan of Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner as a kid, so I might see if I can cherry pick some of their episodes. Basically, I need Inspector Jacques Clouseau for preschoolers.
My kids loved Mr. Bean at that age.
posted by sydnius at 6:34 AM on October 9, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by sydnius at 6:34 AM on October 9, 2018 [7 favorites]
Even if she's not into full-length films yet, the first half hour or so of Disney's Tangled has some wonderful frying-pan slapstick that my kid has always loved. Plus it's actually a pretty good movie.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:39 AM on October 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by uncleozzy at 6:39 AM on October 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
My kid was a bit older when we first introduced it, but some key scenes from I Love Lucy are guaranteed to have her literally rolling on the floor. The chocolate factory one is her go-to.
posted by anderjen at 6:53 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by anderjen at 6:53 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Masha and the Bear. I think the Russian originals are the funniest (YouTube), but the dubbed English are still great (Netflix and YouTube).
posted by heigh-hothederryo at 6:59 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by heigh-hothederryo at 6:59 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton are unrealistic but not, mean?, like the Three Stooges or Looney Tunes. She might not have the attention span for the whole movie but they make great GIFs
posted by latkes at 7:04 AM on October 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by latkes at 7:04 AM on October 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
The Minions from the Despicable Me films were a massive hit for my slapstick-loving preschooler.
posted by Catseye at 7:11 AM on October 9, 2018
posted by Catseye at 7:11 AM on October 9, 2018
Response by poster: These are all good!
I just remembered how much I love the Scrat shorts from the Ice Age movies. I bet she would lose my mind laughing at those.
posted by JimBJ9 at 7:14 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
I just remembered how much I love the Scrat shorts from the Ice Age movies. I bet she would lose my mind laughing at those.
posted by JimBJ9 at 7:14 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Pig Will and Pig Won't from Busy World of Richard Scarry are the giggle-fuel in our house.
posted by mrfuga0 at 7:38 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by mrfuga0 at 7:38 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Unfortunately, there's some mild sexual humor in Chaplin which might be fine on its own/go over the kid's head, but it's got, shall we say, dated overtones, to the point that I wouldn't show Modern Times to kids even though it's brilliant. Also in City Lights there's straight-up drug use!
posted by praemunire at 8:08 AM on October 9, 2018
posted by praemunire at 8:08 AM on October 9, 2018
The new inspector gadget on Netflix might do ya. My daughter's favorite thing at that age was when Maui says "butt cheek" in Moana.
posted by dpx.mfx at 8:15 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by dpx.mfx at 8:15 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Shaun the Sheep!
posted by RedEmma at 8:27 AM on October 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by RedEmma at 8:27 AM on October 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
Pingu!
posted by Morpeth at 8:32 AM on October 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Morpeth at 8:32 AM on October 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
Shaun the sheep, 1000%. My children nearly died of laughter, repeatedly. Season 5 deteriorated a little (IIRC), but Seasons 1-4 were hysterical.
posted by telepanda at 9:33 AM on October 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by telepanda at 9:33 AM on October 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
My older kid was like that! Still is. Watching him watch Home Alone (at about age 10) was actually funnier than the movie itself.
When he was a preschooler he was a big fan of The Upside Down Show and the truly underrated classic film Flushed Away.
posted by selfmedicating at 9:40 AM on October 9, 2018
When he was a preschooler he was a big fan of The Upside Down Show and the truly underrated classic film Flushed Away.
posted by selfmedicating at 9:40 AM on October 9, 2018
monsieur hulot
posted by brujita at 10:30 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by brujita at 10:30 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
The "Wayne and Wanda" segments within The Muppet Show are pretty slapstick.
posted by brainwane at 11:40 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by brainwane at 11:40 AM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Oscar's Oasis on Netflix is this really great French- Korean, slightly absurd, homage to Wild E. Coyote. It's all slapstick and told entirely visually - no talking - like Wild E. Coyote too.
The old Donald Duck cartoons are good too, we especially like the old Chip n Dale shorts (though there's a cringy visual racist joke at the end of Pancakes for Breakfast).
posted by jrobin276 at 1:06 PM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
The old Donald Duck cartoons are good too, we especially like the old Chip n Dale shorts (though there's a cringy visual racist joke at the end of Pancakes for Breakfast).
posted by jrobin276 at 1:06 PM on October 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Laurel and Hardy! I loved them so much as a little girl that I carried around a book about them everywhere.
I did not, and still do not, like the Three Stooges
posted by littlesq at 1:15 PM on October 9, 2018
I did not, and still do not, like the Three Stooges
posted by littlesq at 1:15 PM on October 9, 2018
I loved Bottom, but it might be a bit too gross for kids that young.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:08 PM on October 9, 2018
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:08 PM on October 9, 2018
The Pixar short film Presto never fails to make my toddler shriek with laughter.
posted by castlebravo at 4:15 PM on October 9, 2018
posted by castlebravo at 4:15 PM on October 9, 2018
When my kids were about 2 and 4 they saw an episode of Charlie Brown, the Thanksgiving one. There was a scene with Snoopy trying to unfold and set up a bunch of folding lawn chairs. I have never before or since heard such sustained, delighted laughter. Well, when they watched it a few more times over the years, they loved it just as much. Even now, at almost 21 and 23 it still gets them going.
posted by primate moon at 4:33 PM on October 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by primate moon at 4:33 PM on October 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
I asked the older question you linked in your post. The best bets for laughs are Shaun the Sheep, Minions, the bathroom scene in the live-action Paddington movie, and Masha and the Bear. My son now loves Loony Tunes but that was starting closer to 4.
posted by gatorae at 7:56 PM on October 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by gatorae at 7:56 PM on October 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
If Shaun the Sheep goes down well she might also enjoy Timmy Time, the spinoff about Shaun's three-year-old cousin.
posted by Catseye at 1:25 AM on October 10, 2018
posted by Catseye at 1:25 AM on October 10, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also the first season has voice over from Stephen Fry, which is pleasant.
All around a great show for kids imo, not too frantic, not too annoying for adults.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:30 AM on October 9, 2018