Disney’s Pete’s Dragon is a complete reinvention of the live-action and animated musical; it both complements and expands upon the beloved story from 1977. We follow Pete, who after a sudden tragedy, finds himself alone in the woods until he’s greeted by a luminous and friendly dragon, Elliot. I found myself falling in love with the new version of the classic story and also easily identifying lessons kids can learn from Pete’s Dragon.
Pete and Elliot live a happy, adventure-filled life in the woods; undisturbed by other people or predators. All that changes when a young girl from town, Natalie, stumbles across Pete and is introduced to Elliot, the dragon. Pete suddenly finds himself in a real “home”, exploring a more traditional sense of what family is all while trying to protect his best friend Elliot from those who mistakenly fear him.
THREE LESSONS KIDS CAN LEARN FROM PETE’S DRAGON
1- Imagination is a beautiful thing.
If you go through life only seeing what’s right in front of you, you’ll miss out on a lot.” – Mr. Meacham
The story of Pete’s Dragon balances realism and imagination and many of the characters find themselves existing on one side or the other; typically divided by age. However, Mr. Meacham (played by Robert Redford) is the adult who believes in Elliot as well as the existence of a little magic in the world. While we can’t necessarily go through life living in the clouds, it is important to encourage and stay connected to the dreamer within.
Mr. Meacham, played by Robert Redford, tells the town kids about the day he saw a mysterious dragon in the woods.
2- Family is everything, even the one you create.
A little boy and a dragon. A blended family brought together by tragedy. Neither of these are examples of a “typical” family, yet they both represent the strongest bonds in the film. Though a fantasy, Pete’s Dragon is at the heart very much about the good that can come from relationships, especially those we choose to invest in. It reminds us of the importance of family; of those we love and love us in return and how it’s loyalty and love, not blood, that holds us together.
Natalie (Oona Laurence), Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Jack (Wes Bentley) discuss how to help Pete.
3- Trust your gut.
Many of the film’s most defining moments occur simply because the character felt compelled to do something and so they did. Without giving too much away, all the primary characters have at least one moment in which they chose to trust their instincts above popular opinion. Not only does this add to the excitement and unpredictability of the story, but it also encourages us to remember not to ignore what we know is right.
Pete and Natalie sneaking to help Elliot.
Pete’s Dragon is fantastical, fun-filled and family-friendly
and is flying into theaters near you TODAY!
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