“It is the differences that has made us strong.”
– Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Star Trek: The Next Generation, “Up the Long Ladder”)

In a world where unity is most needed, who would’ve known that a family movie would tie together such wonderful values and understanding. Trolls World Tour was released digitally on Friday, April 10, so families could take advantage of the highly anticipated sequel. With social distancing and stay-at-home orders in place, Dreamworks did much more than just allow families to see their favorite characters on the small screen.

Dreamworks has created an entire page dedicated to making sure families get as much out of their Trolls World Tour experience as possible. They have made a massive, print-from-home party pack which allows your kids to immerse themselves in the world of Trolls. Your kids will have an opportunity to decorate your home viewing space with hanging decorations. They can color their own or use pre-designed and extremely colorful decorations. Kids might also enjoy putting together their own glittery microphone. Although this is a fun craft, this pack also includes sheet music for one of the Trolls World Tour songs.

If your kids love to dress up, they have a perfect opportunity to use parent-guided directions to assist with making funky hair colors, wild hairstyles, and even cool accessories like wristbands and diamond sunglasses. Not to mention there are plenty of coloring pages and other activities included. One major plus to this party pack is the fun recipes that your kids will absolutely love helping to make and eat! If you say Rainbow popcorn or cupcakes, chances are good your kids will be more than happy to dive into those treats while watching Trolls World Tour, but there are other food ideas, too!

Trolls World Tour takes fans on a journey in a far-reaching new world, with a variety of different characters being introduced. Musical performances are a wonderful component where my son was either humming or singing along multiple times throughout. Music is also an important element to the storyline, as we’re introduced to new troll kingdoms – and, of course, one troll wishes to rule them all. If you want to throw in a fun quote at your kids and you’re a fan of Lord of the Rings, then they might appreciate: “One [troll] to rule them all. One [troll] to find them. One [troll] to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.”

The most amazing component of this film is its ability to put together thoughtful themes to help kids understand simple concepts that some might argue are difficult for us parents to understand. The lovable troll characters discover that there’s a much larger world beyond theirs, and they discover that Queen Barb – a.k.a. Queen of Rock – wants to unite everyone by destroying every other kind of music. The World of Trolls includes our beloved Pop, Funk, Techno, Classical, Country, and Rock.

Queen Poppy doesn’t initially understand the reasons why others don’t want to come together, because they’re all the same. It’s her journey that introduces her to other worlds, their cultures, and how one thing, such as music, can unite everyone. The creators behind this animated movie provide a real-world glimpse at problems associated with not knowing that having differences is perfectly wonderful – and, as a once famous Captain said once upon a time, “It is the differences that has made us strong.” These are extremely powerful life lessons for parents to share with their kids.

I should mention that my son (soon to be 6) was terrified of Queen Barb. He digs the creatures in Scooby-Doo, but he said he “was not expecting her to be that scary.” To get through those moments, Marshall laid his head on a pillow against my lap, and I covered him with a blanket. So, if your kid happens to find Queen Barb frightening, this method seemed to do the trick. After the movie was over, I tried to take advantage of the change in Barb’s demeanor after. (Spoiler alert: Barb did not rule the world.) I told my son, “See, being different isn’t so scary, right?” Which I received a fairly enthusiastic “right” in return.

This movie does a phenomenal job at sharing how history books don’t always reveal everything in our past. It’s a great reminder that certain elements in our own world aren’t always made clear in school, but also highlights that learning to listen is a valuable skill that everyone should have ready in their backpack. Trolls World Tour does a great job of also letting your kids know that friends have every right to speak their mind if they feel their friends are doing something unsafe. It’s important to establish acceptable boundaries at an early age, and looking out for family and friends definitely falls into that category.

I believe this movie is acceptable for all ages, but here is additional information to help you decide if it’s best for your kids:

Trolls World Tour
PG Rating, via Motion Picture Association of America: “Some Material May Not Be Suitable for Children – Parents urged to give ‘parental guidance.’ May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.”

Rotten Tomatoes Ratings:
Tomatometer Critics’ Score: 69%
Audience Score: 61%

Trolls World Tour is a great option for kids of all ages, with the caveat that some kids might find Barb, Queen of Rock, to be quite terrifying. Outside of that, this movie is a fantastic opportunity to have a wonderful family experience. Between the party pack provided by Dreamworks and the brilliant storytelling within the film, Trolls World Tour lets parents and their kids experience a tale that will translate to the real world. It’s important for kids to understand that being different is always okay, and it’s equally important to talk and be friends with everyone who might be different. As said in the movie (roughly), “If everyone looks the same, then how will we be able to tell how much cooler we are?”

Everyone is cool in their own way, regardless of how we might appear, so let’s all celebrate being our own troll and appreciating the uniqueness that comes with being super colorful, tiny, and with hair that stretches for miles. If I had any characteristics like that, my kids would adore me for a lifetime.

Until next time, happy parenting and happy geeking.