What to tell kids about characters who don't talk

[mickeysgirl17]

I was thinking about when we are at character meals or whenever we meet characters and my daughter asks why they don't talk. What would you tell your child My child is 3.

 

[cleo]

We kept it very simple. "If Mickey talks to every who visits his parks his throat would get sore."

That was enough for a 3 year old.

 

[dixiedizfan]

Characters such as Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, etc., talk ... because they're people. The characters such as Mickey and the Pooh characters at Crystal Palace don't speak ... because they're animals. So just tell her that animals don't talk!

 

[Joanna71985]

Be aware though, that not all non-talking characters are animals. The Little Einsteins are kids, and they don't talk.

 

[DizzKneeGeek]

The characters such as Mickey and the Pooh characters at Crystal Palace don't speak ... because they're animals. So just tell her that animals don't talk!

but they talk in the movies and cartoons. kids will catch on that they're being lied to. unfortunately i don't have a better solution.

 

[MissLiz]

I stressed about this before we left. I just knew that my DD4 was going to ask why some of the characters didn't talk. Well, the first few characters we saw were all princesses, so they talked. The first non-speaking character we saw, DD asked "Why doesn't he talk to me?" Ugh!!

We told her that, since mostly girls go see princesses, they can talk to all of them, but since everyone goes to see the other characters, they lose their voices if they talk to much. She then proceeded to ask if she could give them some of her water so they could talk to her.

We told her that, while that was very sweet of her to offer to share, the characters don't want to drink all of her water so that SHE loses her voice. They would rather lose their own voices than to not be able to hear her talk to them.

This satisfied her for, oh, about 10 minutes and then she was asking again and trying to come up with solutions so they could talk to her.

 

[Hannathy]

I guess I'm a realist but my kids have always know they were just people dressed up because the real ones are cartoons/movies. We told them that not everyone could sound like the original and it is too hard to talk in those costumes.
My DD still loved getting the autographs and pictures taken.

 

[DizzKneeGeek]

I guess I'm a realist but my kids have always know they were just people dressed up because the real ones are cartoons/movies.

See, this was my first thought. But I refrained from making this statement as I've seen people go completely nuts at the mention of telling their kids that the characters aren't the real ones. Honesty is the best policy? or no?

 

[AdventureGuru]

some characters dont talk b/c they are really popular and if they spoke to every child they wouldnt be able to see every child...and give them autographs and take photos to take home with them...

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I use the universal parent answer . . .

. . . because.

 

[Joanna71985]

I don't think telling kids that is the way to go about it (unless you want them to know the truth). I think keeping the magic intact is wonderful. I just love seeing kids who are just in awe of the characters.

 

[scubamouse]

My precocious then 3.5 y/o DD observed:

'Some characters talk with their hands and some talk with their mouths' I can't imagine a better answer than one from another child!

We now talk about all of the characters based on whether they talk w/their hands or their mouths. All you have to say is 'peter pan' in front of Cap't Hook and it's clear he's 'talking' w/o speaking.

 

[Hannathy]

Yes but as my 2 1/2 yr old observed if they are real why dont their fingers move?

 

[Joanna71985]

My precocious then 3.5 y/o DD observed:

'Some characters talk with their hands and some talk with their mouths' I can't imagine a better answer than one from another child!

We now talk about all of the characters based on whether they talk w/their hands or their mouths. All you have to say is 'peter pan' in front of Cap't Hook and it's clear he's 'talking' w/o speaking.

Oh I love it. That is just the sweetest comment.

 

[shadonjenon]

I use the universal parent answer . . .

. . . because.

to which I usually get the universal child answer
...."because why?"

 

[Becky_Boop]

Yes but as my 2 1/2 yr old observed if they are real why dont their fingers move?

Their fingers are sticky from all those Mickey bars they ate!

 

[FayeW]

How about telling the truth, that it is a person dressed up in a costume?

Good Grief, aren't Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Toothfairy enough, without trying to make your kids "believe" in cartoon characters at a theme park???

 

[Joanna71985]

How about telling the truth, that it is a person dressed up in a costume?

Good Grief, aren't Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Toothfairy enough, without trying to make your kids "believe" in cartoon characters at a theme park???

It isn't hard to make someone "believe" in the characters. What is so bad about pepople believing in the characters? You could try telling them that the characters don't talk so they could hear what you want to say.

 

[dismom301930]

It's funny because my DD6 was 3.5 last time we went and she questioned us about why the characters don't talk many times. Now she realizes that they are just people in costumes - yet she still believes the princesses and other face characters are real!