One of the best things about Annabel getting older is being able to share things with her. I’ve always been a big Harry Potter fan, and I’ve been waiting for a long time for one of my kids to be old enough to enjoy it with me. I knew Annabel would love the series because she’s all about magic and fantasy, but I’ve hesitated to introduce her to the series since she’s only six and I wanted to make sure she was old enough to really enjoy it.
My master plan was to wait until Annabel was seven or eight before I got her the Harry Potter books, but that was thwarted by (what else?) a kid a school. Annie came home one day and was like, “Mom! At school, Beth told me all about Harry Potter and how they’re wizards and they do magic! Do you know about that?” And I was like, “DO I.”
I immediately sat her down and showed her the first Harry Potter movie. She sat there and didn’t move for the entire length of the movie. She had some questions, but when the movie was over she said, “That was so amazing! Can we watch it again?” That’s when I got to tell her there were seven more movies in the series.
It’s been fun re-watching all the movies with her. My friends Dana and Jackie! originally got me into the Harry Potter books, so when the movies started coming out the three of us would go see them together in the theater. It’s so nice to share these happy memories with my girl.
Last month, we even got to go to a special preview of the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios here in Hollywood. Annabel and I were both pretty damn excited. We both might have worn Gryffindor shirts, and bought wands that we could use around the park.
After successfully casting her first spell
We drank lots of butterbeer (it’s literally the greatest drink ever):
And we even visited Hogwarts:
She was so into everything, and so enthusiastic about every little detail. I had an absolute blast with her. Neither of us wanted to leave.
Last week I surprised her with a present:
It’s the illustrated edition of the first Harry Potter book.
We read a little bit of the book every day, with her doing most of the reading. She’s getting caught up in the magic all over again, plus she can’t wait to READ. It’s the greatest thing ever, and it makes me so happy.
DefendUSA says:
Harry Potter was THE perfect book to get all of our kids engaged. Their Dad and they would get on our bed and read a chapter and take turns. Pretty soon, we were buying a book for each kid and racing to the finish!
Go Annie!!
Jill says:
We just visited Harry Potter in FL and my kids are now obsessed! I had read the books, we all watched the movies and then visited the parks. Now, my fourth grader is up to reading book 5 in just a few short months. What a great series!
Courtney says:
So awesome! I was also on the “wait until they’re 7” plan but my 6.5yo son is reading at a third grade level (#humblebrag) and he’d already seen two of the movies, so … we started reading them a few months ago. It’s slow-going–we get through maybe 2-3 chapters a week–but he really loves it, and so do I! He’s learning a lot of new words, and he really pays attention and remembers a lot of little details that I would otherwise probably skim over.
My new plan is to take him to HP World when he’s 8. Possibly just the two of us The only bummer is that when we took the Pottermore sorting test it said I was Hufflepuff when I’m CLEARLY Gryffindor!
REK981 says:
Yay! I got my daughter reading the books around 4th grade – she got through the first 3 and then took a break and she is now almost 12 and hasn’t picked them back up. But she has seen all the movies and we are going to Orlando for 3 days in late June for her birthday! I am SO EXCITED! Also, while I so want to be a Gryffindor my personality screams Hufflepuff. But that is ok because I am totally getting my own wand!!!
Jerilynn says:
What wonderful memories you guys are making! This is awesome! In another six years, you can pull James and Liam into the Potter Fan Club! Good times! By the way, we need more Liam pics!!
Katrina says:
So cool.
I remember when my first kid read The Outsiders (my most favorite book ever) and how excited I was to be able to have a “book discussion” whenever he finished a chapter. And then we watched the movie together. So much fun.
I love babies, I really do. But big kids are fun, too. Big time
Jerilynn says:
OMG I loved The Outsiders, too–and Rumble Fish!! My biggest passion was for all of the Madeline L’Engle (sp) books (A Wrinkle in Time, A Swiftly Tilting Planet).
Jordan says:
Also LOVE The Outsiders– and Rumble Fish!! I had to read that for a young adult lit class. S.E. Hinton is absolutely brilliant in the way she can get into the mind of a guy in her writing. Not every female author can do that (and vice versa for guy authors and women characters).
Lisa says:
Super duper excited about visit the park and to start the books with my girls, in fact, you’ve inspired me to start them tonight!
Leslie says:
SOOOO glad that you are reading them with her. I have a re-reading party almost annually. Just started Sorcerer’s Stone again last night! I need to get the gorgeous illustrated versions for when I (eventually, hopefully!) have kids to read them with….
Glenda says:
Love hearing about all the memories you and Annie are making. Looks like an awesome time! It’s so much fun having a daughter. Enjoy!
Jordan says:
I love this SO MUCH. I didn’t get into HP until I was in high school– I wasn’t allowed (or really, my nana just “didn’t like them” so I never tried). I really wish I’d grown up with them, but I’m also thankful they came into my life at the time they did. They’re life-changing.
I’m the only one in my family that has read them, so I wish I had a cool experience like y’all will/are having with it. One of my friends from high school read it with her mom– her mom is just as big a fan as she is. There’s nothing quite like the magic of Hogwarts!!
Also, I want the illustrated version FOR MYSELF PLEASE.
Shea says:
I’m currently pregnant with my first, and my husband and I already can’t wait to share Harry Potter with him! One of my friends suggested Cormac as a baby name recently, and I was like, “Umm, no, that was the DB Hermione took to Slughorn’s Christmas party!” I was always a huge bookworm (nerd alert!) as a child, but one of the things I love most about the series is how it’s been able to engage so many kids who weren’t all that into reading before. Totally jealous of the Wizarding World visit!
Paula says:
I swear my Grace and your Annie are like twins across the world! We gave Grace the illustrated book for her birthday in January, and she’s been listening to the audiobooks each night for ages. And the movies I haven’t dared to tell her about being able to actually visit!
Oh. And from hereon in I’d like you to address me as Mrs Granger. As in Hermione’s mother