What You Need to Know Before Taking Your Kids to Harry Potter World

By Common Sense Media

How to encourage or reward reading with a trip to the real place (or as close to real as possible!), from our friends at Common Sense Media.

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For the average kid, Universal Studios' The Wizarding World of Harry Potter looks like any other expertly designed part of the theme park. But for true fans of the Harry Potter books — including the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two — the snowcapped roofs of Hogsmeade will trigger some major literary excitement. And a visit to the park — either the larger one in Orlando, Fla. or the smaller one in Hollywood, Calif. — can be an awesome way to encourage a kid to read the books or reward the ones who have.

A few things to remember, if you visit: figure out how much money you want to spend ahead of time. Between Butterbeer in a commemorative mug, a Golden Snitch souvenir, and the Ravenclaw robes, you'll be shelling out a pretty penny. The wands — some of which interact with various parts of the park — can run close to $50. The commercialism of the park can really detract from the emphasis on the story — but then again, those Hedwig backpacks are super cute.

Also, even though kids as young as 5 enjoy the books — especially when cozy in bed with a parent reading to them — the main ride at the park, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, can be super intense. Not only does it have the physical scares of a roller coaster, but the 3D imagery involves plenty of near misses, not to mention huge, soul-sucking Dementors.

If you and your kids can handle those issues, the park offers many opportunities to talk about the stories and stoke their book-loving tendencies. As you wind your way through the cobblestone streets, encourage kids to remember the details of each book. Not only is this a fun exercise, but it stimulates their imagination, builds vocabulary skills, and creates a stronger bond between you and your kids.

Try these conversation starters:

  • At Ollivanders, ask: What happened when Harry got his first wand?
  • After a visit to Honeydukes, recall together the scene where Harry first encountered Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans.
  • At the Owl Post, try to remember all the times Harry received a letter from Hedwig.
  • Enter Dervish and Banges and decide which house each family member would belong to and why. Who's more Hufflepuff? Or Slytherin?
  • In Zonko's Joke Shop, try to place each toy in the correct book (or movie, if that's easier).
  • On the ride home from the park, ask everyone to name a character trait that Harry Potter (or another favorite character) embodies. Is it perseverance? Compassion? Humility