HOW WE CLASIFY FILMS BASED ON DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

TODDLERS
(1-3 years)

Developmental Stage

• Attention is short, less focused, and poorly controlled.
• Learning occurs mainly through perception, movement, and imitation.
• Language starts to develop, slowly introducing the child into the world of symbols and communication.
• Emotional security is crucial for exploration and coping with feelings.
• Rapid development of motor, social, and emotional skills.

Story & Content

• Simple, linear stories that are easy to follow.
• Familiar characters and everyday situations.
• Directly expressed emotions and simple social relationships (friendship, helping).
• Stories can also invite them into imaginative worlds where familiar objects change their function.

Emotional Sensitivity

• Need for security, sensitivity to loud sounds, easily overwhelmed by intense emotions.

Design

• Visuals: Bright colors, strong contrasts, simple shapes, slow movements.
• Characters: Big faces, exaggerated expressions, familiar people, animals or objects.
• Sound: Repetition, rhythm, rhymes, sing-song voices, nursery rhyme patterns; engaging music can work even without words.
• Narrative: Short, linear cause-and-effect sequences, clearly structured.
• Humor & Action: Slapstick, playful mischief, harmless chaos, funny surprises.

EARLY CHILDHOOD
(4-6 years)

Developmental Stage

• Attention is improving but still limited; children are easily distracted.
• Thinking is concrete; imagination is vivid — fact and fiction often blur.
• Theory of mind develops: growing understanding of self and others.
• Language skills expand rapidly; children experiment with words and grammar,  metalinguistic awareness develops (children learn words for thoughts and feelings). 
• Emotional development: from simple feelings to more complex emotions.
• Learning empathy, reciprocity, and fairness.
• Sensitive to fear: scary looks, unpredictable behavior, or danger to beloved characters can strongly affect them.

Story & Content

• Stories aligned with their cognitive, emotional, and social stage.
• Gentle challenges to spark curiosity.
• Repetition and predictable structures help understanding.
• Humor is highly engaging:
  • Action, noise, exaggeration, and playful mischief.
  • Clever tricks where the small/weak outsmarts the big/strong.
  • Surprising twists, misunderstandings, and chaos.
• Irony, sarcasm, and cynicism are not yet understood.

Emotional Sensitivity

• Avoid overly threatening content (scary creatures or characters with seemingly unlimited power).
• Danger to relatable characters, realistic disasters, or physical harm can be traumatic.
• Highly susceptible to fear (due to confusion between reality and fiction) and to intense emotional experiences.

Design

• Visuals: Bold, simple design; clear cues for “good” vs. “bad.”
• Characters: Clear roles (helper, friend, villain); animals or objects with human characteristics.
• Narrative: Simple, linear plots with repetition; obvious resolutions.
• Humor & Action: Slapstick, chaos, clever tricks, playful rule-breaking.
• Learning Hooks: Prosocial modeling—sharing, empathy, problem-solving.

MIDDLE CHILDHOOD
(7-9 years)

Developmental Stage

• Attention is more controlled and sustained.
• Can solve problems using logic and perception, not only sensation.
• Constructive memory develops: children begin to use memory strategies, fill in missing information and complete stories mentally.
• Peer interactions and friendships become central.
• Fear decreases; it is replaced by worry, anxiety, and self-consciousness.
• Moral judgment strengthens: fairness, empathy, cooperation.

Story & Content

• Interested in people, helping, and problem-solving.
• Humor:
  • Clever tricks, misdirection, playful rule-breaking.
  • Small heroes outsmarting bigger ones.
  • Mild chaos and surprising twists.
• Irony and sarcasm remain difficult.

Emotional Sensitivity

• Fear gives way to worry and anxiety; there is an improved understanding of others’ emotions.

Design

• Visuals: More detailed environments; motives clearly signaled.
• Characters: Relatable, sometimes flawed; clever underdogs.
• Narrative: Linear plots with moderate complexity, subplots are allowed.
• Humor & Action: Exaggeration, clever strategies, playful mishaps.
• Learning Hooks: Teamwork, empathy, problem-solving, awareness of consequences.

LATE CHILDHOOD
(10-12 years)

Developmental Stage

• Longer, more flexible attention spans.
• Capable of abstract ideas, multiple perspectives, and predictions.
• Peer groups strongly influence behavior and values.
• Anxiety and self-consciousness may increase.
• Moral reasoning develops further: fairness, justice, solidarity.

Story & Content

• Interested in complex social situations and ethical dilemmas.
• Humor:
  • Clever solutions, exaggeration, situational comedy.
  • Irony, sarcasm, or cynicism are still difficult to interpret.
  • Enjoy parodies of familiar cultural content reframed humorously.

Emotional Sensitivity

• Sensitivity to peers, increased self-criticism, beginnings of social anxiety.

Design

• Visuals: Stylized or detailed worlds; nuanced expression and interaction.
• Characters: Complex, with personal conflicts; clever protagonists, layered villains.
• Narrative: Multi-threaded plots, suspense, moral choices.
• Humor & Action: Clever twists, playful chaos, satire, parody.
• Learning Hooks: Ethical reasoning, empathy, teamwork, social problem-solving.

EARLY ADOLEScence
(13-15 years)

Developmental Stage

• Onset of puberty; rapid physical and emotional changes.
• Thinking becomes more abstract but remains partly concrete and polarized (“all or nothing”).
• Strong emotional reactivity and sensitivity to peers’ opinions, and increasing ability to express suggestions, initiatives, and arguments.
• Adolescent egocentrism: the world is often seen through a personal lens.
• Need for belonging and peer acceptance; early identity exploration.
• First romantic feelings appear—idealized, emotional, and highly romanticized.
• Desire for independence grows, yet emotional dependence on family persists.

Story & Content

• Themes of self-discovery, friendship, loyalty, courage, justice, and belonging resonate strongly.
• Fantasy, adventure, and emotionally charged stories allow a safe exploration of independence.
• Characters should mirror adolescents’ emotional intensity and moral questioning.
• Humor preferences:

• Playful, situational, visual, or exaggerated humor.
• Clever trickery, surprise, and mild rebellion.
• Smaller or clever characters outsmarting stronger ones still work well.
• Light irony and simple sarcasm.

Emotional Sensitivity

• Intense, fluctuating emotions; quick mood shifts.
• Fear of rejection and the desire for acceptance are powerful.
• Early experiences of love and friendship are deeply felt and idealized.
• Need for emotional safety, reassurance, and understanding.

Design

• Visuals: Expressive, colorful, emotionally rich imagery; clear symbolism.
• Characters: Relatable, emotionally open, still discovering themselves.
• Narrative: Linear or moderately complex; clear moral resolution.
• Humor & Action: Satire, parody, surprise, clever trickery, mild rebellion.
• Learning Hooks: Emotional awareness, empathy, moral choice, cooperation.

LATE ADOLESCence
(16-20 years)

Developmental Stage

• Advancing toward cognitive, emotional, social, and moral maturity.
• Capable of abstract thinking, critical judgment, and complex reasoning.
• Increasing independence and consolidation of identity.
• Peer influence remains strong, but individuality strengthens.
• Relationships gain depth—love becomes more realistic and reciprocal.
• Sexuality becomes integrated into emotional and relational experience.
• Reflection on social issues, ethics, and personal values deepens.

Story & Content

• Drawn to stories about identity, relationships, freedom, social justice, and authenticity.
• Enjoy multi-layered narratives with moral or emotional complexity.
• Prefer open-ended stories that invite reflection and interpretation.
• Humor preferences:

• Intellectual, ironic, absurd, satirical, or politically aware.
• Dark humor or parody of familiar cultural contexts.
• Enjoy recognition of shared social and cultural experiences.

Emotional Sensitivity

• Strong, often conflicting emotions—search for meaning and self-acceptance.
• Increased vulnerability to loneliness, anger, or depressive moods.
• Need for authenticity and emotional honesty in storytelling.
• Desire for deep emotional and physical intimacy in relationships.

Design

• Visuals: Stylized or complex worlds; nuanced expression and atmosphere.
• Characters: Multi-dimensional, flawed, seeking growth and authenticity.
• Narrative: Nonlinear or multi-threaded; allows for ambiguity and debate.
• Humor & Action: Satire, irony, social commentary, mature emotional wit.
• Learning Hooks: Moral reflection, empathy, social awareness, identity integration.

MARTINA PEŠTAJ, MA, is a media psychologist working as a Head of Children’s and Youth Programme at RTV Slovenija. She has worked for many years as an author, screenwriter and editor. She is a selector for foreign animation and life-action series for children and youth. Her professional interests include studying the impact of digital content on the development of children and youth. She also devotes her professional knowledge to cultural and art education projects in the field of film, animated film and theatre for children and youth. For many years, she has served as a consultant and children’s programme selector at the Animateka Festival in Ljubljana and Animafest in Zagreb. She writes articles and greatly enjoys giving lectures.