Where the Scary Things Are age rating

Where the Scary Things Are age rating

Is Stranger Things too… strange and scary for certain age groups? (Picture: Netflix)

The wait is finally over! Part 2 of s Stranger Things season 4 will be landing on Netflix Friday July 1 – and it looks like a particualrly tense closing chapter for the penultimate series.

Stranger Things is an emotional rollercoaster, and full of creepy scares to boot (with a killer soundtrack mind) – but as it’s been fronted by a group of kids since season one, it can be hard for someone who’s never seen it to gauge how old someone should be before they tune in.

With that in mind, here’s a quick explanation of how scary Stranger Things really is, and the age rating for it.

Stranger Things features alien-esque creatures, death, ‘grotesque’ horror scenes, an underworld of sorts called the Upside Down, as well as emotional subjects.

The main characters (who are all supposed to be 12 at the start of the show, and are aged around 15 in the most recent season) are frequently put in mortal peril, too.

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We can therefore safely say that the show is probably not suited to very young viewers.

According to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), all four seasons of the show have been rated 15.

In the BBFC’s own words, a 15 rating means ‘suitable only for 15 years and over’. It also means that whoever watches something rated 15 might be exposed to things like:

  • Strong language
  • Brief and/or comic sexual nudity
  • Sexual activity, usually without a lot of detail, and strong verbal references to sex
  • Threat and horror
  • Violence, without dwelling on the infliction of injury or pain
  • Verbal references to sexual violence
  • Drug taking.

Emphasis on the word ‘might’ – but it’s worth keeping in mind when deciding if your child can watch.

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Note that Netflix usually displays content warnings on its programmes in the top lefthand corner of the screen, along with the age rating – so you can see what type of content has prompted the warning.

To find out about Netflix’s maturing ratings, head to the Netflix website.

Stranger Things is available to watch on Netflix.

MORE : Will there be a Stranger Things season 5?

MORE : Ready for more Vecna in Stranger Things season 4 volume 2? There’s ‘a lot’ of him to come… and volume 1 finale might have teased his ‘exciting’ storyline

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Where the Scary Things Are age rating

The kids from Hawkins are back on the small screen in a very big way. If your family has been fans of the Netflix show Stranger Things, you probably want to sit down and watch this one together as well. But is the 4th season of Stranger Things ok for kids? What ages can watch Stranger Things 4? In this parents guide, we’ll give you the Stranger Things 4 age rating and let you know just how scary the season is looking. This review will help you decide if it is safe and kid-friendly for your family. ps- check out the best quotes from Stranger Things 4 and make this Stranger Things upside down sundae!

Where the Scary Things Are age rating

  • About Stranger Things 4
  • What Is The Age Rating Of Stranger Things 4? Parents Guide and Review
    • Language: Stranger Things 4 Parents Guide
    • Age Rating For Stranger Things 4: Is Stranger Things 4 Safe For Kids When It Comes To Sex and Nudity?
    • Is Stranger Things 4 Ok For Kids? Mature Topics
    • Violence and Gore: Is Stranger Things 4 Too Scary For Kids Under 12?
      • Viewer Alert: Recent Events Trigger Warning Before Watching Stranger Things 4
  • Stranger Things 4 Age Rating: What Ages Can Really Watch This One?
      • Can A 10-Year-Old Watch Stranger Things 4?
  • More Parent Movie Guides

It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins.

Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn’t made things any easier.

In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down.

Watch the Stranger Things 4 trailer here.

Recap Stranger Things Seasons 1-3 here.

What Is The Age Rating Of Stranger Things 4? Parents Guide and Review

These kids have come a long way- and through A LOT- to get to the 4th season.

And we’ll say it upfront: Stranger Things 4 is much scarier and horror-focused than the other seasons by far.

Is Stranger Things 4 ok for kids in your household? Is it too scary?

This parents guide for Stranger Things 4 will help you decide if your family can handle the gore, violence, language, sex, and nudity. We’ll also give the Stranger Things 4 age rating and recommendations.

Where the Scary Things Are age rating
STRANGER THINGS (L to R) Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

Please note: this is based on the first 2 episodes of Season 4. We will update as we watch more if something changes our age rating and recommendations.

Language: Stranger Things 4 Parents Guide

If you have teenagers of your own, it will come as no surprise that this group of kids is experimenting more with swear words and intense language phrases.

This does seem to be amped up over the previous seasons, so if you were on the fence with the language before, you may be tipped over the edge with Stranger Things season 4.

Your family will hear: d@mn, sh!t, puss!es, son of a b!tch, pr!ck, h@ll, bull sh!t, holy sh!t, @ss, b!tch, butts, and one F-Bomb. There only seems to be one so far.

Other phrases like oh my g-d, g-d d@mmit, J@sus, J@sus Chr!st are used a fair amount.

Characters flip the bird too.

Where the Scary Things Are age rating
STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield, and Joe Keery as Steve Harrington in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

Age Rating For Stranger Things 4: Is Stranger Things 4 Safe For Kids When It Comes To Sex and Nudity?

Kids are K-I-S-S-I-N-G in Stranger Things 4, which seems on par with early high school exploration. Making out is going to be a big topic for these pubescent children.

As far as nudity, a male character is seen shirtless.

There are also some sexual references mentioned that could be a bit racy for your family.

More may be coming down the line as far as sex and nudity, but this is what we know from the first 2 episodes.

Where the Scary Things Are age rating
STRANGER THINGS. David Harbour as Jim Hopper in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

Is Stranger Things 4 Ok For Kids? Mature Topics

A girl seems to have an eating disorder and is seen throwing up at school.

There’s also a storyline about grief that may be too much for a young kid to watch.

Stranger Things 4 also has drug use that wasn’t seen in previous episodes.

El is bullied in her new school and there are scenes of torture.

Violence and Gore: Is Stranger Things 4 Too Scary For Kids Under 12?

Holy wow, this show just got really intense compared to the last season.

It’s always been on the edge of scary but not too scary for kids, but this 4 is really upping the fear factor.

Nightmares- some with dire consequences (the kind you don’t wake up from) could really impact your child if they, too, suffer from nightmares.

It’s dark and twisted, which may thrill some kids in your house. Bodies are broken and twisted, eyeballs blown out, and a lot more blood than in previous seasons.

We definitely think it’s shaping up to be the scariest season of Stranger Things yet with more violence and gore shown.

Where the Scary Things Are age rating
STRANGER THINGS Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

Viewer Alert: Recent Events Trigger Warning Before Watching Stranger Things 4

Netflix added a warning before the show in light of the recent school shootings in Uvalde, Texas.

The opening 10 minutes shows multiple children brutally slain with blood and horrific body images on the screen.

This may be way too much for kids to process at this point. You may want to forward past and verbally fill in rather than let them see the scenes.

Where the Scary Things Are age rating
STRANGER THINGS (L to R) Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

Stranger Things 4 Age Rating: What Ages Can Really Watch This One?

Stranger Things 4 is rated TV-14 for horror elements and language.

And if you were wondering, the previous seasons were also rated TV-14. But this is definitely a step up.

What does this mean for kids in your household? What ages can watch Stranger Things 4?

As always: you know your child best.

If your children have seen the previous seasons of Stranger Things and have an interest in horror and don’t experience nightmares frequently, you can probably let them start this season.

But if you were thinking of starting the whole series with your tweens now that the 4th season is out, you may want to wait a bit longer.

Where the Scary Things Are age rating
STRANGER THINGS. Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Tina Rowden/Netflix © 2022

Can A 10-Year-Old Watch Stranger Things 4?

Let’s be clear: Stranger Things 4 is a scary, terrifying at moments, gross and gory show.

It’s horror vs horror lite, in our opinion. And we’re only 2 episodes in; we expect it to get more intense.

Compared to Multiverse of Madness, we think Stranger Things 4 is more likely to be shocking and possibly traumatic for young kids.

If you kept your kids from seeing that one, then keep them from seeing Season 4 for now.

We’d say no when it comes to kids under 10 watching Stranger Things 4. It’s scary and not kid-friendly in the least!

And we’d highly suggest waiting for your children to be 12 and older before letting them watch this season. TV-14 seems a pretty good rating for this one.

Where the Scary Things Are age rating
STRANGER THINGS. Vecna in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

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Is Scary Movie appropriate for 12 year olds?

I recommend this 13+ as long as they are mature enough, during sex scenes I would look away just as they can easily too. If your kids know what the jokes in the movie means then they are old enough to watch it, if they find it entertaining/funny which is the purpose of watching the movie. 2 people found this helpful.

Why is Where the Scary Things Are rated R?

MPAA explanation: Violence, language and a sexual reference.

Is the movie it appropriate for a 13 year old?

Great film, but not for kids under 13 I recommend this film to everyone who loves slightly disturbing films and TV shows like me but for anyone under the age of 13 you really should not watch it. It's very gory and contains adult language.

Why is it R rated?

The R rating means that children under 17 years are not admitted to the theater without a parent. Movies may get an R rating for different reasons. This rating is given for nudity, profanity, or violence. Nudity, depending on the context, may be harmless.