The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Age-by-Age Guide
Find out which Hobbit and Lord of the Rings apps, books, games, movies, and TV shows are appropriate for every age.
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If your kids are looking for an epic fantasy adventure, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are good places to start. Generations have been drawn to Frodo's heroic quest, which has spawned dozens of books, TV shows, and video games.
There may be One Ring to rule them all, but not every piece of The Hobbit and LOTR entertainment is appropriate for all ages. This age-by-age guide allows kids to enjoy the stories and spin-offs when they're ready. Keep in mind that all kids are different, so assess your child's ability to handle peril and conflict before you see the movies and TV shows or play the apps and games.
Age 4–6: Even preschoolers can enjoy Hobbit-inspired shows.
Age 7–9: A great age to watch and read together.
- Watch: The Hobbit (1977), The Return of the King (1980)
- Read: The Hobbit
Age 10–11: Tween-friendly entertainment that's less violent and scary than the LOTR trilogy.
- Play: Lego Dimensions, Lego Lord of the Rings, Lego The Hobbit, LEGO The Lord of the Rings
- Listen: The Lord of the Rings: The Soundtrack
- Watch: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Age 12: Expect more action and violence in Tolkien's books and the adaptations.
- Read: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King
- Play: The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth
- Watch: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
- Visit: LordoftheRings.net
Age 13 and up: If your teens have read the books and watched the movies, they can probably handle anything in these games.
- Play: Lord of the Rings: Conquest, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth 2, Guardians of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Not for kids: Extreme violence makes these games better suited for adults.
If your kids are looking for an epic fantasy adventure, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are good places to start. Generations have been drawn to Frodo's heroic quest, which has spawned dozens of books, TV shows, and video games.
There may be One Ring to rule them all, but not every piece of The Hobbit and LOTR entertainment is appropriate for all ages. This age-by-age guide allows kids to enjoy the stories and spin-offs when they're ready. Keep in mind that all kids are different, so assess your child's ability to handle peril and conflict before you see the movies and TV shows or play the apps and games.
Age 4–6: Even preschoolers can enjoy Hobbit-inspired shows.
Age 7–9: A great age to watch and read together.
- Watch: The Hobbit (1977), The Return of the King (1980)
- Read: The Hobbit
Age 10–11: Tween-friendly entertainment that's less violent and scary than the LOTR trilogy.
- Play: Lego Dimensions, Lego Lord of the Rings, Lego The Hobbit, LEGO The Lord of the Rings
- Listen: The Lord of the Rings: The Soundtrack
- Watch: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Age 12: Expect more action and violence in Tolkien's books and the adaptations.
- Read: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King
- Play: The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth
- Watch: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
- Visit: LordoftheRings.net
Age 13 and up: If your teens have read the books and watched the movies, they can probably handle anything in these games.
- Play: Lord of the Rings: Conquest, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth 2, Guardians of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Not for kids: Extreme violence makes these games better suited for adults.
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