Why are superheroes important for children?

Superheroes play an important role in the lives of children, especially the little ones, as they can greatly influence their development process. Each child has a favorite idol with supernatural abilities whose main purpose is to save the world from the villains around it.

Child development and superheroes

These characters and their stories can act on the imagination, identity and promote prosocial behavior in a child. The National Association for the Education of Young Children explains how superhero play helps children develop language and problem-solving skills.

Superheroes help develop a taste for science, technology, engineering and math

For children, superheroes can be a great motivator to spark their interest in science, technology, engineering and math, and make children want to explore real-world concepts related to these topics.

Some of the superheroes we know don’t have superpowers as such but use their skills and ingenuity to create and sustain in part the superhero they characterize. Let’s see some examples:

• Batman. He uses the science, engineering and technology with which he created his Batmobile, a special suit and accessories to fight the bad guys of Gotham City.
• Iron Man. Tony Stark wouldn’t be an Avenger without his Iron Man suit, which he created using the latest technology, mathematical equations and his ingenuity. Let’s not forget that Tony also creates robots that help him perform certain tasks in his laboratory.
• Captain America. He went from a “weak” man to a super soldier after being injected with a serum developed by a scientist. It also uses a shield designed from an advanced metallic formula.

Reading and art are more fun with superheroes

Comics and books with superhero stories always capture children’s attention. By using superheroes to develop an interest in reading, they will learn about literacy while having fun.

In addition, the superhero illustrations in these books can develop a child’s love of art and handwriting and promote fine motor skills.

Imaginative play with superheroes

What kid doesn’t like to pretend they’re their favorite superhero? Some studies show that this type of unstructured play promotes the development of social and emotional skills, stimulates creativity and improves language skills.

Learn moral values

Superheroes act with kindness and always help others. These are prime examples of the fact that you don’t have to be rich or famous to become great people.

Good influences are essential to help a child grow into a positive person for society, and superheroes can provide that.

Let’s see examples that demonstrate the above:

• Hulk. The duality of Bruce Banner and the Hulk proves that even if things aren’t perfect, people can still do their best. His daily struggle to control his temper is an especially useful trait for showing young children that they can relate to him.
• Spiderman. Despite his superpowers, Peter Parker is an ordinary teenager. He does not seek glory or wealth because he lives with the essentials. What really matters to this superhero is helping others.
• Superman. He is another ordinary person with a normal job, a big heart and love for his adoptive parents. Superman is not interested in fame or recognition: he only wants to help the planet that adopted him and its inhabitants.
• Thor. The latter teaches a great lesson through his humble story, which reflects the importance of taking responsibility for one’s mistakes and learning to be humble and empathetic.

By identifying with their heroes, children become empowered, discover feelings like compassion, and help others in need. They also learn the difference between the good and the bad.

Tips for parents:

While superheroes can provide important role models and help boost a child’s creativity, they can also present a level of danger to children who take the superhero fantasy too far.

It’s important that you help your child enjoy superheroes without engaging in unrealistic or dangerous behavior.

Make sure your child understands the difference between human and superhuman abilities, and that putting on a superhero costume doesn’t give them superhuman powers.

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