On Friday, April 21, 2017, nature movie Born In China premiers in theaters for Earth Day. From Disney Nature, the movie does an epic job of using breathtaking footage to share the whimsical and loving stories of animals living in China. Not only do the beautiful scenes bring laughter and joy, but also an understanding of why wilderness preservation matters. Last night, I had the opportunity to see a screening of the movie before it opens to the public. Today on Theresa’s Reviews, I’m sharing my thoughts about the movie as well as free printables for educators and parents.

Born In China Movie Review

When I brought my children to see Born In China, the movie theater was packed. Inside the movie theater, families with children of all ages were patiently waiting for the most popular nature movie of the year to begin.

With excellent narration by John Krasinski, the movie shares the vast terrain of China. From the plateaus to the forests and other landforms, children can see how incredible the land of China is.

In the movie Born In China, you can see the beautiful terrain that supports incredible animal life.

One of my favorite parts was seeing the red pandas. In 2003, I traveled to China with my parents and my sister, and I loved holding a red panda during my visit! This part of the movie brought back wonderful memories, as did seeing the natural terrain of the area. When I visited, I went to Chéngdé, Chéngdū, and Beijing, but my favorite part was seeing the wide open land in between the cities, where animals have the space to roam. Check out a photo of me holding a red panda in China on my Facebook page.

Red pandas make a small appearance in the movie, but they aren’t a major star of the show.

When the narrator described the animals’ actions, he kept the crowd entertained by speculating about the animals’ thoughts and emotions. Krasinski gave an excellent narration with a warm, appealing voice. You can hear a clip of what the narration sounds like by checking out this Panda Fact video.

Panda Fact Video

One of the most moving parts of the movie was the Giant Pandas. When the mom couldn’t stop cuddling her baby, it reminded me of when my children were babies too! The footage was captivating. My daughter said this was her favorite part. With incredible shots of baby animals, the movie captivates children of all ages. Check out this adorable clip about the pandas, Ya Ya and Mei Mei.

Meet Ya Ya & Mei Mei

Another successful part was the movie score. For each animal scene, the music connected with the action. My favorite part was a rock ‘n’ roll scene with a group of mischievous monkeys. The visuals as well as the music were successful at showing the adventurous spirit of the animals.

At the end of the movie, you can see footage of the filmmakers with the animals. My daughter said it was interesting to see how the movie was made. Since she loves animals and photography, this part was especially inspirational to her.

When you see behind the scenes footage, it’s incredible to see how close the filmmakers were to the animals.

Educator’s Guide And Activity Packet

To use the movie to help children learn about topics that include habitats, animal relationships, and more, you can use these two printable guides.

If you’re a teacher, check out the Born In China Educator’s Guide for 72 pages of activities and printables perfect for the classroom.

For parents, you can download the Born In China Activity Packet to get 24 pages of reading material and activities that children can enjoy.

Born In China comes to theaters on April 21

Born In China is one of the most kid-friendly nature movies that I’ve seen. You will see some of the facts of life (birth, nursing, and more), but nothing that would leave children asking too tough of questions.

If you’re looking for an educational movie that captivates children, check out Born In China for Earth Day weekend. You can also search #BornInChina on social media to learn more.

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 Disclosure: I received a free item, but it in no way influenced my opinion!