Below the streets of New York City live four turtle brothers. One is a born leader; another is a party animal. One is a creator; another is a destroyer. Each is a little different. But together, these four turtles have a knack for working together to fight evil and have fun doing it.
Below are five life lessons from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and ways to apply them to your own family.
#1 Stay true to your values.
Battle after battle, the Turtles never question the value of fighting evil, and they are very conscious of what is right and what is wrong.
What you can do: Sit down with your child and create imaginary situations with a “right” and a “wrong” choice. Ask them what side they would pick and have them explain their decision.
#2 Teamwork is essential.
The story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is all about working together. Although they are competitive teenage boys, they ultimately protect and learn from one another.
What you can do: Gather your family to tackle household tasks with teamwork, like washing the car or painting the living room. You can even set a timer to see how fast you can complete a task when working together.
#3 Master a skill.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles constantly put their martial arts to use and aren’t afraid of making mistakes along the road to mastery.
What you can do: Help your child find a unique skill they can learn and work to perfect, such as: learning Japanese, bird watching, spinning pottery or practicing martial arts. Then explain how mistakes can be learning moments to improve their skills.
#4 Be a leader.
Sometimes it’s hard for Leonardo, the group’s heroic leader, to help his brothers become the leaders they are destined to be. But the Turtles always find a way to band together and save the day.
What you can do: Have a discussion with your child about what it means to be a leader. Take a trip to the library to find photos and books about famous leaders and what they did. Or, choose a family member or neighbor and explain how they are a good leader.
#5 Combine serious and silly.
Although the Turtles are heroic, city-saving ninjas, they are always up for a good time and a good slice of pizza.
What you can do: Set aside time to be silly. Easy and fun activities include: Tie dying t-shirts, singing karaoke and making mini pizzas.
For the first time in three decades of fighting crime and brotherly teamwork, families can learn how these silly reptilian siblings work together in a new exhibit at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.
Opening September 26, children will join the fun in Nickelodeon™ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™: Secrets of the Sewer by testing their skills in an arcade space, solving puzzles and brain teasers and taking a turtle personality quiz.
