Wreck-It Ralph Preteen Lesson

Over the weekend, I went to see Wreck-It Ralph with Ethan, my 11 year old son. On a scale of 1-10, I give it a 10! It’s preteen friendly and has a positive message. Read on as I offer a simple preteen Bible lesson to use in your ministry.

Plot overview: The film tells the story of Wreck-It Ralph, the arcade villain who rebels against his role as a villain and dreams of becoming a hero. He travels between games in the arcade, and ultimately must eliminate a threat that could affect the entire arcade, and one that Ralph may have inadvertently started.

The core message of the movie is acceptance. Glitch was one of the characters who lives in Sugar Rush, a racing arcade game filled with candy and sugar of every kind. Glitch is rejected by the other racers. In fact, she is rejected by everyone in Sugar Rush. Her dream is to compete and win a race in Sugar Rush. Then, everyone will give her the approval that she seeks. Ralph has a similar dilemma. He is tired of being rejected as the “bad guy” in his arcade game. He gets in his head that winning “good guy” medal of some type will gain the acceptance of those in his game. Both Glitch and Ralph are outcasts searching for acceptance.

Preteens are also on a journey for acceptance. Just about every preteen feels rejection on some level. Some, like Ralph & Glitch, face rejection every day at school. They’re picked on, bullied and harassed. Others, simply want their peers to think they’re cool. They want others their age to give them acceptance and approval.

Wreck-It Ralph is a good way to get the conversation started about approval and acceptance. It was #1 at the box office last weekend. Chances are a ton of preteens in your group have seen it and a lot more are planning to see it soon.

Below are three video clips from Wreck-It Ralph that you can show preteens in your group. Actually, one is a clip, the two are the movie’s trailer. Then, after showing the clips, ask them the following discussion questions.

Discussion questions: Did you see Wreck-It Ralph? Who was your favorite character? Explain why. Why did Glitch feel rejected? Why did Ralph feel rejected? What are some things others your age do to get “accepted” from their classmates? Why do you think for many that it is so important to get acceptance from others their age?

Read Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago”.

Discuss: What does this Bible verse tell us about ourselves? How can we begin to accept ourselves “as-is” rather than always wanting the acceptance of others?

On a side note, adults will get a kick out of the movie due to it’s many retro arcade themes. Especially those who grew up in the Donkey Kong, Pac Man, and early video game era (like myself).

Wreck-It Ralph Clips: