So at what age do kids.............

Realize there are actually people in costumes like the Easter Bunny, the characters at Disneyworld etc......
We went and saw Toopy and Binoo at the mall today and my dd (who is 5) was confused after the show...."why weren't their mouths moving when they were talking"? I kind of just switched the subject because I didn't want to ruin anything for her
What age to they usually start to clue in?????

We've always done the "real" vs. the noteal on some of these things. Like when Landon was 4, the Easter Bunny costume that they had been using for years and years at his little school (and looked pretty convincing) had been ruined, so they had to rent a costume...the dude's neck was totally showing...it was a horrible replacement. So, obviously, he was the "fake" Easter bunny...a helper. Same with Santa...between school, church, and mall Santas, the kids see there is a difference, so I let them tell me which one was the "real" Santa, and they know the others are just helpers.

As far as cartoon characters...I have no idea. We've not yet done Disney or anything. I think Chuck E. Cheese is the only one they've seen, and he's got a GREAT costume.

I think by 8, they start doubting if anything is real though. They totally get that people are dressed up. Now, my daughter made it to 12 before we intentionally had the Santa/Bunny conversation with her--she just didn't believe that the costumed people were the real deal. She's not gullible or anything...we just really wanted to have her enjoy childhood since my sisters and I had a reality check much sooner than we would have liked. And she's having fun being in on the fun with her little brother.

We don't teach our kids about the Easter Bunny or Santa or anything like that (we don't celebrate any of the holidays) but when we were in Disneyland they didn't get that it was just people in costumes, lol. Natalie was terrified of them and we were trying to explain it...there was NO way she'd go near one of the characters - the only ones she would were the princesses because they were just people, lol (unfortunately the only princess we could find was Pocahontas - I wished we had found more so she'd have more character photos).

Anyhow, they kinda get that they were people in costumes, but at the same time I don't think they wanted to believe any differently, lol. They are 5 and 4, though...so maybe a bit young to be figuring it all out.

I had to tell JP rather early since he has a paralyzing fear of mascot type costumes. I think he was about 3 years old, and I enlisted the help of some former co-workers of mine who still worked for Six Flags at the time. My friend took us backstage at SFGA so that JP could see the person get into the costume, then back out of the costume after their spin around the entrance area. So he knows there's a person in the costume, but at 9 (in Dec) he's still petrified by them.

Devin (6 next month) doesn't get it and doesn't really care either. He's just excited to see them, lol!

I just tell them they are *insert character here*'s helpers, because they can't be everywhere all the time. This especially works for Santa. I tell my kids though, that sometimes the Mall Santa IS the real Santa, so they always have to be careful and be good LOL.

My boy is 8, he totally understands about characters, but still believes in Santa, and I'm trying to prolong that as long as possible. It was such a special time for me, and I remember being 8 when I figured it out. I dread that day when he asks.