20 Easter Movies for Kids
Christmas is in the rearview and Easter is on the horizon, which means you’ll be queuing up more festive and family-friendly flicks before you know it. Luckily, our roundup of the best Easter movies for kids will give you the headstart you need to ensure no holiday movie night fails because of a bickering brood.
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1. Peter Rabbit (2018)
The characters from Beatrix Potter’s classic children stories get a whole new look in this computer animated, live action flick. The plot is based on the original story about the infamous bunny who sneaks into Mr. McGregor’s garden, but don’t expect a faithful retelling. That said, the combination of fast-paced scenes, quippy dialogue and excellent voice acting from James Corden, Sia and Daisy Ridley (to name a few) makes this a fun, family-friendly watch.
2. Easter with Max and Ruby (2007)
This collection of 12 episodes from the beloved children’s show isn’t a movie per se, but it can certainly be enjoyed from start to finish like one. Plus, springtime and Easter themes abound, and the content is as wholesome and entertaining as you’d expect. Bottom line: Young fans of the dynamic brother-and-sister bunny duo will want to watch this holiday special on repeat.
3. It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974)
No holiday would be complete without a Charlie Brown special. Here, the Peanuts crew prepares to celebrate Easter and—in keeping with Charles Schultz’s brand of quiet, kid-friendly comedy—the process is one of trial and error. If you’re looking for an Easter film that kids of all ages can watch without getting bored or overstimulated, this one is a winner.
4. The Prince of Egypt (1998)
The musical performances in this retelling of the Moses story—most notably Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston’s Oscar-winning number “When You Believe”—are dazzling. As for the content, it’s about as kid-friendly as any biblical drama could be. (Hint: The animation helps quite a bit with that.)
5. Curious George: Egg Hunting (2017)
Celebrate Easter secular style with a short but sweet movie that features everyone’s favorite monkey ushering in spring. It’s an ode to blossoming flowers, cute baby animals and all that seasonally appropriate stuff—so naturally the little kid in your life will eat it right up.
6. Hop (2011)
This animated fantasy comedy starring Russell Brand, James Marsden, Kaley Cuoco and Hugh Laurie tells the story of the Easter Bunny’s teenage son—an ambitious young whippersnapper who has dreams of being a rockstar drummer…and no interest in inheriting the family business. Both familiar and fresh, this talking animal flick has enough wit to keep a wide audience entertained.
7. Easter Parade (1948)
Fred Astaire and Judy Garland light up the screen in this charming and romantic musical, which achieved commercial and critical success alike. Indeed you’d be hard-pressed to find a happier slice of old Hollywood. Tune in and the whole fam is sure to start singing and dancing along.
8. Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Jude Law and Isla Fischer are just a few of the big names on the all-star cast of this action-packed film, in which the Easter Bunny teams up with Santa Claus, the Sandman and the Tooth Fairy in an effort to take down Black Pitch—a villain whose goal is to turn children’s nightmares into a menacing army of stallions. It’s a thrilling watch, to be sure; however, parents should know that there’s some mild violence that may be upsetting for very little kids.
9. Curious George Swings Into Spring (2013)
The lovable monkey is once again celebrating the splendors of Spring in this vividly animated and family-friendly movie—this time with a reluctant, but equally charming Hundley going along for the ride. As one might expect from any Curious George movie, this one serves up a perfect combination of peril-free mishaps and positive messages about friendship.
10. Dora’s Easter Adventure (2012)
Swiper steals a basket of Easter eggs and Dora, Boots and the Hip Hop Bunny join forces to right his wrong. Yep, there’s nothing in the plot of this movie that will take Dora fans by surprise—it’s basically just a lengthier episode with a holiday twist with slightly improved CG animation that tots with a particularly discerning eye will appreciate.
11. Ice Age: The Great Egg-scapade (2016)
If it’s too late to commit to a feature film, or your tot is too young to sit in front of a screen for the duration of one, give Ice Age: The Great Egg-scapade a try. This animated TV special—featuring the voice talent of John Leguizamo, Seth Green and Ray Romano—has a straightforward plot involving stolen eggs. There’s also plenty of G-rated slapstick comedy, as well as positive messages about judging people on their character rather than their appearance.
12. The Easter Bunny is Comin to Town (2016)
Here, a fully remastered version of the 1970s Rankin and Bass classic. The storyline is a little weak, but the animation, albeit rather dated, is vivid enough to enthrall young kids. Plus, you really can’t go wrong with any film that features Fred Astaire as the narrator. (Right?)
13. An Easter Story (1984)
Despite having been released in the middle of an economic boom, scarcity is at the heart of the plot here—a tender film about kids from around the world chipping in to help when the Easter Bunny doesn’t have enough eggs and dye to go around. Okay, this one is nothing to write home about. Still, if you’re looking for a sweet, low-stakes watch, it will do the trick.
14. Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo (2004)
Don’t expect a classic Winnie the Pooh feature from this offbeat film, which revolves around a very grouchy (and at times downright scary), Easter-hating Rabbit and Roo, who leads the pack on a mission to save the holiday. Ultimately, this is just a retelling of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol dressed up in secular Easter themes. That said, it’s colorful, quick and finishes on a feel-good note…if you can get past Rabbit’s persistent negativity and make it to the end, that is.
15. Bambi (1942)
If you’re looking for a tear-jerker, ready the Kleenex and press play on this timeless Walt Disney feature about Bambi, a baby deer who must find his own way in the forest after losing his mother to hunters. It’s a rather sad story that might be too intense for young or especially sensitive kids, but those who can suffer through until the spring scene arrives will feel gay as can be.
16. Veggie Tales: An Easter Carol (2004)
Ebeneezer Nezzer is up to no good with his greedy plan to tear down a church and build an Easter theme park in its place, but Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber are determined to defend the spirit of the holiday and stop his plans. As the title suggests, this is another Christmas Carol knock-off—but with a lot more silliness than you’d find in any Dickens story. It’s worth noting, however, that this one isn’t exactly secular, and non-religious parents might feel uncomfortable with the Christian references throughout.
17. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
One of the (few) benefits of having a teenager under your roof is that you can pass on all the other movies on this list and proceed straight to Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Everyone in the fam will be laughing hysterically from start to finish, but it’s the killer rabbit scene that qualifies this cult classic as one of our favorite “Easter films” of all time.
18. The Ten Commandments (1956)
Mild sensuality and lots of peril (i.e., ten plagues that spare no one) are present in this melodramatic retelling of the Moses story. In fact, everything about Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments is extravagant, including its epic runtime of nearly four hours, so it’s best to watch this blockbuster-meets-bible flick with a bigger kid.
19. The Dog Who Saved Easter (2014)
You might be familiar with Zeus, a heroic golden retriever voiced by Mario Lopez, from his role in any of the other four films in the franchise. Regardless, there’s not much to know: Inept villains are up to no good during the Easter holiday and Zeus shuts down their shenanigans. There are some subplots, too, but they’re pretty convoluted and probably don’t even need to be there. All you really need to know is that this one boasts a super cute main character and wholly unobjectionable content (assuming you don’t mind the occasional fart joke).
20. The Miracle Maker (1999)
Claymation techniques bring the birth of Christianity to the screen in this faithful retelling of the life of Jesus, as based on the Gospel of Luke. Given the biblical content, the degree of peril and violence (albeit largely free of gore) will likely be too intense for younger audiences. Nevertheless, older kids with some background knowledge of the bible will enjoy the storyline and the artistry of the film alike.
