Our Official List of the 60 Best Kids' Movies of All Time
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
When it comes to finding the best movies to watch with kids, finding something that everyone can agree on can be difficult. Do you want an animated movie that takes you on a world of adventure? A live-action movie with jokes and subplots that are really more geared for adults than little ones? Or a classic that you may remember from your own childhood — or one that's even older than that?
The next time it's time to decide, check out one of these best kids' movies to watch in 2023. We've got a mix of something for everyone: brand-new favorites that everyone might be talking about in school, older films that have stood the test of time and still hold up after years (or decades), gentle movies for the littlest cinephiles and edgier movies for the older ones. (But note: All of these are PG and G, so maybe the teens will want to look beyond the scope of this list.) See which ones look good and mark down your favorites, and the next time family movie night rolls around, the only arguing you'll be doing is over your pizza toppings.
Looking for more great family movies? Check out these Good Housekeeping guides:
Best Toddler Movies | Best Teen Movies on Netflix | Best Kids Movies on Netflix
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
The movie event of the year for the video-game set is this animated adaptation of the Super Mario Bros. Nintendo game. Mario is certainly brave and Princess Peach shows much strength as they go on an adventure to save Luigi — but Bowser steals the show with his "Peaches" song. There are plenty of references and Easter eggs for older NES fans, too.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON PEACOCK
Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Sleeping Beauty brings the fairy tale to life in a gorgeous color palette, and almost every moment of it looks like it's worthy of hanging on your wall in a frame. Even though it was made more than 60 years ago, it still feels like it could be in theaters tomorrow without looking dated.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Nimona (2023)
Knights with mechanical arms, shape-shifting teenagers, monsters — this movie has all the stuff that fantasy fans adore. Nimona is the shape-shifter in question, who decides to defend a knight she thinks was framed for murder. But was he, really? The story comes from ND Stevenson, who also made Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.
The Secret of NIMH (1982)
Mrs. Brisby deserves a spot in the Movie Mom Hall of Fame, if such a thing existed. In order to find medicine to save her sickly son, she has to go on an adventure that has her going up against cats, befriending bird and uncovering a conspiracy that her husband may have been involved in before he died.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
This is one of the first movies to emphasize the teenage part of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: They actually sound (and act) like kids. That makes sense coming from producers Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg, who made Superbad.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+
Labyrinth (1986)
A teenage girl goes on a journey of self-discovery when she accidentally banishes her baby brother to an alternate world. David Bowie plays The Goblin King, who's holding the baby hostage, and rules over a bunch of creatures from the Jim Henson Company. Jim Henson directed the film, too.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON HULU
The LEGO Movie (2014)
This zany, fast-paced adventure somehow approximates the feeling of playing with your own toys. The adventure of Emmett, a regular minifigure who wants to be a Master Builder, is incredibly dense with jokes and gags — especially if you're a long-time LEGO collector.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON MAX
The Dark Crystal (1982)
Gelflings and Skeksis are locked in a struggle between good and evil, and the power comes from a mysterious crystal. This is another Jim Henson classic, populated by his creative fantasy creatures. If kids want more Gelfling adventures, they cam move on to the Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
Moana (2016)
More hero than princess, Moana takes to the sea with the demigod Maui to save her village and people. The soundtrack is just as globetrotting, mixing elements of traditional South Pacific music with Broadway and even hip-hop.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
The Princess Bride (1987)
As a grandfather in the beginning of the movie explains when he begins to tell this story, this movie has something for everyone: There's sword-fights, pirates, a wicked prince, miracles, giants and, of course, true love. When it's over, everyone is satisfied.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Paddington 2 (2017)
Paddington 2 is gentle, droll and all-around easy to be charmed by, but its big claim to fame was that, for a long time, it boasted the rare 100% fresh rating on movie-review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes. (Sadly, now it's down to a mere 99%.) Paddington is also pretty charming, if you need to start there.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Kids learn empathy from watching the way Elliott warmly connects with a visitor from outer space. Director Steven Spielberg is a master at capturing childhood without overly romanticizing it, all while still tugging on those heartstrings.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
It doesn't matter how many Spider-Man movies there are — kids will always be in the mood for another one. This one has jaw-dropping animation and a good theme about how heroism can come from anywhere. This years Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse continues the theme, going into a multi-verse filled with near-infinite Spider-People.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON HULU
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
More than eight decades later, the Wicked Witch of the West is still one of the scariest villains in all of children's entertainment — but she's no match for Dorothy's down-home sweetness. From ruby slippers to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," this movie is the source of so many things we still associate with childhood today.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON MAX
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
This Studio Ghibli movie tells the story of a family that moves into a new house. The two girls in the family start to encounter strange creatures and beings in and around their house, leading to fun adventures that aren't too perilous, making this a good pick even for the youngest cinephiles.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON HBO MAX
Encanto (2021)
This would win a spot on our list for "We Don't Talk About Bruno" alone, which quickly rocketed up the list of the best Disney songs the minute it came out. The fact that "Bruno" is surrounded by a moving story about family — one that turns many Disney conventions on its head (there's no quest or adventure outside the home, for example) — is just icing on the cake.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
The Karate Kid (1984)
If you can stomach the idea of the kids "wax-on, wax-off"-ing their karate moves around the house, show them this inspiring movie about a kid who delves into martial arts as a refuge from school bullying. If they like it, they can try the 2010 remake starring Jaden Smith, the two sequels, or the Netflix series.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON NETFLIX
Hidden Figures (2016)
Amaze your family with a true story that goes behind-the-scenes in America's early space exploration. The film follows three women working at NASA 1960s, so it's a good way to illuminate a bit of history (good and bad) while nurturing a budding math geek.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Despicable Me (2010)
What would the world be like without Minions? We wouldn't want to know. See the movie that kicked off the Minion trend — even though it's mostly about their evil master, Gru, and how three orphans softened him up. This one spawned a franchise that's now six movies deep and counting, so there's plenty of Minions to follow.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON NETFLIX
Mary Poppins (1964)
This Julie Andrews movie is practically perfect in every way. If it's a hit in your house, follow it up with the sequel, Mary Poppins Returns.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
This family story is from the people behind The LEGO Movie and features similar antic humor. In this one, A.I. have started to overthrow their human overlords, and it's up to the Mitchells — a regular family on a road trip to drop their daughter off at college — to stop them.
Frozen (2013)
For any princess fans, this movie has two princesses who learn that their love for each other is the most powerful form of true love. That's an amazing message for siblings, but we fully realize that most kids just want to hear "Let It Go."
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Back to the Future (1985)
It's never too early to get them started thinking about time-travel paradoxes, and this whole series delivers on the family-friendly sci-fi. Okay, even if they don't master the space-time continuum, they'll still thrill to see Marty McFly travel through the decades — including an alternate version of 2015 in Part II, and a cool Western milieu in Part III — to save history as we know it.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
Coraline (2009)
Besides being an amazing feat of stop-motion animation (from some of the same people who did The Nightmare Before Christmas), this creepy kids' movie is ultimately about appreciating the parents you have, which we can get behind. Young Coraline goes through a secret door in her new house to find a copycat world, complete with an "other mother" that gives her attention in the ways her real mother doesn't — but she's hiding some sinister secrets.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
RELATED: The Best Kids' Movies Streaming on Netflix
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
There have been other attempts to interpret Roald Dahl's classic book, but nothing beats Gene Wilder's performance as the so-impish-he's-almost-dangerous candy maker. It also shows kids the underside to getting everything that they want, a dark message only Dahl source material can get to go down with all that sugar.
Chicken Run (2000)
These chickens want to fly the coop — literally! The stop-motion comedy is, like Shaun the Sheep, also from the makers of Wallace and Gromit, and is steeped in British humor. A sequel, Dawn of the Nugget, is due out on Netflix this December.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON PEACOCK
Turning Red (2022)
Turning Red follows a 13-year-old girl who, through family circumstances, turns into a giant red panda whenever she feels extreme emotions. Now, when does that ever happen to a teenager? Little kids will love the panda antics, while older ones will relate more to the themes of growing up and looking at your family through more mature eyes.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Babe (1995)
If you want to drive home the "you can be anything you want to be" ethos, show your kids this movie, about a pig who wants to be a sheepdog. The story is so charming, it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON HULU
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Maybe today's jaded kids won't realize this movie's technical achievement in bringing humans and toons together — not to mention all the legal wrangling involved in getting all those characters into one movie — but, even if they don't, it's still a gripping hard-boiled detective story. You know, about a cartoon rabbit.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
The Muppet Movie (1979)
It's a movie about the magic of making movies, starring Kermit, Fozzie, and all the Muppet friends. And, while it's certainly appropriate for children, Muppet humor knows no age, and when you watch it today you'll find yourself catching on to puns you missed when you were little.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
Disney takes the classic fairytale and twists it so that the royal becomes the amphibian, not the other way around. But the true appeal is the New Orleans setting, and the music that comes with it.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
When they're in the mood for fast-moving action, no one is faster than Sonic! In this movie, he goes up against Dr. Eggman — excuse me, Dr. Robotnik, played by an aiming-for-the-back-row Jim Carrey — in our world, which causes a lot of entertaining havoc. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 followed the original in 2022.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+
Toy Story (1995)
This is the Pixar movie that started it all! Not only is this a fun movie to revisit, and see how Andy's toys started off their relationship, it's interesting to watch now to see how far Pixar has come in terns of the sophistication of its animation.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
Kids have a wealth of Star Wars movies to choose from, with new movies and series coming out almost every year. But for the best introduction to the world of brave Jedi, fierce princesses and hairy Wookiees, hearken back to a long, long time ago (the '70s) and start with the beginning of Luke Skywalker's tale. Then you can watch the rest of the saga in order.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
This is Disney animation at the best of its '90s Golden Age. Not only do you get the technical innovations that come with the dawn of the CGI era, you also have Disney's best songwriting duo, composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, doing the soundtrack. It's no wonder this was the first animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Sounder (1972)
Film critic Roger Ebert called this movie, about a sharecropper family in 1933 Louisiana, "one of the most compassionate and truthful of movies, and there's not a level where it doesn't succeed completely." It also has a great, blues-inspired soundtrack by Taj Mahal.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON PEACOCK
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
You can get through the first three movies in the Harry Potter series before the franchise takes a big leap in intensity — and jumps from PG to PG-13 — and probably gets too scary for younger ones. Luckily, there's enough going on in those first three films — and plenty of magic in the first one alone, which shows Harry's introduction to the wizarding world — to get them dreaming about getting their own Hogwarts acceptance letters.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON MAX
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
From the title tune to "Make 'Em Laugh" to "Good Morning," this movie is packed of blockbuster musical numbers. Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor are all at the top of their game, so if you've got dance fans at home, you can't do any better than showing them this trio of hoofers.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON MAX
The Iron Giant (1999)
A big, big, robot (with a voice from a pre-fame Vin Diesel) comes to Earth during the Cold War era, and teaches a lesson about fear and acceptance. This comes from director Brad Bird, who would later go on to do the Incredibles movies at Pixar.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON MAX
Queen of Katwe (2016)
This is an underdog competition story about a young girl who learns to play chess in Kampala, Uganda. It comes with a stacked cast — David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong'o and Madina Nalwanga — and is based on a true story.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
Sometimes, they're just in the mood for a laugh. Like a good cheeseburger, this movie is loaded with the good stuff — jokes. The silly antics that occur when a scientist named Flint Lockwood invents a machine that makes food fall from the sky will have the whole family in stitches.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON MAX
Snoopy Come Home (1972)
The Peanuts holiday specials usually get all the love, but if you want to hang out with Snoopy and his pals for longer than a half-hour special, this brisk, 80-minute movie does the trick. In it, Snoopy leaves home to visit his previous owner, and the antics he gets up to are alternately silly and emotionally involving.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
Coco (2017)
On the Day of the Dead, a young Miguel travels through a place where no Pixar hero had dared to travel before: The Land of the Dead. While there, he learns hard truths about his family and gained an appreciation of his past. It may sound spooky, but, in Pixar's hands, it's more sweet and exciting than terrifying.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Ghostbusters (1984)
When Friday night rolls around in your neighborhood — who you gonna call? While this may be too intense for the littlest movie-watchers, there are few movies out there that combine scary moments and comedy in such crowd-pleasing ways. If they like it, there's the sequel, the remake and a recent continuation that kids might like best of all because kids get to finally do some bustin' of their own.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON PEACOCK
The Secret of Kells (2009)
People were shocked when this movie seemed to come out of nowhere and score an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature. (It lost to Up, but that's still pretty good for a practically unheard of film.) Once you give it a look, you can see how it charmed the Academy with its story of a quest steeped in Celtic mythology.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
Young Kubo must encounter witches, monsters, and a talking Beetle to rescue his village from a vengeance-seeking spirit — and find out the truth about this missing samurai father. This stop-motion film is directed by Phil Knight, who also did the Bumblebee movie.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
If they love a good underdog story, this one's about a girl from South Los Angeles (played by Keke Palmer) who dreams of making at the National Spelling Bee. Maybe it'll get your kids to practice their spelling, too.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON ITUNES
A Little Princess (1995)
Fans of the Frances Hodgson Burnett book will delight the faithful screen adaptation from director Alfonso Cuarón (who also did Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban — aka the best Harry Potter movie). The story follows a wealthy girl who's sent to live in a New York boarding school when her father is sent off to war.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
Duck Soup (1933)
Sure, the political ins and outs of this Marx Brothers movie may go over your kids' heads, depending on how old they are, but the bombastic sequences and slapstick comedy is sure to land.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)
Based on the memoir by William Kamkwamba, the movie tells the story of a high school boy — a self-taught inventor — who tries to save his village by building a wind turbine big enough to power a water pump for the town's ailing crops. Chiwetel Ejiofor co-stars as well as makes his directorial debut.
Spirited Away (2001)
Revered Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki puts his own spin on an Alice in Wonderland-like story, where a young girl goes on a journey through a world where she doesn't quite understand the rules. Until 2020, this was the highest-grossing movie in Japan — beating even Titanic — and after you see its beautiful animation, it's easy to understand why.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON MAX
Rango (2011)
Delightfully strange, Rango is like a junior version of Chinatown starring desert critters. It's directed by Gore Verbinski, who also had a family hit with the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+
The Sea Beast (2022)
It's an epic adventure on the high seas from the director of another sea-faring favorite: Moana. In this world, sea monsters exist, and a young, plucky girl stows away on a monster-hunting ship to learn from her favorite adventurer. Of course, things go the way neither of them would expect.
The Kid (1921)
The thing about silent movies is that really young kids can follow them even if they don't have a lot of language. In this one, Charlie Chaplin's famed Tramp character comes upon an orphaned baby and takes it under his wing. According to silent-film enthusiasts, this is one of Chaplin's all-time greats.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON MAX
Shaun the Sheep: The Movie (2015)
From the creators of stop-motion favorites Wallace & Gromit, and with the same sly British sense of humor, comes a story about a farmer and a flock of sheep who get separated in a big city. Most of the movie is wordless, and the humans speak in gibberish, so this is a good pick for toddlers and preschoolers.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
It's easy to be enchanted by the world of vikings and dragons, especially when you meet a dragon as lovable as Toothless the Night Fury. Follow this with the sequels, and you'll get to see the viking Hiccup grow up throughout the series.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON APPLE TV
Cool Runnings (1993)
Everyone loves an underdog Olympics story. Cool Runnings tells a hilarious tale based on the story of the Jamaican bobsled team's performance in the 1988 Winter Games. John Candy plays their coach.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
Spy Kids (2001)
Director Robert Rodriguez made a name for himself with gritty, adult movies like Desperado and From Dusk Till Dawn. For his Spy Kids franchise, he manages to take all that action down to kid level without making it too cutesy. A new version of the series, Spy Kids: Armegeddon, came to Netflix in September.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
There's something innately appealing about stop-motion animation — it makes you feel like you're playing with figurines while you're also watching a movie. Tim Burton and director Henry Selick used the technique perfectly in his holiday mash-up, since the creepy inhabitants of Halloween Town feel like their own island of misfit toys.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
Based on the book series by Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time brings big, heady sci-fi themes — like dimensional travel — down to kid-level. The mission takes on even more importance because it's about a kid searching for her lost father.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO WATCH ON DISNEY+
You Might Also Like
