Top Movie Recommendations for Children

In our house, we watch very little TV or movies. At most, we watch one movie on some Sundays/special days. Since it is such a rarity, I like to make sure the movies we watch are really good! I obviously don’t want my children watching anything that is morally confusing or that teaches them bad habits or language— but I also don’t want them watching movies that are aesthetically offensive or that make them hyperactive. I can’t stand shows that talk down to my kids or are cheesy or obnoxious or inane. 

So, with that said, here are my recommended movies for children (especially boys) aged toddler-preteen. 

1. The Sound of Music– there is pretty much nothing bad to say about this movie. Yes, it veers a bit from the true story of the Von Trapps (which is, perhaps, something bad to say,) but it sticks to the spirit of their life and is just a continual stream of beauty and goodness. Little kids may have a hard time following the story but will enjoy the music. 
2. The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh- for children who can’t handle a lot of conflict, this is the PERFECT movie (although, Rabbit’s trying to “lose Tigger” can be slightly distressing— in fact, my best critique of the movie is that the last two “episodes,” which were actually made later, and separately, are not as strong as the earlier two.) Probably the first movie most of my children understood and loved, Pooh is great for little kids. But it’s also great for big kids! Thankfully, a lot of A.A. Milne’s cleverness is kept intact and older children and adults can thoroughly enjoy the humor. I would NOT recommend any other Pooh movies as they fall into that silly/cheesy category.
3. Mickey’s Christmas Carol– I haven’t seen Muppets’ Christmas Carol, although I have heard it is the best, but I can’t really handle the Muppet’s aesthetic. So we watch the Mickey version and I find it quite delightful. It is appropriately scary and true to the story. It’s a little confusing to the children that Scrooge is not actually a duck, and that sort of thing, but it’s okay in the end. This is our favorite Christmas movie.
4. Robin Hood- there are a few unseemly jokes in this movie, but it’s pretty inconsequential to the whole thing. Again, similar to Mickey’s Christmas Carol, young children will have to be told that Robin Hood is not actually a fox, etc. But overall, the movie is remarkably not pandering to children, and it’s very suave and subtle. Finally, the pivotal scenes taking place in the jail and the church are quite moving.
5. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White: While these may not be fully “true” to the original fairy tales (as I’ve heard, C.S. Lewis and Tolkien were horrified in their viewing of Snow White in the theatre) but they are clean, sweet, and beautiful movies— all of which my five boys thoroughly enjoy, without thinking of them as girly. Each of the featured princesses are beautiful, inside and out, and they get rewarded for their goodness. There are no obnoxious political messages. The animation is gorgeous. The music is pleasant. The villains are clearly cruel and the morals obvious.
6. The Hobbit (animated): I personally don’t like watching this very much. The animation is grotesque, in my opinion. I like to watch things that are pretty. However, the movie is quite true to the book, and there is nothing offensive, and there is something— can’t put my finger on it— to the grotesque animation that actually feels just right. (Note: this is a little scary for little kids. I have found they do better if they have older siblings who have already seen it.)
7. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe: I do feel a little torn about this one. The movie is good! But the book is spectacular. So, kids should obviously read the book first. But it is fun to watch the movie together once you already know the book. Despite being CGI, they portray Aslan very well. And Lucy is wonderful too.
8. Master and Commander: This is PG-13 and has some significantly violent scenes. However, it is one of the best portrayals of male friendship that I have ever seen. I am impressed that they were able to make a movie with zero female characters and not face a political uprising. It’s a boys’ movie, through and through, but with basically nothing crude or rude. And the music and the scenes with music are half the reason for watching it. All of our kids have seen this movie; we just know well when to make them close their eyes. Beware of a young boy who undergoes an amputation surgery (actually super inspiring for older boys!) and the usual navy violence. The one truly mature topic that might warrant waiting awhile on this movie is a sailor’s suicide (he jumps off the ship.)
9. Beatrix Potter series– These were my favorites as a child. I have no critique of them whatsoever. I have never seen a movie so true to a book— word for word— picture for picture. It’s almost like watching a slideshow while listening to an audiobook. If you are worried about TV making your kids hyper— it’s impossible to be hyper after watching Beatrix Potter.
10. Beatrix Potter ballet- now this one is a little weird… especially the scene with a young, apparently depressed Beatrix Potter. But the ballet is delightful and silly (in a non-pandering way), and remarkably old fashioned. It might bore some kids out of their minds but sometimes that’s a good thing.
11. Wall-E- I don’t have any other Pixar movies on this list for two reasons: 1) I think many Pixar movies are actually made for adults (Inside Out and Up, for instance) and, while very well done, are too overly self-reflective for young children (this is why they have to add the slapstick— because the kids don’t understand the deeper meaning), and 2) The other group of more lighthearted Pixar movies (Toy Story, Cars, Monsters Inc.,) involve characters (even the good guys) that are way too sarcastic and mean for my taste. But Wall-E is reflective in a way the kids can grasp and it’s gentle and lovely and poignant. And this is all accomplished with almost no dialog at all.
12. Pride and Prejudice 2005 version- Toddlers aren’t going to be all that interested in this one. But older children can follow. What they don’t follow, parents can explain. Pride and Prejudice is a GREAT introduction to romance and dancing and the subtlety of these human interactions. And the music and landscapes are so beautiful.
13. Groundhog Day- Toddlers also won’t understand this one. But older kids will totally get the quandary, the humor, and the “message.” Make sure to skip the scenes where Phil Connors attempts suicide, messes around with a woman, and does a few other reckless things. This section is relatively short and the rest of the movie is worth it.
14. The Snowman- this is a sad movie— and it may difficult to know if/when your child recognizes that it is sad. But it is absolutely beautiful. Kind of like Beatrix Potter, it is more like a moving book than a movie. It is short, too, which is nice. There are no words. The music is gorgeous and haunting. The sad ending can be a lot to handle. But sometimes there are sad endings in life, and we have to find hope amidst them! (hint, the little boy still has the scarf in his pocket.)
15. Kipper the Dog- I got the Kipper recommendation about nine years ago when looking for a non-obnoxious TV show for kids. Other than the odd white background to everything, Kipper is refreshingly pleasant. There is no moralizing, no pandering, no annoying jingles. Just simple, calm little stories about a dog and his friends. Even the music is calm.
16. Pinnochio- I personally cannot watch this movie. All I see is God and humanity (and every parent and child) in Geppetto and his little boy and it is too much to handle. But I highly recommend it to everyone else. It’s beautiful.
17. Stick Man– one of the only examples I know of where the movie is better than the book. It’s a mix of the Odyssey and St. Nicholas all in the form of a stick family, with lovely scenery and music. It’s also nice and short.
18. March of the Penguins- this is real, beautiful, incredibly calming, sad in the ways that nature is sad, and “educational.”
19. Dumbo and Bambi- I don’t like the excessive mean-ness in Dumbo— I just think it’s over the top— and the “twitterpated” scene in Bambi gets a little weird. But Dumbo has the sweetest mother-son scene in any movie ever and Bambi is gorgeous. 
20. The Mission- this movie has nudity and some violence. The nudity is supposed to be an accurate portrayal of the natives’ lives and is not erotic. Most children will likely not really notice. Aside from these things, this movie is extremely inspiring in a way that kids can surprisingly understand. And it contains one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. 
21. Babe– funny, unique, creative, and full of heart. Doesn’t feel at all like a “kid’s movie.” The scene where the farmer sings to Babe is fantastic. The scene where the granddaughter rejects her Christmas gift is one of the best portrayals of the spoiled brat no good kid wants to be.
22. Baby Einstein- I generally don’t use TV for my toddlers except in very unique situations— as in, maybe once a month when I’m cutting their hair. But when I do, it’s Baby Einstein. I know this company got a lot of flack for advertising that their videos would make babies smart. Obviously the videos won’t make your child smart. But they won’t make them stupid either! Aside from the puppet interludes, Baby Einstein mostly consists of pretty classical music, classical art or landscapes. All good things and pleasant to watch and listen to. 
23. Little House on the Prairie pilot episode– while it isn’t totally accurate to all the details of the book it is fairly accurate to the general feel of all the books.
24. Lord of the Rings trilogy– this is too violent for most children under twelve or so— but editing is possible, especially in the first movie, and all three movies are so well done.
25. The Lion King- I could do without some of the bathroom humor, but this is such a timeless story, the main character gets reprimanded for his poor behavior, the patriarch is strong and virtuous, and the music and animation are captivating.
26. A Man for All Seasons– this movie about St. Thomas More is a difficult for little kids to follow but it is a wonderful, inspiring story and the beheading scene is very subtle and not graphic at all.
27. The Prince of Egypt- beautiful, inspiring portrayal of the story of Moses.
28. Chicken Run— this movie is probably only suitable for slightly older children, as it is pretty dark. But it’s very clever and not obnoxious or pandering at all.

Enjoy!