13 Good Movies To Keep Your Kids Entertained (And Quiet!)

With the growing list of popular kids movies, it’s important that we be on the lookout for the really good movies for kids. You know, the ones that will keep them entertained, but at the same time, teach them some valuable life lessons. After all, who doesn’t remember their definitive childhood movie? Remember how those movies made a mark so striking they kept you hooked and made you re-watch them again and again?

And now that we have gotten older and turned into parents ourselves, it’s our turn to share the joy of movie-watching with our own children. Read on for a list of the top thirteen good movies for kids.

13 Good Movies For Kids To Keep Them Entertained (And Hooked!)

1. Toy Story (1995-2010)

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The Toy Story series is one of the most popular movies to watch for the whole family. In fact, it’s so loved by many that Toy Story and Toy Story 2 both ranked 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and earned praises from top critics. To be honest, who doesn’t love a good old adventure film for children? It’s an adventure story about children’s toys with a heart-warming message that both kids and adults can appreciate.

2. Inside Out (2015)

Inside Out is a movie that puts a fantastic spin on the story of a little girl named Riley who is currently dealing with major life changes. Although not entirely scientifically accurate, this movie helps our children understand the role of emotions in our everyday life. This is a popular movie to watch with the whole family, because Inside Out teaches us that it’s okay to feel certain things and live in that moment, so we can process our experience and better understand our actions. In a world where everything is filtered, it is important to teach our children to be their authentic selves.

3. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1985)

For many of the moms (and dads), ET is probably one of the first children’s movies that not only influenced their taste in film, but also made an impact in their lives. This critically-acclaimed movie lets us embrace the strange and accept things with childlike openness. Who could resist a telekinetic alien wrapped in a blanket and tucked into a bicycle basket? This is a good movie to bond over with your kids, and hopefully, they will find value in this old treasure too!

4. Finding Nemo (2003)

Before Finding Dory, clownfish Marlin set out on an adventure in the big blue sea to find his son Nemo. The touching tale of father-rescues-son reminds everyone of a parent’s unfaltering love for their child and willingness to go miles (literally) when their children need help.

5. Mulan (1998)

This movie is one of the popular animated films of the late 90’s that had a strong and empowered female protagonist. Mulan not only teaches some basic girl power moves to little girls, but also embraces female independence and merit-based recognition. Plus, the soundtrack is so awesome, it will inspire your kids to get down to business!

6. Beauty and the Beast (2017)

This tale as old as time (as they say) is a captivating love story between a beautiful girl and a cursed prince-turned-beast. The message is very simple: judge not by one’s looks, but by one’s heart. Although it could be a matter of preference on which version is better, both the live action and animated versions are good for children (and their parents, too!)

7. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuBOvzXqPoY

One of the more underrated Disney movies, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a tale of misfits and depicts how even the least appreciated individual can make the biggest difference. Playing in somewhat the same tone as Beauty and the Beast, the Hunchback offers a more humanizing treatment to the beast-character, Quasimodo. Along with singing gargoyles, a beautiful feisty gypsy, and a singing mean friar, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one powerful musical animation film.

8. Pinocchio (1940)

Everybody knows about the tale of Pinocchio, the puppet whose nose grows longer with each lie he tells. This 1940 classic film puts a fun spin and adds the beloved talking dapper insect, Jiminy Cricket. With Pinocchio’s antics and childlike sensibilities, children can easily relate to him and cheer him on as he tries his best to prove himself worthy of becoming a real boy.

9. Enchanted (2007)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lokg8Xtq0UE

Enchanted is a fun crossover movie that mixes live action with classic animation. Although sometimes poking fun at cliched fairytale conventions, Enchanted finds the princess grounded and quite stranded in modern times while keeping true to the promise of happily ever after. Did we mention the delightful soundtrack and quirky choreography? Your child will surely be in for a cinematic treat!

10. Up (2009)

At some point, everyone wondered if it was possible to get enough helium balloons to be able to lift their house, right? Well, grandpa Carl Fredricksen from Up actually did it and it was as awesome as you thought it would be! On his way to South America, he meets an overly energetic young Wilderness Explorer, a talking dog, and a snipe. What is a snipe? You have to watch to find out!

11. The Star Wars Franchise

The Star Wars franchise spans to eight movies now, and that’s about a full day’s worth of screen time with little room for nap or sleep! Of course you’re not going to do that, but this means you have a long journey ahead of you indoctrinating your kids with all things Star Wars – it’s sure to be an exciting time! While the appeal of the more recent Star Wars films is from a chunk of grown-ups, at its core the films are intended to be for kids (and kids at heart). There’s no reason to resist the Force!

12. Home Alone Series

This iconic 90s flick will surely give your kids a good laugh! While leaving children home alone can raise real concerns in real life, this movie gives a good light-hearted approach to the (genius) kid stuck at home. Young Macaulay Culkin’s comedic timing and natural acting chops make the movie all the more enjoyable!

13. The Lion King

A debatable staple animation film for children, this movie will introduce your children to the story of Simba and his adventure to reclaiming his throne as the rightful king of the jungle, and the timeless soundtrack. Get ready to get your kids hooked on this musical animation, and perhaps some spontaneous bursts of dancing to ‘Circle of Life’ or ‘Hakuna Matata’!

Other Popular Movies to Watch for Kids

There’s a whole lot of good movies for kids out there that didn’t quite make the cut, but are certianly worth checking out! Here are five movies that didn’t make it to the top thirteen, but are still valuable movies that our kids can learn from:

• Kung Fu Panda series
• Zootopia
• Moana
• Coco
• (and, okay,) Frozen

FBE shows an example of how parents and kids can bond over kids’ movies while making sure the children are entertained as well!

There are thousands of good movies for kids and other content readily available for anyone with an online device. For some parents, movies are used as a way to keep their children entertained and busy while they attend to keeping the house tidy. For some, on the other hand, movies can be a tool to bond over with their children. Either way, we want to make sure we listen to what kind of movies our children prefer and we give them kid-friendly movies so they have a safe and fun time!

What movies do you want your kids to watch? We’d love to hear your choices and share them with the community! Let us know in the comments section below.

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