Watch With the Kids
Movies By Age
No two kids are alike, and no two families are alike. Where possible I include age recommendations by others, with links to Common Sense Media for more information. (That resource, while incredibly valuable, is a little more concerned about rudeness and smoking than I am. You’ll find me more touchy about identity politics.) The site sets most age recommendations at five and above, but that’s mostly about attention span and the ability to follow a story (or to get a joke). When in doubt, watch the film first and decide what’s right for your child.
4+
- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Happiness is two kinds of ice cream.
5+
- The Adventures of Robin Hood Swashbuckling doesn’t get better than this.
- An American Tail Wewease the secwet weapon.
- Batman: The Movie Some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb.
- The Court Jester Keep track of the pellet with the poison.
- Godspell The parables of Jesus as vaudeville comedy.
- A Bug's Life Ideas are very dangerous things.
- Kiki's Delivery Service A girl, her cat, and her broom.
- The Music Man Gone with the hogshead, cask and demijohn.
- The Secret World of Arrietty Studio Ghibli’s take on The Borrowers.
- The 7th Voyage of Sinbad Brought to you in thrilling Dynamation!
- Singin' in the Rain It’s called the greatest musical for a reason.
- Yellow Submarine L is for love me. P is for please.
6+
- The Apple Dumpling Gang Mr. Donovan, I gotta go.
- Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs You know what you are? A shenaniganizer.
- The Emperor's New Groove Funny. Weird. Wait, Disney made this?
- Enchanted A Disney princess lost in the big city.
- The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T When Dr. Seuss went to Hollywood.
- The Hobbit (1977) Adventures make one late for dinner.
- The Iron Giant You don’t have to be a gun.
- Jason and the Argonauts An epic voyage to the ends of the Earth.
- The Rescuers Wh-what can two little mice do?
- Swiss Family Robinson Shipwrecked and loving it.
- The Time Machine The time travel story that started it all.
- What's Up, Doc? Mayhem on the streets of San Francisco.
7+
- Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Mostly silly. Slightly spooky.
- The Dark Crystal A live-action fantasy, sans humans.
- E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial He’s not a goblin. He’s a spaceman.
- Help! The inspiration for The Monkees.
- The Incredibles Where’s my super suit?
- A Little Princess (1995) Beautifully told, with not a drop of pink.
- Meet the Robinsons Keep moving forward.
- The Phantom Tollbooth Have your destination in mind.
- The Prince of Egypt An animated epic retelling of the story of Exodus.
- The Princess Bride Monsters. Chases. Escapes. True love.
- The Secret of NIMH We can no longer live as rats.
- Sky High Unexpected fun from the Disney factory.
- Superman: The Movie The role that made Reeve famous.
8+
- Antz My first Woody Allen movie.
- Back to the Future The 1950s, as remembered in the 1980s.
- Batman Forever Oh no! It’s boiling acid!
- It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World It's buried under a big W, I tell you. A big W.
- Oliver Please, sir. I want some more.
- The Secret Garden (1993) Mary Lennox didn’t know how to cry.
- The Secret of Kells A Dark Ages tale of magic and light.
9+
- The Adventures of Tintin Spielberg wants to show you his toys.
- Coraline Causing nightmares is sometimes the point.
- Jesus Christ Superstar An angry, rock-and-roll Passion of Christ.
- Jumanji Adventurers beware.
- The Mask of Zorro It isn’t just one man, damn it. It’s ZORRO.
- Microcosmos Real-life bugs. No animation required.
- Monster House Keep off Mr. Nebbercracker’s lawn.
10+
- The Goonies Goonies never say die.
- Groundhog Day What if there was no tomorrow?
- Jurassic Park Must. Go. Faster.
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?
- Raiders of the Lost Ark Throw me idol, I’ll throw you the whip.
- West Side Story When you’re a Jet you stay a Jet.
- Young Frankenstein Put. The candle. Back.
11+