Kids’ movies are not just a form of entertainment; they are imagination-provoking, comedy-inducing, and a source of fun and memorable family time. Despite the advancements in technology and the changes that have occurred in the movie industry, the fundamentals of these types of films continue to be relevant.
Therefore, in this article, let us look at the top fun movies for kids to watch that help create a quality, incomparable time for family movie night.
Benefits of having a good family movie night
Movie night is not just about turning off the lights and eating popcorn in front of the television. When you snuggle up with your children to watch a movie, you give them more than just entertainment.
Here’s why a good family movie night can be a powerful tool for your child’s development and your family bond.
Learning adventures disguised as fun
- Films that teach history and culture: It will be easier for children to learn concepts taught in school if they are incorporated into an animated or live-action children’s movie based on past real-life events.
- Develop emotional intelligence: Many children’s films teach friendship, coping with loss, and other deep-seated emotional concepts. It is a great opportunity to develop empathy and responsibility in your child.
- Language learning: Cartoons are a great tool for helping your child learn a new language. Integrating visual and audio elements makes them entertaining and quite effective methods of learning new words and their pronunciation.
Building stronger family ties
- Shared laughter and memories: On a cozy night, you all laugh, cry, or cheer for the fantasy and brave characters. These moments tend to form the best memorable experiences.
- Open communication and sharing: A movie can initiate critical discussions even after the movie has ended. Ask your child about the characters’ decisions, analyze the movie’s themes, and let your child share their ideas.
- Fostering emotional connections: Watching films can be emotional. Sharing personal feelings, consoling each other during the sad parts, or laughing and enjoying the humorous parts, all will deepen the family’ bond.
Encouraging imagination and creativity
- Inspire creative image: Some fantasy kids’ movies can inspire imaginative play and bring them to a new world.
- Explore artistic elements: Those visuals, soundtracks, or narrative structures employed in movies allow children to learn and appreciate various forms of art.
- Movie-making projects: Some movies encourage children to make their own films or at least stories in the form of scripts by using ideas that they got from the movies.
How to choose the right movie for kids?
As it turns out, there are lots of excellent kid’s movies out there, which makes choosing the one that would be great for a movie night rather challenging.
Here’s a guide to help you select the film that’ll have everyone giggling, learning, and bonding:
- Ask for your kid’s preference: Consider the interests of your child and what type of books or movies he or she likes. Ensure they participate in the selection process to boost their interest.
- Age-appropriate content: Choose films that will be interesting and easy for the child to understand, depending on his/her age. Be mindful of scenes that could frighten the child or parts that may be confusing to the child.
- Positive themes and messages: Select educational movies that share good messages or impart life lessons to viewers. Always make sure that it brings laughter, but make sure there are some kind of precious values like being kind, helping others, or never letting go of your dreams.
- Check out real reviews: Before starting, you should read other parents’ reviews and other trustworthy sources. Look for more information concerning the appropriateness of the material and potential concerns.
- Choose from G-rated and PG-rated options: Movies that are considered G-rated are generally safe for anyone of any age to watch. PG implies that the movies have scenes or feature some mild language that may not be suitable for very young children.
What are the top 10 fun movies for kids?
The evenings are always pleasant when families sit together and children – get acquainted with the big world on the screen.
The following list contains fun, creative animated movies and breathtaking, exciting live-action movies that will interest kids and, most likely, entertain many adults as well.
1. Moana (2016)
Type: Animation
Age: 6+
Platforms: Disney+
Moana Is a bright Polynesian princess who is determined to save her people with the help of a rather reluctant demigod.
This movie is for sure a masterpiece and has great animated characters, funny songs and very good message of the movie about being yourself.
2. The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
Type: Animated comedy
Age: 8+
Platforms: Netflix
This is a comedy-drama movie that tells the story of a family that sets out on a road trip only to find themselves in the middle of a war with machines.
It Is based on the principles of family and unity, standing up for oneself, and learning to accept others.
3. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
Type: Adventure/Comedy
Age: 10+
Platforms: HBO Max, Hulu
Four young people are kidnapped and then transported into a virtual world where they have to fight their way out of the game.
This is a very energetic and humorous movie that also teaches the audience about the importance of working together as a team.
4. The Lion King (1994)
Type: Animated musical
Age: All ages
Platforms: Disney+
This is one of the greatest cartoons of all time and revolves around the life of Simba, the lion cub who has to take charge and face all the adversities of life.
It is a movie that children and their parents would surely love as it has very catchy songs like ‘Hakuna Matata’ and ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight?’
5. Harry Potter (2001-2011)
Type: Fantasy and adventure movie series
Age group: 9+
Platforms: Netflix, Hulu
The Harry Potter is the world’s highest-grossing film series. The movies are adapted from the novels. It is a bright and engaging magic movie series about the adventures of Harry Potter, a young wizard, and student who spends six years studying and growing up before and after Hogwarts with a host of brilliant wizard friends.
As such, it is a perfect example of a subject that mirrors elements of identity, responsibilities, and love that we all must learn.
6. Coco (2017)
Type: Animated musical
Age: 6+
Platform: Disney+
Coco is a beautiful and emotional animated film based on Miguel, a young man who wants to become a musician despite the disapproval of his family.
Miguel’s journey to the Land of the Dead is a typical story of love, family, and hope, and people should not give up on their dreams.
7. Luca (2021)
Type: Animated coming-of-age
Age: 6+
Platform: Disney+
Luca is set in a fictional seaside town in Italy; it is a story about two sea monsters who transform into human beings on the beach and discover the meaning of life and being friends.
A visually stunning film that promotes tolerance and acceptance of change and the different, Luca is a wonderful film for all audiences.
8. Toy Story 4 (2019)
Type: Animation
Age: 5+
Platform: Disney+
In this movie, Woody and Buzz are accompanying Bonnie on a trip with her newly made toy, Forky.
The movie adds new and deeper ideas to the concept of purpose and belonging and presents new unexplored characters and the feeling the series was loved for.
9. Paddington (2014)
Type: Live-action/Animation
Age: 6+
Platforms: Netflix, Amazon Prime
This cartoon is based on the adventures of a bear who has come from Peru and has a sweet tooth for marmalade, as well as his life with the Brown family in London.
The film is a comedy, with moments of tenderness and an education lifestyle, more specifically about tolerance and acceptance.
10. Zootopia (2016)
Type: Animation
Age: 7+
Platform: Disney+
Zootopia is an awesome animated movie that revolves around Judy Hopps a bunny police officer and a con Fox known as Nick Wilde.
It is also a movie that can contribute to the eliciting of many issues like prejudice and stereotyping in a form that even a kid will understand.
Popular family-friendly film studios
When it comes to family movies, there are certain studios that always produce great stories, exciting adventures, and excellent animations.
Here are 6 powerhouses that have earned their stripes in creating kid-friendly content:
- Walt Disney Animation Studios
Disney, the king of family entertainment, has been entertaining the public for many years. They have particularly succeeded in integrating music, interesting characters, and touching narratives into entertaining productions.
- Pixar Animation Studios
Pixar changed the course of computer-generated animation with movies such as “Toy Story.” They are popular for combining comedy, emotion, and creativity in their works, thus appealing to many people, especially the family audience.
- DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks produces great comedies and great looking features. It is a platform that presents various types of stories for all age groups, with a good amount of comedy in most of them.
- Blue Sky Studios
Specializing in CGI animation, Blue Sky Studios produced the entertaining “Ice Age” series. These stories can be very peculiar, with funny and sometimes even unusual characters and environments that make perfect family entertainment.
- LEGO Animation
This studio uses stop-motion animation and computer-generated imagery to breathe life into popular LEGO products. Their films are filled with comedy and references to popular culture.
- Illumination Entertainment
This studio is responsible for the hit movie series “Despicable Me.” Illumination’s films mainly focus on comedy, and therefore, the movies are entertaining to watch.
Tips for a great family movie night
Family movie night is a great opportunity to have lots of fun and establish a special bond with your family members. In addition to picking such classic and fun kids’ movies like the above, there are other things you need to do to prepare for a unique family time.
Here are some tips to take your movie night from good to great.
- Setting the cozy scene: Turn your living room into a movie theater with some soft cushions, and turn off most of the lights. Take it up a notch by building a blanket fort! Children will enjoy the element of mystery and it will enhance the nighttime experience.
- Schedule it in: Ensure that movie night becomes a routine, perhaps a weekly or monthly affair. Thus, consistency leads to the creation of a tradition that people can always anticipate.
- Theme it up: Pick a theme from the movie or any general category. Everyone should dress up, prepare some movie-related snacks (or let everyone pick their movie snack of choice), and decorate to make the event even more exciting.
- Tech takes a break: Make the room device-free during movie nighttime. This enables everyone to enjoy the movie to the fullest and equally promotes family bonding.
- Post-movie magic: Don’t stop having a good time when the movie is over. Talk about what everyone liked the most in the movie, draw the favorite scenes of the movie, or perform some part of the story.
- Capture the memories: Capture a picture or short video of the family bonding during the movie night. This is a good way to have fun and remember the happy moments that happened in the past.
By following these ideas, you can turn a regular movie night into a special family tradition that everyone will enjoy.
Final thoughts
So many kid-friendly movies with wholesome themes bring families fun and pleasant memories. A cozy movie night is also a great way to teach your kids some knowledge and share their feelings through those fun and great movies and TV shows.
Spending time with family is invaluable, especially when people (both parents and kids) spend more time on their mobile phones and tablets than ever before.
Be a model to your children, and having a device-free zone/time is necessary. In addition, the FlashGet Kids parental control app can be helpful for parents who want to regulate their children’s screen time and ensure kids online safety. By balancing monitoring with respect for privacy, your children can develop responsible online behavior while enjoying their favorite content.
