A Family Movie night is a great way to come together as a family, watch a good movie and share some popcorn. We try to mix it up each week, cycling through different genres and decades. It is interesting to watch how Sunshine and Striker react to the movies of my own childhood, whilst also providing some great discussion points. Watching well-picked movies to watch with kids can create the perfect evening.
To help you find the perfect family movie we have compiled the best non-animated 100 movies to watch with kids. You can use our table of contents to search by type as well. We would love to hear how many you have already watched.
Goonies and Star Wars continue to be my favourites, whilst the kids lean towards more modern movies. Please check the ratings – the movies I have listed are suitable for my kids, but I suggest watching the previews so you can ascertain if you agree. Some are rated M.
New releases are added as we find new favourites!
The Best Non-Animated 100 Movies to Watch with Kids
Table of Contents
Musicals to Watch with Kids
Annie | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Mary Poppins | Oliver | School of Rock | Sound of Music | The Wizard of OZ
Australian Children Movies
Babe | Dance Academy | Hating Alison Ashley | Looking for Alibrandi | Oddball | Paper Planes | Playing Beatie Bow | Red Dog | Storm Boy | The Black Balloon
Movie Series to Watch with Kids
Back to the Future | Chronicles of Narnia | Diary of a Wimpy Kid | Dr Dolittle | Harry Potter | Home Alone | Hunger Games | Indiana Jones | Journey to the Centre of the Earth | Mighty Ducks | Night at the Museum | Percy Jackson | Star Wars | The Princess Diaries
Classic Movies (pre-1980) to Watch with Kids
Bedknobs and Broomsticks | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Dr Dolittle (original) | Freaky Friday (original) | It’s a Wonderful Life | Mary Poppins | Miracle on 34th Street | Oliver | Pete’s Dragon (original) | Sound of Music | Star Wars (Episode IV) | Storm Boy (original) | Swiss Family Robinson | The Black Stallion | The Muppet Movie | The Parent Trap (original) | The Wizard of Oz | Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Movies from the 1980s
Anne of Green Gables | Annie | Back to the Future | Big | Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure | ET | Flight of the Navigator | Honey I Shrunk the Kids | Labyrinth | Milo and Otis | Pippi Longstocking | Playing Beatie Bow | Stand by Me | The Dark Crystal | The Goonies | The Karate Kid (original) | The Neverending Story | The Princess Bride | Uncle Buck | Willow
Movies from the 1990s
A Little Princess | Babe | Baby’s Day Out | Bean | Dennis the Menace | Dr Dolittle (Eddie Murphy version) | Ever After | Fly Away Home | Free Willy | Home Alone | Homeward Bound | Hook | Jumanji (original) | Matilda | Mighty Ducks | Mrs Doubtfire | My Girl | Stuart Little | The Indian in the Cupboard | The Little Rascals | The Parent Trap | The Sandlot | The Secret Garden | The Secret of Roan Inish | The Witches
Movies from the Millennium
13 Going on 30 | Akeelah and the Bee | Because of Winn Dixie | Bend it Like Beckham | Charlotte’s Web | Cheaper by the Dozen | Chronicles of Narnia | Elf | Enchanted | Freaky Friday | Harry Potter | Hating Alison Ashley | Holes | Journey to the Centre of the Earth | Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events | Looking for Alibrandi | My Dog Skip | Nanny McPhee | NIght at the Museum | Nim’s Island | School of Rock | The Black Balloon | The Princess Diaries | The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants | Whale Rider
Movies from 2010 Onwards
Alice in Wonderland | Benji | BFG | Dance Academy | Diary of a Wimpy Kid | Hugo | Hunger Games | Hunt for the Wilderpeople | Jumanji (the Rock version) | Maleficent | Oddball | Paper Planes | Percy Jackson | Pete’s Dragon (new version) | Red Dog | Storm Boy (updated) | The Kid Who Would Be King | Wadjda | Dr Dolittle (Robert Downey Jnr version)
Movies from 2020 onwards
As new movies are released and the kids identify them as firm favourites, we will add them here.
Enola Holmes* | Finding ‘Ohana |
*in Australia this movie is rated M. We watched it with Sunshine and Striker who think it should be added.
A to Z of non-animated Family Movies
13 Going on 30 | Akeelah and the Bee | Alice in Wonderland | A Little Princess | Anne of Green Gables | Annie | Babe | Baby’s Day Out | Back to the Future | Bean | Because of Winn Dixie | Bedknobs and Broomsticks | Bend it Like Beckham | Benji | BFG | Big | Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure | Charlotte’s Web | Cheaper by the Dozen | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Chronicles of Narnia | Dance Academy | Dennis the Menace | Diary of a Wimpy Kid | Dr Dolittle | Elf | Enchanted | Enola Holmes | ET | Ever After | Finding ‘Ohana | Flight of the Navigator | Fly Away Home | Freaky Friday | Free Willy | Harry Potter | Hating Alison Ashley | Holes | Home Alone | Homeward Bound | Honey I Shrunk the Kids | Hook | Hugo | Hunger Games | Hunt for the Wilderpeople | It’s a Wonderful Life | Journey to the Centre of the Earth | Jumanji | Labyrinth | Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events | Looking for Alibrandi | Maleficent | Mary Poppins | Matilda | Mighty Ducks | Milo and Otis | Miracle on 34th Street | Mrs Doubtfire | My Dog Skip | My Girl | Nanny McPhee | Night at the Museum | Nim’s Island | Oddball | Oliver | Paper Planes | Percy Jackson | Pete’s Dragon | Pippi Longstocking | Playing Beatie Bow | Red Dog | School of Rock | Sound of Music | Stand by Me | Star Wars | Storm Boy | Stuart Little | Swiss Family Robinson | The Black Balloon | The Black Stallion | The Dark Crystal | The Goonies | The Indian in the Cupboard | The Karate Kid | The Kid Who Would Be King | The Little Rascals | The Muppet Movie | The Neverending Story | The Parent Trap | The Princess Bride | The Princess Diaries | The Sandlot | The Secret Garden | The Secret of Roan Inish | The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants | The Witches | The Wizard of Oz | Uncle Buck | Wadjda | Whale Rider | Willow | Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
If you spot a movie that we haven’t included but you think should be included, leave us a comment below.
Check out our other ideas for things to do at home.
The Ultimate Virtual Disney Experiences for Kids
A List of Children’s Authors Reading Books to Kids
Bring the World of Harry Potter Home for the Kids
You might want to redo this list cause some of these movies are not for kids. Example you have Stand by me which is rated R definitely not a kids movie.
Stand by Me is rated M in Australia. I watched it with my tween and teen, and felt it was appropriate for them.
The list is for children (18 years and younger). I hope parents look up the rating before watching – or view a preview (just like I would)
Warning that Looking for Alibrandi is not a kid’s movie! I didn’t see this until I was an older teenager…
Yes, it is suited to teens (who are still children I think). Stand by Me is also rated M.