What makes a good kids movie? Is it the storyline? The interesting characters? For us, it’s a mixture of all these.
With such criteria in mind, we’ve gathered ten of the best kids movies ever made and ranked them on our top 10 movies list.
Top 10 Best Kids Movies of All Time
10. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Kids today may be more familiar with this film’s newer remake, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Too bad they won’t get to experience the thrilling ride this comedy musical offers its viewers.
In this adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s novel, Gene Wilder takes on the role of cooky and eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka, who mysteriously invites a group of five children to tour his world famous chocolate factory. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is one of the 70’s best kids films.
9. Home Alone (1990)
Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin, a kid who was accidentally left behind by his family when he woke up too late for their flight.
Although technically a Christmas film, Home Alone (1990) makes for a great and entertaining film to watch all year round.
Besides, one of the best children movies of the 90s, this kids movie can also be a great tool for parents to teach their children about the importance of independence and self-reliance. But be careful about reminding kids that Kevin’s hijinks won’t translate well in the real world.
8. The Princess Bride (1987)
Hey, it’s never too early to introduce your kids to great cinema. Better get your kids to watch the classic kids movie of 80s The Princess Bride (1987) and entertain them with the film’s transcendental charm which was sure goes through generational barriers to appeal to almost anyone.
In this fairytale-inspired adventure film, we follow a beautiful princess called Buttercup and love interest, Westley, and their quest to be with each other amidst seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The Princess Bride is one of the 80’s best kids movies ever made.
7. The Incredibles (2004)
The Incredibles (2004) is one of the few superhero movies which holds the distinction of not being based on a comic book series.
The film tells the story of a family of superheroes forced to live a regular life when they are restricted from using their superpowers after a lawsuit is lodged against them.
But the real action starts when the family decides to come out of their retirement in order to save the city threatened by the villain Syndrome once the family patriarch mysteriously goes missing.
The film proved to be popular among both critics and audiences. And after more than a decade of waiting, a sequel come out in 2018.
8. Finding Nemo (2003)
It’s almost unbelievable that the kids who originally watched Finding Nemo upon its initial release most probably have their own little kids now.
One of Pixar’s best work to date, Finding Nemo (2003) is a story about how far a father’s love for his son can take him and, of course, how important it is to have a family. In the film, we see a clownfish Marlin go on a quest to find his missing son Nemo who was unfortunately captured by divers who sold him as a pet fish. Finding Nemo is one of the best animation movies for kids to watch.
7. Mary Poppins (1964)
In Mary Poppins (1964), we see Julie Andrews in one of her career’s most iconic roles to date.
The film tells the story of a magical nanny, Mary Poppins, who is hired by the Van Dykes to care for their two children. As time passes, the children learn to pass on their nanny’s sunny disposition onto their always busy parents.
Lucky for this generation of kids, the film is being remade with Emily Blunt inheriting Andrews’ role as Mary Poppins.
6. The Lion King (1994)
We’re pretty sure every 90’s kid considers The Lion King (1994) as one of their favorite films growing up.
And with a live action version comes out in 2019, we think it’s time to take a look back at the original animated musical film which captured our hearts and made us sing along as little kids.
One of the best animated musical films ever created by Disney, The Lion King is an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragic play Hamlet. But instead of being set in a kingdom in Denmark, it is set in a kingdom of a pride of lions in the African Sahara.
The film is also memorable for introducing a generation of kids to some of the most memorable songs like I Just Can’t Wait to Be King and Elton John’s Can You Feel the Love Tonight.
5. Wizard of Oz (1939)
Of course, any list of the best kids movies wouldn’t be complete without this classic musical fantasy movie.
Wizard of Oz (1939) is an adaptation of a book of the same name written by L. Frank Baum. The film stars a young Judy Garland in the lead role of Dorothy Gale, a girl who finds herself transported to the colorful world of Oz after her family’s farm is hit by a mysterious hurricane.
Here we see Dorothy’s adventures along with the fantastical characters (a Tin-Man, a talking Lion, and a dancing Scarecrow) she meets on her way to Oz’s Emerald City.
4. Aladdin (1992)
This film is perhaps most memorable for Robin Williams’ excellent performance as a genie freed by a poor boy.
One of Disney’s best films, Aladdin (1992) tells the story of the young street urchin, the titular Aladdin, who is granted three by a genie that he freed by rubbing a magic lamp.
The film is also notable for introducing the world to the first non-white Disney princess, Jasmine. Disney’s Aladdin is an excellent mix of comedy, adventure, and romance backed by excellent performances by its voice actors.
Its popularity and legacy are further cemented by an iconic and award-winning theme song, A Whole New World, performed by Lea Salonga and Brad Kane. Aladdin is one of the most popular kids movies ever made.
3. Toy Story 2 (1999)
It isn’t every day that we see a sequel that it’s even better than the original film.
That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Toy Story 2 tops our list of the best kids movies.
In this sequel, we are taken deeper into the fun and adventure-filled world of Andy’s toys Woody and Buzz. Here we see the cowboy toy, Woody, stolen away from home by a toy dealer. Thus, the gang comes together to get him back and get him home. In the end, the toys found new friends in the form of Jessie, a yodeling cowgirl toy that’s a counterpart of Woody.
Also Read: New & Upcoming Kids Movies 2021, 2022
Which of these kids movies was your favorite as a child? Tell us in the comments below!
