Some of the best kids movies on Netflix are good for the whole family. A lot of the time, parents get stuck watching things that feel almost mind-numbing if you’re not a huge fan of cartoons. So I thought I’d come up with a list of kids movies that are good for children and their parents! Of course, not every movie will be for every parent—or child—but these have been the ones we have had the most fun with on family movie night!
My first tip for great family movies or movies for kids that parents can enjoy is to stop searching on the “kids” profile on Netflix. I found all sorts of movies on Netflix through my own profile that would be great for family movie night, and on their profile there seemed to be a lot of kids movies that really didn’t appeal to a larger audience.
This list is great for children of all ages! Some younger children (under five) may not follow along with the stories, but the colours and music are sure to please them. For the most part, they will be good for your older children too, that is, if they haven’t reached their preteen “too cool for kids movies” phase. For this list, I just focused on kids movies on Netflix, but there are so many other streaming services available out there!
Here are the best kids movies on Netflix right now:
The Sea Beast
Starting off with one of the newest movies on Netflix, The Sea Beast was a great story. The movie was so vibrant and colourful, my youngest was glued to the screen. With Karl Urban playing the lead, Jacob Holland, many parents will be able to get on board too!
Synopsis:
When a young girl stows away on the ship of a legendary sea monster hunter, they launch an epic journey into uncharted waters – and make history to boot.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog is probably one of the best kids movies on Netflix if you ask my son. Not only does it feature Sonic, which is synonymous with most of our childhoods, but it also has Jim Carrey playing the villain. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 came out in theaters recently, so make sure to watch this kids movie on Netflix to prepare for the next film’s entrance onto the streaming service.
Synopsis:
After discovering a small, blue, fast hedgehog, a small-town police officer must help him defeat an evil genius who wants to do experiments on him.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
This kids movie was a huge success way back in 2018. Not only will your children love it because it’s full of action and their favourite neighbourhood Spider-Man, but you’ll love the cast. Nicolas Cage, Mahershala Ali, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld…the list goes on! There is something for everyone to love, including Spider-Ham, making Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse one of the best kids movies on Netflix.
Make sure to check it out before Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse comes out in 2023, or Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse comes out in 2024! Spidey’s got a busy couple of years ahead of him!
Synopsis:
Teen Miles Morales becomes the Spider-Man of his universe, and must join with five spider-powered individuals from other dimensions to stop a threat for all realities.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
The Mitchells vs. The Machines is a wild ride with a somewhat dysfunctional family that is sure to make you and your children smile.The movie is full of adventure and plenty of jokes to get you to the end. With voice acting from Maya Rudolph, Danny McBride, Eric André, Fred Armisen, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, the cast is stacked. Everyone is sure to enjoy this kids movie on Netflix!
Synopsis:
A quirky, dysfunctional family’s road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity’s unlikeliest last hope.
The LEGO Movie
If we are talking about stacked casts, we have to talk about this movie on Netflix. The LEGO Movie stars Chris Pratt, Will Ferrel, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Alison Brie and even Morgan Freeman! This movie combines a great cast, with LEGO, Superheroes and plenty of action and comedy. It’s sure to be a hit on family movie night!
Synopsis:
An ordinary LEGO construction worker, thought to be the prophesied as “special”, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the LEGO universe into eternal stasis.
My Little Pony: A New Generation
This is one of few that I’ll recommend that is aimed at a younger audience. My Little Pony: A New Generation brings something that was a part of my childhood to the screen and lets me share it with my kids! This is one of the best kids movies on Netflix if you’re looking for something a little softer for the family.
Synopsis:
After the time of the Mane 6, Sunny–a young Earth Pony–and her new Unicorn friend Izzy explore their world and strive to restore Harmony to Equestria.
How to Train Your Dragon
First coming out in 2010, How to Train Your Dragon really holds up! With Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, T.J. Miller, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, David Tennant and fellow Canadian Jay Baruchel voicing the film parents are sure to know some of the actors. It is a very sweet story, and what kid doesn’t love dragons? If your family thinks this is one of the best kids movies on Netflix, you’re in luck, because there are plenty of spin-offs, including features and series’.
Synopsis:
A hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself, and learns there may be more to the creatures than he assumed.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
This one is probably the oldest on the list. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is actually a movie I took my mom to see when 3D movies first became a thing, and we didn’t even have kids back then! We all enjoyed the movie then, and now it’s a movie on Netflix that I get to enjoy with my kids. Children find the giant food and wild monkey hilarious, but it manages to be really entertaining for adults as well.
Synopsis:
A local scientist is often regarded as a failure until he invents a machine that can make food fall from the sky. But little does he know, that things are about to take a turn for the worst.
Hotel Transylvania
Releasing in 2012, Hotel Transylvania was a big hit with families. Fast-Forward 10 years, and the franchise is still going strong. Adam Sandler plays Dracula himself, but the cast only gets better from there with the likes of Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Fran Drescher, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon and way too many more to list. Hotel Transylvania 1, 2 and 3 are on Netflix now, and Hotel Transylvania 4 is currently in the works with a lot of the cast returning. It’s a great kids movie on Netflix, with lots to branch off of!
Synopsis:
Dracula, who operates a high-end resort away from the human world, goes into overprotective mode when a boy discovers the resort and falls for the count’s teenaged daughter.
Dr. Seuss’ the Lorax
The Lorax comes from the same creators as Despicable Me, which has done insanely well over the years. The movie features a sweet love story, and is based on the popular children’s book. The cast is interesting to say the least, with Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny DeVito, Jenny Slate, Nasim Pedrad and most importantly, the late Betty White. Who doesn’t love a kids’ movie with Betty White? Definitely one of the best kids movies on Netflix for that alone!
Synopsis:
A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
