10 Best Children & Family Movies on Netflix Right Now
Updated
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While the world of streaming has opened up a vast number of possibilities in terms of viewing options, it can sometimes be overwhelming trying to decide exactly what to choose — especially when you have the interests of the entire family in mind. Many of the movies the parents want to watch may not be appropriate for younger viewers, while the kids' favorites may border on migraine-inducing for anyone over the age of 12 (especially if it is the umpteenth viewing of said movie), but there is a happy medium of family films that offer amusement and charm that absolutely anyone can enjoy.
Netflix's expansive library of family-friendly titles has plenty to offer in this regard, with everything from awe-inspiring animated adventures to lovable live-action gems announcing themselves as fun viewing experiences that everyone can indulge in. Of course, it is always worth checking out parents' guides and censorship ratings on any given film to be certain that it is appropriate for your family, but all 10 of these flicks should be excellent options for your household the next time a family movie night comes around.
1 'Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl' (2024)
The Wallace and Gromit franchise, across film, television, and graphic novels, stands as one of the most renowned and universally beloved brands in children's entertainment. Distributed by Netflix, 2024's Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is a perfect opportunity for parents who grew up loving the English claymation stories of Wallace (Ben Whitehead) and his pet dog to introduce their own kids to the creativity, chaos, and fun the franchise displays.
The story unfolds with Gromit growing concerned about Wallace's increasing reliance on his inventions, a worry that is justified when Wallace's "Smart" gnome begins to develop a mind of its own. As Gromit tries to find a solution, he learns that a vengeful figure from his and Wallace's past may be behind the attacks, forcing him to take action to save his friend. Between the gentle mockery of modern technology and the slapstick hilarity of the marvelous stop-motion animation, Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is a comforting, comical romp that captures the iconic claymation duo at their best and has the ability to entertain the whole family.
2 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' (2018)
A divine marvel of animation as well as one of the boldest and most transfixing superhero movies ever made, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a rollicking, high-octane, and fun-filled masterpiece that can spellbind adults and children alike. It follows Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), a teenager who develops superpowers after being bitten by a spider and strives to use them to protect his city. He soon meets others with similar powers from alternate realities and must work with them to prevent a grief-stricken mob boss from activating a device that could destroy the multiverse.
Its ability to combine heartfelt coming-of-age drama with infectious comedy and awe-inspiring action sequences is incredible, especially as it is all realized in the form of one of the most vibrant and captivating visual spectacles animated cinema has ever seen. It enchanted everyone, from comic book aficionados to film buffs, hundreds of critics, and casual moviegoers just looking to be entertained, and it is certain to enthrall every member of the family as well. Its sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, is potentially even better and is a great follow-up option if parents think their children can handle the longer 140-minute runtime.
3 'Leo' (2023)
Since the onset of the 2010s, Adam Sandler has found a new niche through his voice work in family movies, with the Hotel Transylvania movies being the defining highlight of this transition. However, it is Netflix's highly underrated 2023 animated film Leo that stands as one of his best pictures in the medium. Co-written by Sandler, Leo marries hysterics with heart as the titular 74-year-old lizard learns that he has only one year left to live. While he intends to escape the Florida classroom he has spent his entire life in, he realizes he must also help the current students who are suffering under a cruel substitute teacher.
As the talking lizard bestows his unassuming wisdom to the kids to help them overcome personal issues tied to anxiety, perfectionism, bullying, and even complex relationships with their parents, the film begins to find a touching core of kindness and empathy beneath its surface-level animated fun (which is still magnificently fun). The end result is a lingering coming-of-age story that explores childhood with a sense of musical, magical escapism and quaint charm, with its clever critters sure to transfix younger viewers, while its messaging and maturity can land with parents with far more impact than anticipated.
Collider Exclusive · 8 Questions · 2 Minutes Which Netflix Character Would Be Your Best Friend? Dustin · Emily · Wednesday · Gi-hun
Some friends drag you out of the house. Some sit with you on the worst night of your life. Netflix has written both, plus the one who tells you the truth you have been avoiding all week. Answer eight quick questions about how you actually do friendship, and find out which of them was always going to end up in your corner.
🧢Dustin(Stranger Things)
🗼Emily(Emily in Paris)
🕷️Wednesday(Wednesday)
🟢Gi-hun(Squid Game)
01
How do you usually end up making a new friend? The origin story says a lot about the friendship that follows it.
02
What is a perfect Saturday with your best friend? Friendship is mostly built out of very ordinary hours.
03
You call them at two in the morning. What happens? This is the real test of a friendship, and everybody knows it.
04
What do you want from them when you are clearly wrong? The best friendships are the ones that survive being corrected.
05
What do your friends actually value about you? The friend you attract says something about the friend you are.
06
You have a falling out. How does it go? How a friendship repairs itself matters more than how it breaks.
07
What do you actually need a best friend for? Everybody is missing something. The right friend fills that gap.
08
Ten years from now, what keeps the two of you close? Eight questions in, this is the one that decides who you get.
The Group Chat Has Spoken Your Best Friend Is…
Four Netflix characters, four completely different ways of showing up for somebody. This is the one who fits how you actually do friendship, and what having them in your life would be like.
Dustin Henderson
You do not do friendship at half volume, and neither does he. What you want is somebody who says yes to the plan before you have finished describing the plan.
- Dustin is the friend the entire show runs on: loyal past the point of sense, enthusiastic about everything, and incapable of leaving anybody behind.
- You have the same instinct. Your friendships are loud, specific and slightly ridiculous, and they last for decades because of it.
- He is also the one person who would take your strangest interest completely seriously, which is far rarer than it sounds.
- You would have a group chat. It would never once be quiet.
Emily Cooper
You are the friend who makes things happen, and so is she. Together you would be mildly exhausting to everyone around you and completely delighted with yourselves.
- Emily treats an ordinary Tuesday as something that could be turned into an occasion, which is either the best or the worst quality in a friend depending on your energy levels.
- You share her refusal to sit still. Neither of you has ever accepted a night in when something was happening somewhere else.
- She is far more loyal than people give her credit for. She defends her friends loudly, publicly, and occasionally before checking the facts.
- She would post the photo without asking. You would forgive her, because it is a very good photo.
Wednesday Addams
You have no patience for pleasant lies, and she has no ability to tell them. What looks like coldness from the outside is the most reliable friendship on this list.
- Wednesday never says a kind thing she does not mean, which makes the rare ones count for an enormous amount.
- You would rather be told the truth than be made comfortable. She is constitutionally incapable of offering you anything else.
- Underneath all of it she is ferociously protective. She simply refuses to make a performance out of caring.
- Do not expect a birthday message. Do expect her to ruin anyone who wrongs you.
Seong Gi-hun
You look after whoever is having the worst day. So does he. It is the least strategic way to move through the world and the best possible quality in a friend.
- Gi-hun is not the strongest player in Squid Game, or the cleverest. He is the one who keeps choosing to protect somebody else, over and over, at genuine cost to himself.
- You have the same instinct. You notice who is struggling and you stay with them, long after anybody would blame you for leaving.
- He is a flawed friend, and that is part of why it lands. He lets people down, then comes back and tries again, which is more than most manage.
- He would give you his last chance and never once mention that he had done it.
4 'The Willoughbys' (2020)
There is a macabre playfulness to The Willoughbys' premise that invites kids and parents alike to revel in a wicked sense of joy, with the movie flipping family-movie norms on their head by following a group of young siblings who plot to send their neglectful, child-hating parents on a deadly vacation. However, the true story begins when Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby (Martin Short and Jane Krakowski) embark on their haphazard holiday, with the arrival of their new nanny, Linda (Maya Rudolph), opening a doorway to a life of support, kindness, and true family values.
With delightful characters like the jolly though lonesome candy store owner Commander Melanoff (Terry Crews) and Ricky Gervais' talking tabby cat/narrator bringing a wealth of charm to the film, The Willoughbys excels as a spin on children's animated cinema that is as irresistible as it is unorthodox. Its ability to combine black comedy overtones with a sneakily potent story of found family and friendship makes it one of the most underappreciated animated movies of the past decade and a hidden gem of Netflix's production house that more families ought to check out.
5 'We Can Be Heroes' (2020)
Robert Rodriguez's return to the realm of family adventure — after directing such beloved flicks as Spy Kids and The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl — marks one of the more underappreciated genre gems Netflix has ever been in charge of distributing. Taking part in the same universe as The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, We Can Be Heroes unfolds as Earth's greatest superheroes are abducted by alien invaders, leaving the task of defending the world and saving humanity to their kids.
Its appeal to children is plain to see, allowing them to truly see themselves as superheroes while delivering a fun and fast-paced adventure that is sure to enrapture. Much of its style and story may seem too zany for adults, and there are certainly scenes that are targeted specifically to younger audiences, but it still has plenty to entice parents who want to watch a movie with their kids and enjoy themselves. Beneath the superhero genre's innate themes of the power of teamwork and the burden of responsibility, We Can Be Heroes also tackles such ideas as generational legacy and the way children are inspired by the example of their parents. Flaunting an exceptional adult cast to support the young stars, including Pedro Pascal, Christian Slater, and Boyd Holbrook, We Can Be Heroes is a hidden gem of superhero spectacle that captures a sense of light-hearted fantasy escapism with far more brilliance than it was ever given credit for.
6 'The Loud House Movie' (2021)
In many ways, The Loud House Movie feels like a relic from a past generation, a bygone era of family entertainment when the television runs of series like Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys would find breaks between seasons to release one-off films. Released in 2020, The Loud House movie recaptures this exact tone of familiarity and excitement, with the story following the Loud family as they go vacationing in Scotland, where they learn they are descended from royalty and take ownership of a castle. Chaos ensues when disgruntled locals seek to drive them off the island.
Set between the fourth and fifth seasons of Nickelodeon's The Loud House series, the film strikes a thoroughly amusing balance between the zany eccentricities of the titular family and the maniacal musical mayhem that befalls them abroad. While this one is much more suited to children than adults, there is still plenty for parents to enjoy, especially with the inflections of fantasy wonder, the sincere and heartwarming undertone of the family escapade, and the guest star voice performances of David Tennant and Michelle Gomez.
7 'Nightbooks' (2021)
A great title for parents who want to experience the thrill of horror with their kids, Nightbooks occupies a similar space as movies like Coraline and Hocus Pocus in that it presents some genuine scares without ever going beyond what children would be capable of digesting. Anchored by Krysten Ritter's wonderful villainous performance as the evil witch Natacha, it unfolds as young outcast and aspiring horror writer Alex (Winslow Fegley) is trapped in Natacha's apartment and ordered to tell her a new scary story every night. Frightened out of his wits, Alex must use every ounce of his horror nous to ensure he and a fellow prisoner make it out alive.
Produced by Sam Raimi and based on J. A. White's children's book of the same name, Nightbooks is brilliant at extracting the innate suspense and excitement of horror storytelling while containing its scares to family-friendly boundaries. Of course, this is a movie that some kids may be able to handle better than others, and parents would be wise to judge for themselves how their kids might respond to horror ideas, but as a gentle gateway into the genre, Nightbooks is a clever and creative gem.
8 'Nimona' (2023)
Marking another underrated triumph that has sadly been overlooked by the masses, Nimona soars as an engrossing treat of action-adventure fun anchored by strong storytelling themes and its nostalgic blending of 3D CGI animation and 2D illustrative styling. Based on ND Stevenson's graphic novel of the same name, it unfolds as a courageous knight is framed for a crime he didn’t commit, forcing him to forge an initially uneasy alliance with the troublesome teen, Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz), the one person who can prove his innocence, who just so happens to also be a shape-shifting creature he is sworn to destroy.
The story world alone is irresistible, with the bold mixture of fantasy and sci-fi making for a mesmerizing landscape of armored knights and neon screens that is certain to be as absorbing for adults as it is for children. But Nimona is so much more than just a visual feat, with its witty dialogue, infectious sense of narrative momentum, and its underlying themes of identity, empathy, and social pressure imbuing it with tremendous depth. Also featuring instantly lovable characters and a gripping central dynamic of animosity-turned-friendship, Nimona is a must-see gem that too many families have missed out on.
9 'Enola Holmes' (2020)
A gem of a Netflix original release that came and went from the pop-culture eye far more hastily than it should have, Enola Holmes delivers an invigorating dose of mystery excitement that enthralls children with its mystique and adults with its arresting charm. Based on Nancy Springer's young adult expansion on Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic characters and stories, it follows Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown), the brilliant younger sister of master detective Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill), as she investigates the disappearance of her mother, Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter).
While adults may not be too perplexed by the case Enola works, it is a wonderful little labyrinth for children to be immersed in, especially with the movie's lively pacing and director Harry Bradbeer's gleeful sense of adventure fun. Parents, on the other hand, will be enchanted by the unyielding charm conveyed in the storytelling tone and the performances of the ensemble cast, with Brown commanding the film with complete assurance while Cavill revels in chewing scenery as the stuffy Sherlock figure. The mystery of what to watch, solved.
10 'The Mitchells vs. the Machines' (2021)
Winning over critics and audiences alike, The Mitchells vs. the Machines has established itself as one of the defining family adventure films of the decade so far. It revolves around the Mitchells, a dysfunctional family who embark on a cross-country road trip to take Katie (Abbie Jacobson), an aspiring filmmaker who constantly clashes with her technophobic father, Rick (Danny McBride), to college. However, when the world is besieged by the onset of a robot apocalypse, the Mitchells are forced to overcome their barriers and feuds in order to save not only themselves, but the whole of humanity as well.
There is a playful silliness to the film as one would expect from an animated family adventure, but beneath the surface-level slapstick chaos, The Mitchells vs. the Machines delivers compelling messages about the complexity of family bonds, the importance of communication, the power of self-discovery, and the risks that come with humanity's growing reliance on A.I. and technology. The end result is not only a vivacious and fun-filled family flick, but a decisively modern masterpiece of animated cinema as well, one that stands tall among the very best Netflix original productions.
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