Rainy days (and the odd too-hot-to-go-out day) are just part of school holiday life. Once the novelty of free time wears off, most parents end up hunting for something to keep everyone happily occupied indoors for a couple of hours.
One of the easiest wins? A family movie afternoon. Pop some popcorn, grab a blanket, and let everyone pile onto the sofa together.
If you’re in Ireland, you’ll know the summer holidays can run to eight weeks or more, and a fair few of those days come with rain. Wherever you’re reading from, there’s rarely a shortage of moments when a good family film comes in handy — after school, a wet Saturday, or just a slow Sunday evening.
We’ve rounded up 20 family-friendly movies to enjoy on Netflix, mixing well-loved classics with some more recent additions. As always, streaming libraries change from time to time, so it’s worth double-checking a title is still available before you settle in.
Prefer to watch rather than read? We’ve also put together a quick video with some of our family movie picks — watch it here.
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20 Family Movies to Watch on Netflix
Beethoven’s 2nd
Our favourite St Bernard dog is back, and the Newtons are in for another adventure when Beethoven falls in love with fellow canine Missy and starts a family of his own. But instead of one big happy family, Missy’s owner Regina wants to sell off the puppies for profit. The Newton kids spring into action to save the pups before Regina can get her way.
Rating: U
Enola Holmes
When Enola Holmes, Sherlock’s teenage sister, discovers her mother is missing, she sets off to find her. Using her own super-sleuth skills, she outwits her famous brother and unravels a dangerous conspiracy around a mysterious young Lord.
Rating: 12+
Yes Day
A mum and dad who usually say no decide to say yes to their kids’ wildest requests, with just a few ground rules, for one whirlwind day of fun and adventure.
Rating: PG
Benji
A dog comes to the rescue and helps heal a broken family when a boy and his sister stumble into serious danger.
Rating: PG
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Pachamama
An award-winning animated film about a 10-year-old boy who dreams of becoming his village’s shaman. When a sacred statue is taken from his Andean village, he and his best friend, along with her smart-talking llama, set off on a mission to get it back.
Rating: PG
Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle
A live-action retelling of the Disney classic The Jungle Book. Human child Mowgli is raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India, learning the often harsh rules of the jungle under the tutelage of a bear named Baloo and a panther named Bagheera. He’s accepted as one of the pack, but the fearsome tiger Shere Khan isn’t so welcoming — and greater dangers may be lurking closer to home.
Rating: 12+
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Gnome Alone
A teenage girl moves into a new house in a new town and discovers it’s under attack by underground beasts. She soon learns that she and the resident garden gnomes are the only ones who can protect the town.
Rating: PG
The Little Prince
An animated adaptation of the classic children’s book. The Aviator introduces a young girl to a world where she rediscovers her childhood — and learns that it’s human connection that matters most.
Rating: PG
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The Lorax
Another Dr Seuss adaptation. Twelve-year-old Ted lives in Thneedville, a town devoid of nature — no flowers, no trees. To win the heart of the girl of his dreams, he must find something she wants most: a real Truffula tree. His search leads him to the story of the Lorax, once the guardian of the forest, and the Once-ler, who let greed overtake his respect for nature.
Rating: U
Little Women
The beloved story of the March sisters — four young women each determined to live life on her own terms — brought to life with a stellar cast including Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Timothée Chalamet, Laura Dern and Meryl Streep.
Rating: U
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Don’t miss our best family movies checklist to download and work your way through as a family. Did your favourite make the list?
Ballerina
Best friends Félicie and Victor hatch a plan to escape their rural orphanage in 19th-century France. Félicie dreams of becoming a ballerina, and after breaking free, she makes her way to the Paris Opera to join a class of highly trained dancers auditioning for the lead in The Nutcracker.
Rating: PG
My Neighbour Totoro
Two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, move with their father to a new house in the countryside while their mother recovers from illness in hospital. They discover they share their home with some unusual — and rather large — new friends who help them rediscover hope when trouble strikes.
Rating: U
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Matilda
Roald Dahl’s beloved story of Matilda Wormwood, a gifted girl who puts up with crude, distant parents and a terrifyingly strict school principal, Agatha Trunchbull. When Matilda discovers she has the power of telekinesis, she uses it to defend her friends and stand up for herself.
Rating: PG
Kung Fu Panda
Po is the biggest kung fu fan around, which doesn’t come in handy while working in his family’s noodle shop. Unexpectedly chosen to fulfil an ancient prophecy, he joins the legendary Furious Five under Master Shifu — just as the treacherous snow leopard Tai Lung threatens everyone he loves.
Rating: PG
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The Bee Movie
Fresh out of college, Barry the Bee finds the prospect of working with honey uninspiring. When he learns humans have been taking honey from bees for centuries, he decides to sue humanity for theft.
Rating: U
The BFG
A modern take on Roald Dahl’s classic. A little orphan meets a kind giant who’s supposed to eat her — but instead protects her from truly horrible giants who terrorise them both.
Rating: PG
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Annie
An orphan in a facility run by the mean Miss Hannigan, Annie believes her parents left her there by mistake. When wealthy Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks selects her to live at his home to boost his public image, Annie still longs to find her real parents — so Warbucks offers a reward, which brings out plenty of frauds along the way.
Rating: PG
Fly Away Home
A 13-year-old girl and her estranged father learn what family means when they adopt an orphaned flock of geese and teach them to fly. Starring Jeff Daniels, Anna Paquin and Dana Delany.
Rating: U
Hook
When Captain James Hook kidnaps his children, an adult Peter Pan must return to Neverland and reclaim his youthful spirit to challenge his old enemy once more.
Rating: U
Paddington
The comic misadventures of a young Peruvian bear who travels to the city in search of a home. Lost and alone, he meets the kindly Brown family, who take him in — until a museum taxidermist sets his sights on this rarest of bears.
Rating: PG
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FAQs: Family Movies on Netflix
How do I know if a movie is still on Netflix?
Streaming libraries change fairly often as licensing deals come and go, so it’s always worth checking the Netflix app or website to confirm a title is currently available before movie night.
Are these movies suitable for all ages?
Most titles on this list carry a U or PG rating and were chosen with families in mind, though a few (like Enola Holmes and Mowgli) are rated 12+. Check the rating listed for each film and use your own judgement for younger or more sensitive viewers.
What’s a good way to choose a movie the whole family agrees on?
Try letting each child pick a favourite from the list and take turns, or use a simple system like everyone naming one “yes” and one “no” until you land on tonight’s pick.
Do I need a printable list to keep track of what we’ve watched?
We don’t have a dedicated printable for this particular list, but our best family movies checklist is a handy way to tick off favourites as a family.
More Movie Night Inspiration
- 50 of the Best Family Movies of All Time
- 18 Family Halloween Movies on Netflix for a Fun Fright Night
- 10 Brilliant Studio Ghibli Films to Watch with the Kids
- 14 of the Best Irish Movies for Your Next Family Movie Night
- An A to Z of Fun Family Films
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