The school holidays always bring a few rainy days — and a few too-hot-to-be-outside days too. When you need a solid indoor plan, a family movie night is the easy win.
We’ve rounded up 20 fun family movies to enjoy on Netflix, mixing well-loved classics with some newer favourites. Pop the popcorn, grab a blanket, and settle in for one of these together.
Prefer to watch a quick roundup first? Check out our video below before you scroll through the full list:
[Video: https://youtu.be/eMiv5MUvtQ0]
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Family Movies on Netflix
We’ve checked out what’s on offer for family viewing on Netflix, and there’s something here for every age and mood — from dog-and-family adventures to animated classics and beloved book adaptations.
Beethoven’s 2nd
Our favourite St Bernard 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. When Missy’s owner tries to sell off the puppies for profit, the Newton kids spring into action to rescue them.
Rating: U
Enola Holmes
When Enola Holmes, Sherlock’s teen 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 mom and dad who usually say no decide to say yes to their kids’ wildest requests, with a few ground rules, for a 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 ten-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 — go on a mission to get it back.
Rating: PG
Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle
A live-action retelling of the Jungle Book story. Human child Mowgli is raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India. As he learns the jungle’s often harsh rules under the tutelage of a bear named Baloo and a panther named Bagheera, Mowgli is accepted as one of their own — but the fearsome tiger Shere Khan doesn’t take a liking to him, and greater dangers may be waiting.
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 and the house gnomes turn out to be the only ones who can protect the town.
Rating: PG
The Little Prince
An animated version of the classic children’s book. The Aviator introduces a girl to a world where she rediscovers her childhood and learns that human connection matters most.
Rating: PG
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The Lorax
A film adaptation of the Dr Seuss book. Twelve-year-old Ted lives in a place with no trees or flowers, but to win the heart of the girl of his dreams, he must find a Truffula tree. His search leads him to the story of the Lorax, once the gruff 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. The film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen as the sisters, with Timothée Chalamet as their neighbour Laurie, Laura Dern as Marmee, and Meryl Streep as Aunt March.
Rating: U
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If you’re building your own watch list, you might also like our 50 Best Family Movies of All Time roundup, which has a downloadable checklist to tick off your favourites as you go.
Ballerina
Best friends Félicie and Victor hatch a plan to escape their rural orphanage in 19th-century France. Félicie dreams of becoming a ballerina, while Victor wants to use his brainpower to invent things. After busting out, Félicie makes her way to the Paris Opera, where she joins a class of highly trained dancers auditioning for the lead in a production of “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 a nearby hospital. They discover they share their home with some unusual creatures, including a large forest guardian they call Totoro, who helps them rediscover hope when trouble strikes.
Rating: U
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Matilda
The film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Matilda tells the story of a gifted girl forced to put up with a crude, distant mother and father, and a terrifyingly strict school principal, Agatha Trunchbull. When Matilda realises she has the power of telekinesis, she begins to defend her friends and fight back against her unkind parents.
Rating: PG
Kung Fu Panda
Enthusiastic, big, and a little clumsy, Po is the biggest fan of kung fu around — which doesn’t come in handy while working in his family’s noodle shop. Unexpectedly chosen to fulfil an ancient prophecy, Po joins the legendary Furious Five under the guidance of Master Shifu, just as the vengeful snow leopard Tai Lung is headed their way.
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 flies outside the hive for the first time and talks to a human, he learns that humans have been stealing and eating honey for centuries — and decides his true calling is to obtain justice for his kind.
Rating: U
The BFG
In this adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic, a little orphan meets a kind giant who’s supposed to eat her but instead protects her from some 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 a rich man named Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks decides to let an orphan live at his home to boost his image, Annie is chosen — but while settling into his mansion, she still longs to find her real parents.
Rating: PG
Fly Away Home
The soaring adventure of a 13-year-old girl and her estranged father, who learn what family really means when they adopt an orphaned flock of geese and teach them to fly. Starring Jeff Daniels, Anna Paquin and Dana Delaney.
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. Finding himself lost and alone, he discovers that city life isn’t all he imagined — until he meets the kindly Brown family, who take him in after reading the label around his neck: “Please look after this bear. Thank you.”
Rating: PG
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are all of these movies definitely on Netflix right now?
Streaming libraries change from time to time, so it’s always worth double-checking availability in the Netflix app before movie night, in case a title has moved on since this list was put together.
How do I know if a movie is suitable for my child’s age?
Each film above includes its official age rating (U, PG, or 12+) so you can quickly judge suitability. It’s still worth a quick check of the film’s content if your child is sensitive to particular themes, especially with the PG and 12+ titles.
What if my child wants something shorter, like a series instead of a movie?
Netflix also has plenty of family-friendly series if a full movie feels too long for movie night — worth browsing the kids’ section in the app for options alongside this list.
Can I watch these together as a family, or are some better for older kids only?
Most of the list is suitable for a mixed-age family audience, but titles rated 12+ (like Enola Holmes and Mowgli) are better suited to older children or a family with no very young viewers present.
Related Articles
- 50 of the Best Family Movies of All Time
- 101 Terrific Tween Movies The Whole Family Will Enjoy
- The Best ’80s Family Movies to Watch with Your Kids
- 18 Family Halloween Movies on Netflix for a Fun Fright Night
- 10 Brilliant Studio Ghibli Films to Watch with the Kids
Save This for Your Next Rainy Day
Bookmark this list or save it to your phone so it’s ready to go the next time you need an easy indoor plan. And if you’re building a full family movie collection, don’t forget our 50 Best Family Movies of All Time list, which comes with a downloadable checklist you can tick off together.
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