As parents, we are always on look-out for good films to watch with children. We tend to know lots of the Disney films, so for something a bit different, here’s our Top non-Disney Movies for Kids.

#1. Fly Away Home (1996)

Jeff Daniels and Anna Paquin (child star of “The Piano”) star in a story about a 13-year old who has moved in with her father following her mother’s death in a car accident.

She finds some abandoned goose eggs and takes care of them. But winter is coming and the geese don’t know how to find their way south, so Father and daughter set off to lead the geese home.

#2 Because Of Winn-Dixie (2005)

As the film develops the story of her mother also begins to become clear, and helps her make new friends.

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#3. Laura’s Star (2004)

Animated film based on Klaus Baumgart’s children’s book, Laura and her family move to a town and she finds it difficult to settle in. When she sees a shooting star falling to earth and finds it in a park nearby, she brings it home and with her brother Tommy, discovers that it can do magical things and bring objects to life.But the longer the star stays on earth, the weaker it gets, can Laura and Tommy save the star?

#4. Spirited Away (2001)

Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film is the most unusual story of a girl, Chihiro who has to cross over to the spirit world to try to save her mother and father who have been turned into pigs for being greedy when they end up in a mysterious town on their way to their new home. A young boy, Haku, helps Chihiro find work in a bathhouse for the thousands of Japan’s gods and spirits and she embarks on a journey of discovery as she tries to rescue her parents.

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#5. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Another Hayao Miyazaki animated film, this is the story of Kiki, a 13 year old who is training to be a witch and who has to leave home for a year to learn to live on their own.

Kiki, and her cat, Gigi, fly to a town where she ends up starting her own delivery service and making new friends. Kiki loses her power to fly in the and has to find out how to regain her powers and rescue her friend.

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#6. The Swan Princess (1994)

The classic Swan Lake tale has been turned into an animated musical. An enchanter, Rothbart, has turned Princess Odette into a swan by day, human at night.

Prince Derek, Odette’s childhood friend, tracks her down but Rothbert has a wicked plan to stop the two from getting together. Predictable but with a good soundtrack and good animation.

#7. The NeverEnding Story (1984)

This epic fantasy film tells the story of quiet,troubled boy, Bastian Bux,who loves to read. When Bastian ducks into a bookshop to avoid bullies on his way to school, he finds and “borrows” the unsual book “The NeverEnding Story), hides up in the attic in school, and starts to read.

As he reads about the land of Fantasia, he soon realises he is in the story, and thus begins a great adventure.

#8. E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

This Steven Speilberg science fiction film tells the story of Elliot, a lonely boy, who befriends an extra-terrestrial (dubbed E.T), who is stranded here on Earth.

Elliot and his siblings help the stranded extra-terrestrial to return home, while keeping him hidden from their Mum and the government.

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#9. The Secret of Kells (2009)

This animated movie by Cartoon Saloon, tells the story of the boy behind the Book of Kells, Brendan. Brendan has apprenticed in the scriptorium of the monastery and has heard the story of Aidan of Iona, a master illuminator working on the Book of Iona. Aidan later comes to the monastery, accompanied by his cat Pangur Bán. Brendan meets a forest spirit named Aisling, while in the forest, who introduces him to a wider world.

#10. Star Wars (1977)

The 1977 original version and was the founding of that galaxy far, far away! With all other versions made, this is now titled “Episode IV – A New Hope”.

Luke Skywalker, a spirited farm boy, joins rebel forces to save Princess Leia from the evil Darth Vader, and the galaxy from the Empire’s planet-destroying Death Star. Action-packed all the way!

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