Rainy afternoons, too-hot-to-go-out days, or just a lazy weekend when nobody fancies leaving the house — sometimes the best plan is a big bowl of popcorn and a family movie on the sofa.
We’ve rounded up 20 fun family movies to enjoy on Netflix, mixing well-loved classics with some newer favourites. There’s something here for younger kids, tweens, and the grown-ups watching along too.
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Prefer to watch rather than scroll? Press play on our video roundup of family movie favourites, then keep scrolling for the full list with details on each film: https://youtu.be/eMiv5MUvtQ0
Family Movies on Netflix
The summer holidays are long here in Ireland, and rainy days are more the norm than not. So finding things to amuse the kids can start to feel like a chore after the first week or two.
One easy solution: pop some popcorn, grab a drink, and settle in for a movie together. We’ve picked out 20 family-friendly films to enjoy on Netflix, from classics to more recent releases.
Beethoven’s 2nd
Our favourite St Bernard is back, and the Newtons are in for another adventure when their dog, Beethoven, falls in love with fellow canine Missy and has a family of his own. Instead of one big happy family, though, Missy’s owner Regina wants to sell the puppies for profit. The Newton kids spring into action to rescue the little dogs before Regina can make her deal — but she’s determined to get them back.
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, on 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
Pachamama is 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, the boy, along with his best friend and 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 Disney classic The Jungle Book. Human child Mowgli is raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India. As he learns the often harsh rules of the jungle under the tutelage of a bear named Baloo and a panther named Bagheera, Mowgli is accepted by the animals as one of their own — but the fearsome tiger Shere Khan doesn’t take a liking to him, and greater dangers may be lurking as Mowgli comes face to face with his human origins.
Rating: 12+
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Gnome Alone
A teenage girl moves to a new house in a new town and discovers it’s under attack by underground beasts. She soon finds that she and the house gnomes are 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 young girl to a world where she rediscovers her childhood and learns that it’s human connections that matter most — and that it’s only with the heart that one can see rightly, since what is essential is invisible to the eye.
Rating: PG
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The Lorax
Another Dr Seuss adaptation. Twelve-year-old Ted lives in Thneedville, a place virtually devoid of nature, with no flowers or trees. Ted wants to win the heart of Audrey, the girl of his dreams, and to do that he must find what she desires most: a Truffula tree. To get it, he delves into 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 — is both timeless and timely. Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen play Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth March, with Timothée Chalamet as their neighbour Laurie, Laura Dern as Marmee, and Meryl Streep as Aunt March.
Rating: U
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Looking for a fun way to track what you’ve watched? Check out our best family movies checklist — a handy download to work through together as a family.
Ballerina
Best friends Félicie and Victor hatch a plan to escape from 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 the girls call Totoro. When trouble arises, their new friends help them rediscover hope.
Rating: U
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Matilda
The film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Matilda tells the story of Matilda Wormwood, a gifted girl forced to put up with a crude, distant father and mother. Worse, Agatha Trunchbull, the evil principal at Matilda’s school, is a terrifyingly strict bully. When Matilda realises she has the power of telekinesis, she begins to defend her friends from Trunchbull’s wrath 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 exactly come in handy while working every day in his family’s noodle shop. Unexpectedly chosen to fulfil an ancient prophecy, Po joins the world of kung fu and studies alongside his idols, the legendary Furious Five, under the guidance of Master Shifu. But the vengeful snow leopard Tai Lung is headed their way, and it’s up to Po to defend everyone from the threat.
Rating: PG
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The Bee Movie
Fresh out of college, Barry the Bee finds the prospect of working with honey uninspiring. He flies outside the hive for the first time and talks to a human, breaking a cardinal rule of his species. When Barry learns that humans have been stealing and eating honey for centuries, he decides his true calling is to seek justice for his kind.
Rating: U
The BFG
In a modern adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The BFG, 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. While she gets used to living in Warbucks’ mansion, she still longs to meet her parents — so Warbucks announces a search for them, bringing out plenty of frauds along the way.
Rating: PG
Fly Away Home
The soaring adventure of a 13-year-old girl and her estranged father, who learn what family is all about 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.
Rating: U
Paddington
Paddington tells the story of a young Peruvian bear who travels to the city in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone, he begins to realise city life isn’t quite what he imagined — until he meets the kindly Brown family, who read the label around his neck saying “Please look after this bear. Thank you,” and offer him a temporary home. It looks as though his luck has changed, until this rarest of bears catches the eye of a museum taxidermist.
Rating: PG
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Frequently Asked Questions
What age rating system do you use for these movies?
We use the standard UK/Irish age classifications (U, PG, 12+) that appear on Netflix and other streaming platforms in Ireland, so you can quickly judge whether a film suits your children.
Are all of these movies still available on Netflix?
Netflix’s catalogue changes regularly, and titles can move on or off the platform over time. It’s always worth double-checking availability on Netflix before movie night — we do our best to keep this list fresh, but streaming libraries shift often.
What if a movie isn’t quite right for my younger children?
Even within family-friendly ratings, tone and themes can vary — some of these films (like Enola Holmes or Mowgli) suit older kids and tweens better than younger children. Check the rating and a quick synopsis if you’re unsure, and consider watching the first few minutes together before committing to the whole film.
Where can I find more family movie ideas?
We’ve got plenty more roundups to explore, from all-time classics to seasonal picks — see the related reads below for more inspiration.
More Family Movie Ideas
- 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
Save This for Your Next Movie Night
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