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If the kids are in the mood for exciting or funny movies, the streaming service Netflix offers a colorful range for all interests and ages. The following 35 children’s films are guaranteed to eliminate boredom and put you in a good mood!
1. My Neighbor Totoro (Rated 0+)
Because their mother is in the hospital, sisters Satsuki and Mei move to a new house in the countryside with their father. The two discover that in the adjacent forest lives a forest spirit, who quickly takes the two children into his heart. When her mother’s condition worsens, and Mei suddenly disappears, Satsuki and Totoro search for her little sister in an unusual way.
Not only the story of the film is beautifully and heart-touchingly told. The main character Totoro is also just incredibly adorable!
2. Hotel Transylvania (Rated 6+)
Count Dracula has built a second leg for himself. He runs a hotel for monsters with his daughter Mavis. When one day the human boy Jonathan strays into the hotel, he completely turns the lives of Dracula and especially Mavis upside down. While the boy is fascinated by the monsters and falls for Mavis, her father wants only one thing: to expel the human from his hotel again!
The film is totally funny and makes not only the young audience laugh. This is also ensured by the many different creatures that visit the Hotel Transylvania.
3. Vicky the Viking (Rated 0+)
Wickie is the son of the Viking chieftain Flake. Unfortunately, he is also a big coward. He makes up for what he lacks in courage with his sharp mind. When all of the village’s children are kidnapped one day, Wicki sets out with his father and his followers to recover the lost children.
The film is a conversion of the television series of the same name and convinces with humor, tension, and charm.
4. The Mitchells vs. the Machines (Rated 6+)
Katie Mitchell is a little different in a family full of people who are a little different. Unfortunately, these differences don’t quite add up when it comes to her and her father. When their father decides to cancel their plane ticket to film school and instead arrange a family trip from Michigan to L.A. to make, Katie is anything but pleased. But when the family reunion is interrupted by a robot uprising, the Mitchells must find a way to save themselves and the world from the tech apocalypse.
A dazzling and life-affirming portrait of family life that everyone will love. Not only one of the best-animated children’s films of 2021 but one of the best films of the year.
5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Rated 6+)
The poor boy Charlie wins a ticket to explore the legendary chocolate factory of the cranky Willi Wonkas. Along with other children, the boy is immersed in a wonderland of chocolate and gets to know the strange operator of the company more closely.
The adaptation of the well-known children’s book offers many colorful and fantastic images and brings the fairy tale to life uniquely. The film is wonderfully cast with actors like Johnny Depp and Willi Wonka.
6. We Can Be Heroes (Rated 6+)
If you’re looking for a cute and silly sci-fi adventure for your kid, “We Can Be Heroes” is a great movie for it. When alien invaders abduct Earth’s (now adult) superheroes, their children must band together to save the world. If this sounds exactly like Spy Kids, that’s because it’s basically the same storyline. But it’s still a good-humored adventure that thrives on the playful performances of the adults involved.
The film is a light-hearted fantasy/sci-fi adventure for kids that will go down well with fans of the Spy Kids franchise.
7. The Smurfs (Rated 0+)
In a hidden village in the forest live little blue creatures known as Smurfs. While they go about a peaceful daily routine, the nasty wizard Gargamel plans to capture all the Smurfs and throw them into his cooking pot. Through his magic, the blue creatures are involuntarily torn from their world and taken to faraway New York. Their only goal is to return home again. They are to be helped by the humans Patrick and Grace, whose everyday life is turned upside down by the bustling Smurfs.
Not only actors like Neil Patrick Harris or Katy Perry as the voice of Smurfette make this film an experience. The funny story and the great animations are also convincing all along the line.
8. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Trip (Rated 0+)
The Chipmunks have a problem. They find an engagement ring among Dave’s things and fear that Dave is about to propose to his girlfriend, Samantha. When the two take a trip to Miami, Alvin and Co. travel behind to prevent the proposal at all costs. But it’s not so easy because, as chipmunks, Alvin, Simon, and Theo have no money and must embark on an adventurous journey across the U.S. to save Dave from a perceived mistake.
As usual, the Chipmunks provide the hustle and bustle and fun for young and old alike, which is further enhanced with a leisurely sightseeing trip across the U.S.
9. Sams in Gefahr (Rated 0+)
The Sams is back! This time it is to help Martin Taschenbier, the son of Margarete and Bruno, because Martin has no friends. The Sams grant the boy his wishes and turns his life upside down. In the process, however, it, unfortunately, attracts the interest of the nasty gym teacher Daume. Without further ado, he kidnaps the Sams so that he can fulfill his wishes. Martin and his parents set out on a quest to free Sam from the clutches of Mr. Daume.
The children’s book adaptation is very lovingly and wittily designed and promises plenty of entertainment not only for friends of the Sams.
10. Spirited Away (Rated 3+)
The young girl Chihiro moves with her parents. On their way to the new house, the three pass by an abandoned tunnel from which strange food smells emanate. The parents follow the scent and find a huge buffet. When they eat it, they turn into pigs. It soon becomes apparent that Chihiro has stumbled into the world of ghosts. Now she has to find a way to change her parents back to leave the magic land together with them again.
The epic anime fairy tale convinces not only by its beautiful drawings but also by its gripping story, which is rousing to the last minute.
11. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (Rated 6+)
Flint Lockwood has arrived! He finally gets to work as a scientist and inventor in a big company. But the Live Corp Company head, Chester V, is only interested in Flint’s food machine. He uses it to conduct experiments that turn animals into food. When the experiment goes wrong, suddenly, a world of its own emerges as food. Flint and his friends must explore the crazy – and delicious – world to stop the food machine before it can do any damage!
Like the first part, the movie is just weird and funny. Along the way, it also makes you hungry for delicious food!
12. Peter Rabbit (Rated 6+)
Peter Rabbit has a problem. After a new resident moves in next door, the little bunny has a hard time snarfing down his daily supply of vegetables. The painter Bea helps Peter as best she can against the rabbit-hater Thomas. In the process, the young people gradually get closer to each other. When a mishap breaks up the relationship between Thomas and Bea, Peter decides to do everything in his power to bring the two young people back together again.
The film shows itself with a lot of humor and a lot of heart. The film adaptation of the children’s book is very successful and shines, among other things, because of the very cute main character.
13. Vivo (Rated 6+)
Vivo is a kinkajou, also known as “honey bear.” Vivo spends his days performing with his owner Andrés in Havana, Cuba. One day Andrés receives a letter from his old love Marta Sandoval, asking him if he will perform with her one last time at her farewell show in Miami. Andrés finds the love song he wrote for her years ago and decides he must bring it to her.
Unfortunately, a tragedy prevents Andrés from making the journey, and Vivo decides to leave the safety of the world he knows to bring the song to Marta. Vivo’s journey takes him from Havana to Key West and the Everglades to Miami. Along the way, he meets Gabi, a confident 10-year-old with purple hair who doesn’t want to be like all the other girls.
Vivo is a living love letter to Cuba, Florida, and the people who live there. The more diversity is shown in movies for kids, the better. Part adventure, part wistful romance – along with some nice lessons about friendship, family, and risk-taking – Vivo is entertaining and familiar.
14. Space Jam (Rated 0+)
Bugs Bunny and his friends have an enormous problem. To fend off an alien invasion, the comic characters must compete against the aliens in a basketball game. But the aliens cheat and steal the powers of professional players. The Looney Toons see only one chance. They “enlist” superstar Michael Jordan to train with them. But the aliens have other nasty plans with which they make life difficult for the comic rabbit and his friends.
The mix of comic and live-action adaptation convinces, among others with, popular characters like Bugs Bunny, Duffy Duck, and Co. But basketball legend Michael Jordan also cuts a good figure. Together the stars present a witty mixture of comedy and sports movies.
15. Kung Fu Panda (Rated 6+)
Panda Po has a dream. He wants to become a master of kung fu. Unfortunately, the panda is fat, gluttonous, and rather clumsy. But when he is chosen to become a legendary dragon warrior, his life changes. He is allowed to move into the mystical Jade Palace, where his training is to begin. His master Shifu doesn’t think much of the panda at all and wants to get rid of him as soon as possible. But Po is stubborn and will not be dissuaded from his dream at any price.
A panda bear who wants to learn kung fu sounds like two things that don’t go together at all. In fact, the film is incredibly funny. The German dubbing also contributes to this. For example, Po is voiced by Harpe Kerkeling, Shifu has the voice of Gottfried John, and Cosma Shiva Hagen voices the role of the snake Viper.
16. The Cat Returns (Rated 0+)
Schoolgirl Haru saves a little cat from being run over by a truck. In gratitude, she receives an invitation to the kingdom of cats. To do this, the young girl herself is transformed into a cat to be able to move freely in the kingdom. However, Haru has no idea that the king of cats has an ulterior motive. He wants to marry the young girl to the prince. When Haru realizes what is being played, she tries to escape from the cat kingdom. She is helped by the Baron, a representative of the bourgeois cats.
The lovingly told story takes the audience on a fantastic journey from the first minute and offers entertainment for young and old with a good mix of suspense, humor, and epics.
17. Enola Holmes (Rated 12+)
In Enola Holmes, a crime thriller about Sherlock Holmes’ brilliant little sister and her efforts to thwart crime, actress Millie Bobby Brown finally gets to do more than scream and frown. Enola Holmes is about the liberation Enola experiences as she comes of age and steps out of the closed world her enigmatic mother Eudora has built around her. When her mother disappears, Enola quickly concludes that Eudora is on the run, so she leaves Ferndell, the Holmes family estate, to find her and understand why she left in the first place.
With a wink here, a smile there, and a stare but knowing look at the audience, Brown is full of verve, glee, and enough pathos to make the sub-theme of civil unrest and social change real and relevant to kids on the cusp of teens and teens on the cusp of adulthood.
18. Shrek (Rated 0+)
The grumpy ogre Shrek leads a secluded life in his swamp. He loves peace, quiet, and his own chaos. But the peace and quiet are suddenly over. Because the nasty Lord Farquaad has simply relocated all the mythical creatures from his kingdom and shipped them to Shrek’s swamp. To restore peace, Shrek offers the lord an unusual deal.
He sets out to find Princess Fiona, who is being held captive by a dragon in a hidden tower. Farquaad agrees because he hopes to become king of the land by marrying the princess. But Shrek is not interested in the background. All he wants is his swamp back, and any means will do.
The computer-animated film mixes classic mythical creatures from many fairy tales with contemporary pop culture. Together with the unusual story, the film offers great entertainment with a lot of humor.
19. Tom and Jerry – The Movie (Rated 0+)
Tom the cat and Jerry the mouse are two old arch-enemies. All day long, they chase each other and play tricks on each other. When their owners move and forget about the two of them, Tom and Jerry are left to fend for themselves on the city streets. In the process, they meet the girl Robyn, who has fled from her nasty aunt Innozenia Fies.
The aunt only harbors the girl because she collects money for her care and thus finances her life. Tom and Jerry want to help Robyn. But this turns out to be anything but easy because Aunt Innozenia and her dog Ferdinand make life difficult for them. Only when the two enemies can put their differences aside can they help Robyn.
The film adaptation of the well-known cartoon series is bursting with jokes and tips at all corners. But the story about the girl Robyn and about the emergence of a fragile friendship is also beautiful and soulful.
20. Benji (Rated 6+)
On a walk, Carter finds a small stray street dog and takes him home. While his sister Frankie immediately falls in love with the little bundle of fur, Carter’s mother Whitney is not at all thrilled about the visit. But even as she tries to talk the kids out of the dog, the siblings are already christening him “Benji” and declaring him a family member. When some nasty crooks kidnap Carter and Frankie, the little stray has to show what he’s made of. Because even though he looks cute, Benji is a fistful and makes life difficult for the villains.
A remake of the 70’s film of the same name, “Benji,” convinces with a cute story, a very cuddly main character, and fun for the whole family. Very much worth watching!
21. Nightbooks (Rated 12+)
The film Nightbooks is the perfect introductory horror film for children. The Netflix film is reminiscent of the 80s, giving children and teenagers mild nightmares as part of good manners. A big part of the pleasure of Nightbooks is that the film doesn’t pander or overpromise with its scary moments or dark moments. The film plunges right into the plight of young Alex.
The schoolboy with a penchant for all things horror trudges through his gloomily decorated house, appropriately decorated for Halloween on his birthday. At the same time, his parents whisper their concerns about his weird obsession. While they worry, Alex packs a bag with his notebooks filled with his stories and gets into the elevator of his apartment. Only this one doesn’t let him off on the first floor.
The elevator deposits him on an eerily desolate floor, where the door to 4E is wide open, with a delicious slice of pumpkin pie and a small television set. As it turns out, Alex is an easy target because that’s all he needs to fall into the trap Natasha is in. She is a witch who lures children into her clutches, and if they don’t have anything special about them, they are eliminated without hesitation. Only Alex’s books full of scary stories are his salvation, as Natasha demands that he read her a new story every night.
22. The Willoughbys (Rated 6+)
In this 2020 Netflix original, we meet the Willoughby children, who are convinced that they should educate themselves rather than be under their parents’ care. So they hatch a devious plan to send their selfish parents on vacation while embarking on their own high-flying adventure to find the true meaning of family. As you might expect, everything they think they know isn’t quite right.
23. Wish Dragon (Rated 6+)
Din wants to meet again with his best friend from childhood days. Thanks to a wish-granting dragon, he may get his chance. But how can he decide what’s really important when he can wish for anything in the world?
“The Wish Dragon” is very reminiscent of “Aladdin,” but the modern setting and focus on friendship instead of romance make the film feel fresh.
24. Finding ʻOhana (Rated 0+)
Two Brooklyn siblings reluctantly head to Hawaii to visit their grandfather and end up on a life-changing adventure. This Netflix original is also a lively celebration of Hawaiian culture in Part Goonies, part Indiana Jones. This adventure emphasizes family togetherness and pride in one’s heritage.
25. Pokémon: Mewtu Strikes Back – Evolution
26. The Karate Kid (Rated 12+)
27. Walk. Ride. Rodeo. (Rated 12+)
28. Next Gen (Rated 6+)
29. Bee Movie (Rated 0+)
30. Klaus (Rated 6+)
Boredom? With 30 movies featured, kids have a colorful mix of excitement and fun to spend quality time with. But adults definitely get their money’s worth from the selection as well. Thus, the whole family can enjoy the movie selection on Netflix and simply forget the world around them for a few hours.
