For me, watching children’s movies is a great family activity, because in addition to the endless snacks, laughs, and bonding, they can also help teach your kids about deep, real-world issues.
Of course, that depends on choosing the right movies, and that’s where I come in to make your next family movie night better. I’ve compiled a list of 3 evergreen children’s movies that I found to have some of the best messages ever. You can watch them online on streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+.
I personally use WOW! Internet, mainly because they offer fast internet with symmetrical speeds at an affordable price. Plus, opting for WOW bundles helps me save extra on top of the already affordable internet.
Now, with your internet all set, make some popcorn and get ready to dive into a world of entertainment!
Up
If any children’s movie perfectly balances imagination and fantasy with real-life situations, it’s Up.
The movie first takes you on a heartfelt journey, exploring the lives of two characters, Carl and Ellie, from their initial meeting to their marriage. Together, they share a dream of traveling to Paradise Falls, but can never manage to save up for it, due to more important needs (as real as it gets, isn’t it?).
Things then take a dark turn when Ellie suffers a miscarriage, and they find out they can’t have kids. The movie then explores what it means to support your partner through thick and thin as you grow old together.
Just when Carl manages to save up and surprise Ellie with a trip to South America, she falls sick and eventually dies, giving him his scrapbook, a moment when even a lot of the emotionally strong men cried.
Overcome with grief, a loss of companionship, and frustration, Carl becomes a recluse, often visited by a Boy Scout named Russell. He’s also forced by a major construction company to sell his house, which he refuses. After accidentally injuring a construction worker, he’s set to be sent to an assisted living facility, which is when the fantasy begins, as Carl, remembering his promise to Ellie, ties a thousand balloons to his house and takes off on an adventure of a lifetime to Paradise Falls, with Russell accidentally joining him.
From there, the film explores fulfillment, finding companionship in even the most unexpected places, and also how not everyone is what they seem. This blend of real-life problems, such as grief, loss of companionship, and giving up on dreams, paired with fantasy elements, such as flying using balloons, makes this movie a must-watch for not only children but adults as well.
The Iron Giant
Before Vin Diesel was Dominic Toretto, he was the Iron Giant. I’ve watched this one many times, but I feel like it doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Well, I’m here to change that. The movie explores real-life issues such as parental absence, friendship, government agendas, sacrifice, and choosing who you want to be.
It starts with an alien object crashing into the fictional town of Rockwell. The next day, a local boy named Hogarth Hughes, who lives with his widowed mother and is often bullied at school, finds the object, which turns out to be a 50-foot giant made entirely of metal, which is also what it eats.
In their first interaction, Hogarth saves the giant from electrocuting itself, and this gradually turns into a strong friendship with Hogarth teaching the giant about what it means to be human in different hilarious scenarios.
In one of their hangouts, the giant comes across a train track and starts eating it, leading to a collision with a train, an incident that catches the government’s attention. Soon, government agent Kent Helmsley is sent to investigate and eventually suspects Hogarth.
From there, we see Hogarth’s hilarious attempts to protect and keep his friend hidden, which eventually fall futile once the town comes across the giant when he saves two boys from falling off a roof.
Despite this, a paranoid Helmsley urges the army to attack the giant, during which Hogarth falls unconscious. The giant, thinking Hogarth died, acts out in anger and activates its self-defense system, attacking the army back and eventually surrendering when Hogarth stops the giant by reminding it of who it wants to be.
Mansley, who had urged the army to attack the giant with a nuclear weapon during this battle, orders it himself and puts the whole town in danger. The giant, having finally chosen who he is, decides to sacrifice himself to keep the town out of harm’s way.
The movie was a perfect reflection of how we treat those different from us with violence, and how friendship and will can help us stay true to who we are or want to be, despite an unfavorable environment.
Inside Out
Emotional awareness and management are two of the most important skills you can teach your children, and movies like Inside Out can make this a whole lot easier. I found the movie’s concept very unique, creative, and relevant, with themes such as emotional intelligence, self-acceptance, and how all emotional experiences are necessary.
The film centers around a girl named Riley, who’s moving into a new city, and her five main emotions, Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger, who are portrayed as individual characters, are trying to help her cope with this change. Each of these emotions has an island dedicated to its relevant core memories.
Joy is their leader, and to keep Riley happy, often limits Sadness’s influence. Things take a turn when Sadness retroactively saddens joyous memories, leading Riley to cry in her class on the first day in her new school. This leads to a struggle between Sadness and Joy, which knocks over Riley’s core memories and pulls all 3 out of headquarters, with Anger, Fear, and Disgust left in charge.
The film then takes us on a hilarious ride of how Anger, Fear, and Disgust try to make Riley happy, and how joy and sadness navigate out of her memories. Joy and Sadness come across one of Riley’s old memories, an imaginary friend named Bing Bong.
During this journey, Joy realizes how Sadness helps alert the other emotions when Riley is sad, and allows them to help her. Bing Bong helps them escape. However, he sacrifices himself so that they can proceed. When they return to headquarters, Joy allows Sadness to take charge as Riley is on her way to run from home. By saddening her core memories, Sadness encourages Riley to return to her parents and tell them how she feels about moving.
By exploring the importance of memories, emotions, and communication, the movie can be a great way to teach your children about how to positively voice their opinions and resolve conflicts.
Children’s Movies – Blending Entertainment with Lifelong Education
Whether it’s emotional management, companionship, adventure, or friendship, the lessons packed into children’s movies can go a long way in helping them with different parts of their lives.
These movies happen to be some of my favorites, with their unique concepts and creativity levels, but hey, there are many more for you to try out, and if you find some, do leave them in the comments below.
