It can be difficult to know what kinds of films will be enjoyable and appropriate for kids. The 4-6 age range is especially tricky, considering how formative that time can be. You certainly don’t want to show them anything too advanced! We’ve rounded up our favorite family-friendly films to add to your kid’s watchlist, from old-school classics like The Wizard of Oz, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, and Mary Poppins to modern favorites such as The LEGO Movie, Moana, and Paddington 2.
Here’s our list of dozens of great movies to show the 4-to-6-year-olds in your life — many of which are just as entertaining for the whole family.
Shrek (2001)
The evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) has banished fairy-tale beings from his land of Duloc so it can be as cookie-cutter boring as he is, but a few lovable characters stand in his way: a smelly green ogre with a heart of gold named Shrek (Mike Myers); his faithful Donkey (Eddie Murphy); and the beautiful, down-to-earth Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). Zany fairy-tale-tastic antics ensue — with multilevel jokes that manage to amuse both young and old. The Oscar-winning film spawned a franchise including three sequels: Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010).
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
A gingham-sporting Kansas girl (Judy Garland) is dreamily transported from her home on the range to a Technicolor wonderland, where she befriends a scarecrow (Ray Bolger), a tin man (Jack Haley), and a lion (Bert Lahr). There, she learns about self-sufficiency, capitalism, and how to kill bad witches.
The Sound of Music (1965)
“The hills are alive…with the sound of muuuusic!” Julie Andrews conducting “Do-Re-Mi” to a klatsch of von Trapp children had kids driving their parents wild back in the day and learning to appreciate music.
Charlotte’s Web (1973)
Honestly, who can say they didn’t watch Wilbur and Charlotte’s farm friendship blossom about a million times as a child? This story of the sweet camaraderie between a naive pig and his wise spider friend — with lovable supporting characters like Ram, Goose, and Templeton the gluttonous rat — still spins quite the spellbinding web after all these years.
Babe (1995)
He’s the other precocious farm pig who captivated viewers of all ages. Using his charm, good attitude, and a heap of advice from Ferdinand the Duck and Maa the Sheep, Babe went from potential dinner fare to beloved ribbon-winner.
The Incredibles (2004)
The family that takes on dangerous weaponeers and giant robots together stays together. That’s what “retired” superhero Mr. Incredible learns, anyway, as his on-the-side derring-do gets the whole Incredible clan — Elastigirl, Violet, Dash, and even baby Jack-Jack — into hot water. The family returned 14 years later for the well-received sequel, Incredibles 2 (2018).
The Iron Giant (1999)
A scary metal machine falls to Earth and spooks the residents of a small town in Maine in Commie-obsessed 1958. Then it finds a friend in 9-year-old Hogarth Hughes, who teaches his new iron buddy the ins and outs of life on our planet (killing is bad, Superman is awesome, and cannonballing into a lake is the cat’s meow). Naturally, the Army shows up and ruins everything. We dare you — no, we triple-dog-dare you — not to mist up at the end.
The Lion King (1994)
Yes, this Disney movie contains a murder most foul — which is fitting for a savanna-set coming-of-age story that was referred to as Bamlet, for its mixing of parental death (Bambi) and dastardly avuncular deeds (Hamlet). But the story of Simba, the lion cub who matures into the King of the Jungle, is also a brightly colored fantasia, filled with catchy songs (bet you just started humming “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”), a cast of memorable characters (Timon and Pumbaa, anyone?), and lasting themes about friendship and identity.
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
This rambunctious tale of not-so-scary scary monsters is utterly charming, totally surreal, and wonderfully familiar. And don’t miss the prequel film, Monsters University (2013), to see how Mike (Billy Crystal) met Sulley (John Goodman).
My Dog Skip (2000)
Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle) stars in this Hallmark-sweet movie based on Willie Morris’ 1995 memoir. This big-screen adaptation of the boy-meets-dog story, set against the backdrop of WWII-era Mississippi, lacks the teeth of the source work but remains engaging for young kids.
Finding Nemo (2003)
Life underwater has never looked as good as it does in this animated wonderland. Swimming along with worrywart Marlin (Albert Brooks) as he searches for his missing son — the adventurous Nemo — and laughing with (not at) Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) is easily translatable fun for all. Fast-forward or be ready for some scary scenes, though (the death of Nemo’s mother early on, Nemo getting caught by the dentist, and the shark chase).
Toy Story (1995), Toy Story 2 (1999), Toy Story 3 (2010), and Toy Story 4 (2019)
Countless children have grown up with Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Woody (Tom Hanks), and the rest of the gang of toys as their friends. Parents of the younger set might want to fast-forward through the more intense scenes (Sadistic Sid in 1, the escape scene in 2, the incinerator scene in 3, and Gabby Gabby and her creepy army of puppets in 4), but overall the themes of friendship and loyalty, combined with the wonderful animation, make lightning strike four times.
Ponyo (2009)
Legendary Japanese animation artist Hayao Miyazaki‘s captivating take on The Little Mermaid brought us the lovable Ponyo, who falls in love with a little boy named Sosuke and decides that what she wants most (much to the distress of her sorcerer father) is to become a little land-based girl. The traditional cell animation is far from the only thing appealing in this new classic.
Cars (2006), Cars 2 (2011), and Cars 3 (2017)
Kids can’t help but be drawn in by the talking emotive cars that make up this franchise. There’s just too much fun to be had as Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) learns lasting lessons about something more important than fame: friendship.
Madagascar (2008), Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008), and Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012)
It’s all madcap adventure as Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer), and Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) break free from the zoo only to find themselves shipwrecked on Madagascar. There’s a number of instances of bad behavior (the penguins or the lemurs), but overall, it’s simply a fun ride.
One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
Although an evil woman’s plans to skin puppies for a new fur coat is horrifying, any child will most definitely have the same Cruella de Vil-type reaction to this film: “Fifteen puppies! How marvelous!”
Mary Poppins (1964)
This Julie Andrews-led fantasy musical will have your kid looking up at the clouds, trying to summon their very own magical babysitter.
Ratatouille (2007)
Remy the rat (Patton Oswalt) does not want to live a life centered around trash, but around culinary excellence. Just by hiding under a chef hat and tugging distinct hairs, Remy cooks vicariously through Gusteau’s garbage boy, Alfredo Linguini (Lou Romano), and proves himself “nothing less than the finest chef in France.”
Stuart Little (1999) and Stuart Little 2 (2002)
Columbia Pictures
In the spirit of anthropomorphic rodents, this mouse might not be a Michelin-star chef, but he makes a great family addition. When George (Jonathan Lipnicki) finds out his parents adopted a mouse named Stuart (voiced by Michael J. Fox), he learns that a family can come in all shapes, sizes, and species.
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
In this Broadway-esque, New Orleans-set fairy tale, career-oriented Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) — Disney’s first Black princess — takes a leap by kissing Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos) in toad form. It’s one of the last Disney films to use its hand-drawn animations, so it feels classic yet modern, however, remains timeless with its jazz-soul tunes for every generation to hop to.
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)
Everybody’s favorite talking sponge-starfish duo got their time to shine on the silver screen. Based on Nickelodeon’s animated TV series, this under-the-sea flick follows SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) and Patrick’s (Bill Fagerbakke) action-packed journey to the dangerous Shell City, as they aim to retrieve King Neptune’s (John O’Hurley) stolen crown and save Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown) from imprisonment. This movie is a must-see for fans of the show, but don’t blame us if your child squarely identifies as a “goofy goober” afterward.
Moana (2016)
An unabashed teenage girl (Auli’i Cravalho), a once-powerful demigod (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), and an empty-headed rooster all make a terrific splash for Disney’s sea adventure. The eponymous Moana is hand-picked — or wave-picked — by the ocean to sail out and save the people of Motunui by restoring the heart of Te Fiti, which causes a ripple of non-stop action and 100 minutes of fun. What can we say except you’re welcome?
Inside Out (2015)
Who would’ve thought a children’s movie about emotions could be…so emotional? Sometimes, you can’t help but wonder what goes on inside someone else’s mind — especially your child’s — but, luckily, this movie already theorizes that for you with young Riley’s (Kaitlyn Dias) five personified emotions: Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Fear (Bill Hader), and Anger (Lewis Black). It’s one radiant, soul-stirring ride, and its sequel — Inside Out 2 — hits theaters in June 2024, featuring additional emotions including Anxiety (Maya Hawke) and Envy (Ayo Edebiri).
The LEGO Movie (2014) and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)
They might cause a mess around your house, but they also assemble riveting, adventure-filled blockbusters that make everything awesome.
Encanto (2021)
We may be forbidden to talk about Bruno, but it’s hard to shut up about Disney‘s first Latino musical. Quirky misfit Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz) is the only member of the Madigral family without assigned powers, yet she tries to mend her home’s impending fate by unraveling the mystery of her missing uncle, Bruno (John Leguizamo). With colorful, Colombian-inspired animations, uniquely lovable characters, and karaoke-worthy original songs by virtuoso Lin-Manuel Miranda — especially “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and “Surface Pressure” — your youngster will be begging you to replay this film until your home also loses its power.
Luca (2020)
It’s likely you’ve already heard the memorable line “Silenzio, Bruno!” one too many times — it was once unavoidable on TikTok — however, this coming-of-age story follows the titular sea monster, Luca (Jacob Tremblay), who leaves the ocean to experience life as a human boy on the Italian Riviera, discovering the true beauty behind friendships, self-acceptance, education, and — of course — gelato!
Zootopia (2016)
Zootopia’s first bunny officer, Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), partners up with a fox con-artist, Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), to find a missing animal who’s gone “savage.” This good-cop-bad-cop comedy-adventure is filled with important messages of working hard, being who you want to be, and never discriminating against someone based on prejudiced ideas.
Paddington 2 (2017)
This extremely polite bear, Paddington (Ben Winshaw), gets washed away from a Peruvian jungle to the streets of London, where he’s forced to learn the ins and outs of urban life, which includes him chasing down a book thief (Hugh Grant), all while stealing our hearts and of those in his community. You don’t need to watch the first Paddington (2014) to understand this highly praised sequel, but it’s perfectly safe for kids, too. (Meanwhile, we’re highly anticipating the third film in the franchise, Paddington in Peru).
WALL-E (2008)
Anyone who believes robots don’t have hearts has not seen the profound, star-crossed love between earth robot WALL-E and cosmic android Eve.
Despicable Me 1, 2, and 3 (2010, 2013, 2017)
Universal Pictures
Ever seen those wildly energetic, juvenile beings who communicate in an inscrutable language? No, we’re not talking about children, we’re talking about minions — the ones who got their own spinoff films, Minions (2015) and Minions: Rise of Gru (2022). Supervillain Gru (Steve Carell) and his minions live in isolation until he adopts three girls to support his evil plan, however, his goal backfires once childcare helps him realize a softer side to him. And it’s wickedly sweet. (A fourth Despicable Me movie comes out July 3, 2024).
Trolls (2016)
DreamWorks Animation
The happy-go-lucky leader of the trolls, Poppy (Anna Kendrick), teams up with hypervigilant Branch (Justin Timberlake) to save the citizens who were taken by a monstrous Bergen. Based on the Good Luck Trolls dolls, and featuring a Grammy-winning original song (“Can’t Stop the Feeling!”), this film is jam-packed with colorful excitement and the celebrity voices of Zooey Deschanel, Christine Baranski, James Corden, and more. This film spawned two sequels: Trolls World Tour (2020) and Trolls Band Together (2023).
