Best 20 Kids’ Movies on Netflix Right Now

Finding something everyone in the family can agree on is one of the hardest parts of movie night. Between siblings with different ages, attention spans, and taste in humor, scrolling through Netflix can eat up more time than the movie itself. That’s where this guide comes in.

We’ve put together a list of the best kids’ movies on Netflix right now, covering everything from laugh-out-loud animated comedies to heartfelt adventures and a few musical surprises. Whether you’re planning a rainy weekend indoors, a sick day at home, or a themed movie night, you’ll find something here that fits the mood. We’ll also share a few tips on choosing age-appropriate content and setting up a memorable family movie night, including snack and party ideas that pair well with a big screening.

How We Picked the Best Kids’ Movies on Netflix

Netflix’s kids’ catalog changes often, so we focused on titles that have staying power, strong reviews, and broad appeal across different age groups. We looked at:

• Age-appropriateness, from preschool-friendly picks to titles better suited for tweens
• Story quality and whether the movie holds up on a repeat watch
• Visual style and animation quality, since kids notice this more than adults assume
• Humor that works for both kids and the parents watching alongside them
• Overall replay value, because let’s be honest, kids will ask to watch their favorite one again

With that in mind, here are the best kids’ movies on Netflix you can queue up tonight.

Animated Adventures Worth the Hype

1. The Mitchells vs. the Machines

This Netflix original follows an awkward, creative family road-tripping to drop their daughter off at college, right as a robot uprising takes over the world. The animation style is bold and comic-book inspired, and the humor lands for both kids and adults. It’s genuinely one of the smartest animated films released in the last several years, with heart underneath all the chaos.

2. The Sea Beast

A visually stunning tale about a legendary monster hunter and a stowaway orphan who discover that the sea monsters they’ve been taught to fear aren’t the villains everyone assumes. It’s got swashbuckling action, gorgeous ocean visuals, and a message about questioning what you’re told without asking why. Older kids in particular tend to love the adventure pacing.

3. Back to the Outback

A group of

For related reading, see our guide on Best 20 After-School Snacks Kids Actually Eat.

misfit zoo animals decide there’s more to life than being stared at all day, so they band together and sneak out for one wild journey across Australia to find the wild they’ve always dreamed about. There’s a grumpy koala, an overconfident tasmanian devil, and a snake who just wants to be loved, and the mismatched crew makes for constant laughs. It’s fast, colorful, and never overstays its welcome at under 90 minutes, which makes it perfect for a weeknight watch when bedtime is looming.

4. Klaus

This one might be the most underrated animated movie on Netflix, period. A spoiled postal academy graduate is banished to a frozen, feuding town in the far north, where he accidentally teams up with a reclusive woodsman to deliver toys to kids. It’s essentially an origin story for Santa Claus, but told with gorgeous hand-drawn animation and genuine emotional weight. It works as a Christmas movie, but honestly holds up any time of year.

5. Over the Moon

A grieving young girl builds a rocket ship to prove the existence of a moon goddess from an old family legend, and ends up on a vibrant, musical adventure across the moon’s surface. The visuals are stunning, the songs are catchy enough to get stuck in your head for days, and the story handles grief and family change in a way that resonates with kids without feeling heavy-handed.

Family Comedies That Actually Make Everyone Laugh

6. The Willoughbys

A darkly funny, stop-motion-style animated film about four siblings who decide to send their neglectful parents on a dangerous vacation so they can raise themselves. It sounds bleak on paper, but it’s actually one of the funniest and most visually inventive movies on this list, with a sarcastic cat narrator who steals nearly every scene. Older kids who like a bit of an edge to their comedy will especially enjoy it.

7. Wish Dragon

Think Aladdin, but set in modern-day China. A college student discovers a teapot containing a wish-granting dragon and uses his three wishes to reconnect with a childhood friend who’s grown wealthy and distant. It’s charming, funny, and has some genuinely impressive action sequences for an animated comedy. It flew under the radar for a lot of families, so it’s worth adding to the queue if you missed it the first time around.

8. Rumble

In a world where monster wrestling is the biggest sport around, a teenage girl trains an unlikely monster to become a champion. It’s essentially a sports movie with a monster-wrestling twist, and it hits all the familiar underdog beats in a way that works well for kids who love competition and big personalities. The wrestling match sequences are genuinely exciting, even if you don’t normally care about sports movies.

9. Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans

This one wraps up the sprawling Tales of Arcadia trilogy from Guillermo del Toro’s animation studio, bringing together characters from Trollhunters, 3Below, and Wizards for one big final battle. Kids who have been following the series will love the payoff, and even newcomers can follow along thanks to a solid recap built into the opening. It’s a great pick for families who like a little more mythology and world-building in their animated movies.

10. My Little Pony: A New Generation

A colorful reboot that introduces a new generation of ponies in a world where Earth Ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns have grown apart and forgotten how to get along. It’s bright, musical, and carries a simple but effective message about friendship and inclusion. Younger kids, especially fans of the earlier My Little Pony shows, tend to gravitate toward this one immediately.

Movies for Tweens and Older Kids

11. The Boss Baby: Family Business

The sequel to the original Boss Baby movie picks up years later, with the Templeton brothers now adults who get pulled back into baby-corp business through a new formula and a new mission. It leans a little more into nostalgia and family dynamics than the first film, and it works well for households where the older siblings have grown up alongside the franchise.

12. Robin Robin

A short but absolutely delightful stop-motion film from the creators of Wallace and Gromit, about a young bird raised by a family of mice who struggles to fit in with either group. It’s sweet, funny, and only about 30 minutes long, which makes it a perfect option for a shorter movie night or as a warm-up before a longer feature.

13. Vivo

A kinkajou named Vivo sets off on a journey from Havana to Miami to deliver a long-lost love song for his owner, teaming up with a spirited young girl along the way. The music, written in part by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is a huge highlight here, and the story balances humor with some genuinely touching moments about love, loss, and letting go.

14. Luck

The unluckiest girl in the world stumbles into the Land of Luck, a magical place responsible for good and bad fortune everywhere, and has to team up with a black cat to fix a string of mishaps. It’s colorful, imaginative, and has a strong message about resilience that resonates with kids who feel like nothing ever goes their way.

15. Pinocchio (2022)

Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion take on the classic tale is darker and more emotionally complex than the animated versions most kids grew up with, which makes it a better fit for slightly older children who can handle a bit more depth. The animation is stunning, and the themes about mortality, obedience, and what it really means to be good are handled with surprising care for a film technically aimed at families.

Heartwarming Picks for Family Movie Night

16. Enola Holmes

Sherlock Holmes’ younger sister sets out to find her missing mother and gets tangled up in a much bigger mystery along the way. It’s a live-action mystery-adventure with a strong, clever lead character, and it plays well for tweens who are ready to move past strictly animated content but aren’t quite into full teen dramas yet.

17. Matilda the Musical

Roald Dahl’s beloved story gets the full musical treatment, following a gifted young girl who uses her intelligence, and eventually her telekinetic powers, to stand up to her neglectful parents and a truly terrifying headmistress. The songs are fantastic, the performances are strong, and it manages to be funny and empowering at the same time.

18. The School for Good and Evil

Two best friends are swept away to a magical school that trains students to become fairy tale heroes and villains, only things don’t go quite as expected once they arrive. It’s got a big fantasy scope, an all-star cast, and a lot of visual flair, making it a solid pick for kids who love fantasy worlds and coming-of-age stories.

19. Paddington

The gentle, marmalade-loving bear from Peru finds his way to London and into the hearts of the Brown family, causing plenty of good-natured chaos along the way. It’s warm, funny, and surprisingly touching, and it works for a wide age range since even the youngest viewers tend to fall for Paddington’s earnest charm almost immediately.

20. A Boy Called Christmas

This one tells an imaginative origin story of how a young boy named Nikolas goes on a dangerous journey through a magical land to find his father and, along the way, discovers the true meaning of Christmas. It’s whimsical, a little adventurous, and works well as a holiday-season pick that doesn’t feel overly saccharine.

How to Get the Most Out of Movie Night

Once you’ve settled on a title, the rest of movie night is really about setup. A few small touches can turn a regular Tuesday evening into something the kids actually look forward to all week. Dimming the lights, letting everyone pick a cozy spot with blankets, and having snacks ready before the movie starts all help keep the interruptions to a minimum once it begins.

If you’re hosting a bigger group, maybe for a sleepover or a themed weekend, it’s worth stocking up on snacks in bulk so you’re not running back to the store mid-week. Buying in bulk for occasions like this is one of the reasons so many families love shopping somewhere like Costco, and our guide on Best 20 Things to Buy at Costco Right Now has some great ideas for stocking the pantry with movie-night-friendly options that won’t go to waste.

And if movie night ends up turning into more of a full celebration, maybe a birthday, a last day of school, or just a fun weekend theme, our roundup of birthday party ideas for kids has some fun ways to build a whole evening around a favorite movie, from themed snacks to simple decorations.

A Quick Note on Screen Time

It’s worth mentioning that even the best kids’ movies are still screen time, and it’s normal for parents to think about balance. According to Healthline, guidelines around screen time have shifted in recent years to focus less on strict hourly limits and more on the quality of content and how it fits into a child’s overall routine. A well-chosen movie watched together as a family looks very different from passive, unsupervised screen use, and most pediatric guidance now reflects that distinction. If you’re ever unsure about what’s appropriate for your child’s age, WebMD also has some helpful general guidance on balancing screen time with other activities throughout the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best kids’ movie on Netflix right now?

It really depends on the age of your kids, but The Mitchells vs. the Machines is consistently one of the most praised picks for a mix of humor, heart, and animation quality that appeals to both kids and parents.

Does Netflix rotate its kids’ movie selection often?

Yes, Netflix regularly adds and removes titles based on licensing agreements, so it’s worth double-checking availability before movie night, especially for licensed films that aren’t Netflix originals.

Are these movies appropriate for toddlers, or more for older kids?

This list spans a range of ages. Titles like My Little Pony: A New Generation and Paddington tend to work well for younger kids, while movies like Pinocchio, Enola Holmes, and The School for Good and Evil are better suited for tweens and up.

How can I find these movies easily in the Netflix app?

Searching the exact title is usually the fastest route, but browsing the Kids profile or the Family category within Netflix will also surface most of these picks along with similar recommendations based on what your household has already watched.

What should I do if a movie on this list isn’t available anymore?

Streaming libraries change often, so if a title has been removed, check whether it’s available for rent or purchase elsewhere, or swap in another pick from this list since most of these movies overlap in tone and audience.

Final Thoughts

With twenty solid options spanning animated adventures, family comedies, and a few picks aimed at older kids, there’s genuinely something here for almost any mood or age group. The best part about a list like this is that it takes the guesswork out of scrolling endlessly through Netflix, which usually eats up more time than the movie itself. Pick one, get the snacks ready, and settle in, because chances are good that whichever title you choose tonight is going to get requested again sooner than you think.