Oh, how it feels to be a kid again — waking up with the food ready on the table, looking forward to playtime, living a life full of curiosity, and watching countless movies and TV shows. For parents, screen time can be both a curse and a blessing. Too much and it may result to negative effects, but the right movies can teach valuable lessons that help shape a child’s character. Especially now that there are a lot of movies and TV shows to choose from, even though they look like they are made for kids, not all are beneficial for them.
If you’re looking for kid-friendly life lesson movies to watch with your children, we’ve got an amazing list for you. Most of these movies can be watched on streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and more, so no worries – you won’t have a hard time looking for them. Let’s start!
- Inside Out (2015)
Learning emotions and how to handle them is a very important life lesson every child must experience. Feelings like happiness, sadness, anger, and fear are all part of growing up, and allowing your child to understand these feelings help them go through the different phases of their lives easier and better.
In the movie Inside Out, the story is focused on the mind of an 11-year-old girl named Riley. There are five emotions that help her process everything happening in her life. We’ve been kids, and we know that there are some uncomfortable changes that we need to adapt to. So as parents, it’s important for your children to be familiar with these emotions as early as possible so they know how to manage it. Inside Out is a great movie for this, and you can watch it on various streaming platforms including Disney+, DIRECTV, and others.
- Wonder (2017)
Kindness, empathy, and acceptance — these are some of the most important values kids should learn as they grow up. But the world isn’t always kind, not everyone knows what empathy is, and acceptance isn’t really a norm for many people. It’s the harsh truth. The movie Wonder is about a boy born with facial differences who’s about to attend school for the first time. He’s smart, funny, and just like any other kid, but many of his classmates only see his appearance.
As expected, he faces bullying but he is still able to make friends. With his condition and situation, he teaches everyone around him what true kindness really means. The movie teaches children that what really matters isn’t how someone looks, but who they are on the inside.
- The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Life isn’t always easy, and sometimes, things don’t go as planned. But one of the most important lessons a child can learn is to never give up no matter how hard life gets. This movie is about a struggling salesman and single father who’s doing his best to build a better life for his young son named Chris Gardner. The world is throwing everything in his path: financial struggles, endless setbacks, homelessness, and more. However, he refuses to give up. No matter how tough things get, he keeps pushing forward, determined to create a better future for his son.
Watching The Pursuit of Happyness with your child is a great way to remind them that with determination and hard work, anything is possible. This movie can be watched on several streaming platforms including Netflix, Planet DISH, and others.
- Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Sometimes, life gets messy, families aren’t perfect, and things don’t always go as planned. This movie, it’s all about the Hoover family as they hit the road so Olive can chase her dream of competing in a beauty pageant. The lesson this movie teaches your children is that success isn’t about trophies or being the best. It’s about being yourself, believing in your worth, and pushing forward no matter what happens.
- The Lion King (1994)
When we were kids, we were rushing to grow up to do everything we want. However, we then realize that it’s not easy growing up and being an adult. That’s why it’s important to teach children what responsibility is and how they can learn from their past to make better decisions. The Lion King is about a young lion cub who can’t wait to be king. Unfortunately, Simba experienced a heartbreaking loss that forces him to run away from his destiny.
Then, he soon realizes that running from his problems won’t make them disappear. His old and new friends then help him go back home, face his responsiblites, and take his place as king. Responsibility is often associated with hardship, but kids must know that it’s not something they should run away from. With friends and loved ones by their side, they’ll be just fine.
The Bottom Line
Teaching valuable life lessons to kids early on will benefit them as they grow older day by day. For most people, screen time is only associated with entertainment that doesn’t have much value. But as a parent, you can use these kinds of movies to instill lessons to your kids while allowing them to have fun. You can’t go wrong with these films – trust us. Enjoy and happy watching!
