It can be difficult to find a film that all of your children will enjoy that you haven’t watched a million times, what with the proliferation of streaming services and the sheer volume of children’s films available. Although there aren’t as many kid-friendly films on Netflix as there are on Disney Plus, there are still plenty of terrific original Netflix releases and kid-friendly blockbusters to choose from. In addition, a kid-friendly mode can be activated so that your young ones can explore on their own. But if you’re stuck for ideas or need a quick flick to get the kids to bed, here is our list of top educational and sports Netflix movies at the moment.
Top Movies for Kids on Netflix
The following are the top Netflix movies for kids, more importantly, is that they are educational.
#1. The Bad Guys
The 2022 adaptation of Aaron Blabey’s graphic books was unexpectedly brilliant and entertaining, earning a ton of money around the world as the virus began to weaken and families once again felt comfortable going to the movies. The story follows a gang of animal thieves who pretend to go straight but soon learn that their leader may not be acting. Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, and Craig Robinson head the voice cast.
#2. The Boss Baby
This animated comedy about a baby who wears suits and talks isn’t a masterpiece of the medium, but it’s great fun for the whole family. This is a great book for kids who are adjusting to a new sibling because it focuses on the importance of keeping one’s imagination alive.
#3. Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie
Fox made a movie based on the best-selling book series by Dav Pilkey, but it bombed at the box office, so we probably won’t see any further installments in the series. It’s a shame, because David Soren’s comedy-drama is a great choice for the whole family. It’s a charming look at companionship, imagination, and an alternative form of heroism. And the villain is known as Professor Poopypants.
#4. Chicken Run
We don’t merit Aardman’s services. This 2000 film was the biggest box office success for the minds behind Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and other animated classics. The highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time, it has kept this position for over 20 years. It is a witty parody of jailbreak movies like Escape from Alcatraz (but with chickens!).
#5. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
This sequel improved on the visual humor and smart characters of the original 2009 film, making it one of the unusual animated sequels to be just as amusing as the original. Flint Lockwood and Sam Sparks, voiced by Bill Hader and Anna Faris, must return to Swallow Falls to save the day. It’s entertainingly unique.
#6. Enola Holmes
Have some more of these, please. This Netflix original stars Millie Bobby Brown as the titular heroine, the sister of the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and is a delightful journey for the whole family. According to the novels in the same series, Enola can undoubtedly solve even more secrets. If we get enough people to see this, then maybe we can make one.
#7. Home
Oh, voiced by Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons, is an awkward extraterrestrial from the planet Boov who teams up with a teenage girl named Tip (Rihanna) who is looking for her mother following an alien invasion. The Netflix original animated series Home: Adventures with Tip and Oh is based on this charming little comedy and ran for four seasons.
#8. Hook
Since Peter Pan & Wendy hasn’t done well on Disney+, the service might as well revisit the classic children’s story. Despite being widely panned as one of Steven Spielberg’s lesser films, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” starring Robin Williams as Peter Pan, has a dedicated following among those who were young enough to appreciate the film when it first came out. They can now take their own children to see it. Share the awe with others.
#9. The Karate Kid
The original trilogy of films about the youngster who learns karate from Mr. Miyagi is now available on Netflix, following the tremendous success of Cobra Kai. The original from 1984, starring Ralph Macchio and the late, great Pat Morita, is still the best version. The sequels in 1986 and 1989 were not as well received, but many still wanted to see the complete trilogy. The Jackie Chan version is also available for streaming.
#10. The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Sony had intended to distribute this in theaters with the far worse title Connected, but they sold the rights to Netflix when the flu epidemic hit. and ultimately felt guilt for their actions. This comedy is as much about the emotional bond between a father and daughter as it is about the fact that they end up having to save the world together, and it’s one of the most critically and commercially acclaimed animated films of 2021.
#11. A Monster Calls
This compelling examination of grief so profound that it essentially morphs into an actual monster was adapted by Patrick Ness from his novel of the same name. Conor is played by Lewis MacDougall, and his mother is played by Felicity Jones. Conor is trying to get away from his misery at home when he encounters a big tree monster (Liam Neeson) who offers to entertain him with three tales. The movies are terrifying and help the youngster cope with his mother’s death, but kids won’t want to watch them.
#12. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
This version of the traditional fairy tale about the wooden child who yearned to be real was made possible by the Oscar-winning director’s imaginative approach to stop-motion animation. Incredible voice acting helps set this rendition of Pinocchio in the years before World War II, where the boy puppet may once again explore his themes of innocent and brutality. The film is wonderful and profoundly personal.
#13. Puss in Boots
Plans for a series starring Antonio Banderas’s heroic cat were put into motion after Shrek 2 became one of the most successful animated pictures of all time, and last year’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is widely considered to be the series’s high point. Even though the first picture isn’t great, it’s nonetheless entertaining and might appeal to young audiences who saw the sequel last year and are curious about the prequel.
#14. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
No one expected the Shrek franchise to have another spin-off sequel of this caliber yet to be produced, but in December 2022, what is widely considered to be the series’ best feature was released to widespread acclaim. Beautiful and surprisingly emotional, The Last Wish tells the narrative of a young man’s struggle to come to terms with his own death in a style that is more evocative of Into the Spider-Verse than traditional DreamWorks. It’s witty, original, and easy to remember. (Beginning July 13 on Netflix)
#15. The Sea Beast
This film from one of the minds behind Bolt and Big Hero 6 has been one of Netflix’s biggest surprises of 2022. This is a comprehensive adventure film that truly appeals to all members of the family. It’s a mix of a lot of things that have been done before, with echoes of How to Train Your Dragon, Moana, and Pirates of the Caribbean (with a bit Kaiju too).
Sports Movies for Kids on Netflix
We have compiled a list of good sports movies for kids in this section.
#1. Athlete A
The book “Athlete A” by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk expertly contextualizes the tale of Larry Nassar, the USA Gymnastics doctor who is accused of sexually assaulting hundreds of young women and girls, by drawing a line between Nassar’s decades of abuse and the system that allowed it to go unchecked.
Nassar’s case is relatively recent and widely publicized. As a result, it’s to the film’s advantage that it doesn’t spend too much time detailing Nassar’s individual misdeeds, instead focusing on the journalists and victims whose work led to his conviction. Additionally, the culture of elite American gymnastics is dissected, including the acceptance of physical and psychological abuse of young girls so long as the wins keep coming.
#2. The Battered Bastards of Baseball
You’d think the underdog story depicted in “The Battered Bastards of Baseball” was made up if it weren’t for the fact that actor Bing Russell (father of Kurt, who also appears in the documentary) moved to Portland, Oregon after leaving “Bonanza” to manage a minor league baseball team in the 1970s.
Under Russell’s direction, the Portland Mavericks—an independent team unaffiliated with a big league counterpart—were a group of scrappy misfits, washouts, and average Joes (and, temporarily, a young Kurt Russell) who were all brought together by a shared passion for baseball. After that, success began to accrue.
#3. High Flying Bird
With brisk direction from Steven Soderbergh and a smart, sleek script from “Moonlight” writer Tarell Alvin McCraney, the film remains entertaining and understandable even to those unfamiliar with the business of basketball (such as, say, someone who didn’t know what a “lockout” was or that the NBA had ever had one — not naming names). Zazie Beetz, Sonja Sohn, and Bill Duke are just a few of the brilliant actors in this ensemble.
#4. Icarus
Oscar winner for Best documentary feature in 2018, “Icarus” by Bryan Fogel begins as a single film. Fogel, a fan of Lance Armstrong who is devastated by the news of Armstrong’s doping, plans to film himself as he attempts to compete in the world’s toughest amateur cycling competition while using performance-enhancing substances.
The film takes a radical turn as he looks for a doctor to help him. We’re talking “our main interview subject is in danger of being assassinated by the Russian government” levels of difference here.
#5. The Karate Kid
Netflix’s sports documentaries are some of the best out there. There are five documentaries on this list of ten, and the platform also has a number of excellent sports-themed limited series (including the Emmy-winning The Last Dance) that may easily warrant their own ranking. But sometimes you need a fictional story with a shower cap-wearing dude and a lot of memories.
In walks “The Karate Kid.” The sequel series “Cobra Kai,” starring Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, sets middle-aged Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) against his former student and rival, the meathead Johnny “Sweep the Leg” Lawrence (Zabka).
Educational Movies for Kids on Netflix
Without further ado, here are our picks for the finest Educational Netflix movies for kids, listed in no particular order.
#1. Mad Hot Ballroom (2005)
This documentary by Marilyn Agrelo follows students from a New York City elementary school as they take ballroom dance lessons and prepare for a dance competition. You should back these young folks.
#2. The Blind Side(2009)
Michael Oher, a basketball player found playing on the streets of Memphis, is given a second chance in this movie. It tells the story of how he became an NFL superstar and how he improved as a player.
#3. Race to Nowhere (2009)
Vicki Abeles and Jessica Congdon decided to film a short film on the subject after Abeles’ middle school-aged daughter became ill as a result of the pressures of school and activities outside of school. The film delves into the issues of homework-induced stress. After reading this insightful examination of education, you will look at school and assignments in a new light and long for some relaxation.
#4. The Help (2011)
Michael Oher, a basketball player found playing on the streets of Memphis, is given a second chance in this movie. It tells the story of how he became an NFL superstar and how he improved as a player. This Kathryn Stockett novel-based film follows white maids in Jackson, Mississippi, during the Civil Rights Movement. What people can accomplish when they work together toward a common objective is inspiring, and this narrative does just that.
#5. Brooklyn Castle (2012)
This documentary by Kate Dellamaggiore follows a middle school chess team as they compete and succeed during a time of significant budget cuts and financial challenges in the New York City school system. Even if these films have inspired you to enroll in classes or return to higher education, you may need more than just the inspiration provided by the movies to stay the course and graduate. You can always turn to experienced academic writers for more instruction than a film.
What Age Is Netflix Appropriate For?
In addition to restricting access to account settings and Netflix mobile games, a Netflix Kids profile (designed for children 12 and under) will only play TV shows and movies hand-picked for kids. A “kids” emblem appears next to each profile belonging to a child.
Does Netflix Have Any R-Rated Movies?
The Restricted rating can apply to any film, including romantic comedies, satirical comedies, and medieval legal dramas. Netflix has an extensive catalog of shows and films that you can watch online. There are scores of movies with a R rating, from comedies with inappropriate material to outright horror.
What Age Can a Kid Watch a Movie?
The answer lies solely within your child. Many children can sit through an entire movie by the time they are 3, while younger ones may need to wait until they are 5 or 6. You should evaluate your child’s tolerance for loud noises and prolonged focus to determine whether or not a full-length movie is appropriate for him or her.
Does Netflix Have Sports Movies for Kids?
With the help of a skilled director and a dedicated cast, even someone who has never seen a sporting event before can be converted into a die-hard fan by capturing the thrill of the game’s final seconds on film. Netflix boasts one of the largest collections of sports movies for kids, including both dramatic and comedic depictions of sports like hockey and boxing.
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