11 Toddler-Friendly Movies We’re Watching Right Now
As parents, we all know screen time for toddlers can be a tricky subject and heated debates litter the internet like goldfish crumbs under the couch. But with a worldwide pandemic killing all our collective vibes, finding a new favorite movie to share with your kiddo can feel like a rejuvenating cultural experience. Or at least give you enough time to clean the bathroom or attend that Zoom meeting with all your annoyingly childless co-workers. Here’s some of our families current faves:
“My Neighbor Totoro” - Totoro has been a staple of our daughter’s life since one of our best friends gave her a Totoro stuffed animal as a newborn, but now HBO Max makes deep-diving the rightly iconic Studio Ghibli collection a breeze (for those not in the know, I’ve heard the internet explain Studio Ghibli as “Japan’s Disney” but it’s so much weirder and better than that simple description conveys). “Totoro” is a great place to start in on the joys of Ghibli with it’s magical creatures and meandering, “non-traditional” narratives. These beautifully rendered films unlock your child’s imagination and can prove very Zen for stressed-out adults.
“The Princess and the Frog” - Just like screen time, Disney Princesses are known to raise some parents’ hackles, but we missed this New Orleans-set Disney adventure the first time around (aka when we were binge-watching “The Little Mermaid” and memorizing the “Aladdin” soundtrack) and were pleasantly surprised. The setting and some eerie (but not too spooky) voodoo made this one of our daughter’s go-to flicks. And by the time the thought of going to a theme park doesn’t make me instantly feel like bathing in Purell, Disneyland will have updated Splash Mountain (based on a notoriously racist IP) to be a “Princess and the Frog” ride.
“Here We Are” - Apple TV+ delivered the goods with this fun and funky adaptation of one of our favorite kids books by Oliver Jeffers. Delightful animation, Meryl Streep, Earth Day. The only problem? It’s short 36-minute runtime. That’s barely enough time to make dinner, let alone reassemble some semblance of normality within a quickly disintegrating world.
“Singin’ In The Rain” - We love classic Hollywood films over here and our daughter was enjoying Charlie Chaplin and Sunday Matinees at the New Bev before she was two. But rediscovering this Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds musical was a super treat. Not only does it shine a light on the seismic industry transition from silents to talkies and will have your tot trotting and singing for days, but it’s mostly free of conflict and antagonists which makes for a particularly pleasant watch.
“Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs” - one of the most grown-up feeling films on this list but still great for the littles, this delirious adaptation from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller delivers madcap action and plenty of fanciful images. Now I just want my daughter to grow up a little so we can watch the similarly spastic (and even better) “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.”
“Inside Out” - From a tiny indie studio no one has ever heard of… JK, we all know Pixar is amazing but “Inside Out” is particularly wonderful because it allowed us to have great conversations with our daughter about feelings and other big topics in a fun and informative way. Plus this movie is just downright incredible.
“Monsters, Inc” - Another Pixar classic that has been a perennial favorite in this neck of the woods. It also makes this list mainly because I love the way my daughter pronounces the name “Mike Wazowksi,” the green eyeball-forward monster voiced by Billy Crystal.
“Ponyo” - one of Studio Ghibli’s weirdest and most beautiful creations, Hayao Miyazaki’s take on Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” could not be more different than its Disney-fied cousin. Our daughter is literally obsessed with this one. (She is literally watching it as I type this, but don’t tell anyone.) Oh and the end credits song is one for the ages so you’re welcome for that.
“The Muppet Movie” - Sure you might have to explain why well-armed villains are trying to turn Kermit into “frog legs” but the tone and generally nuts-craziness of the Muppets films more than make up for a little “Why is everyone trying to kill Kermit” confusion. The Muppets rock and you’ll dig remembering all the weird cameos.
“The Secret World Of Arrietty” - another gorgeous Studio Ghibli adventure, this one based off “The Borrowers” and full of tiny-people-in-a-big-world excitement.
“The Iron Giant” - bonus pick! A controversial choice with my wife due to some very frank death talk - pro tip: just don’t get too attached to that deer they meet around the mid-point. But this is another beautifully animated film with some big things on it’s mind. Early scenes before we get to know the titular robot may be a little spooky for the littlest of kids, but if you’re in the mood to share a memorable big robot great adventure with your offspring (or looking for a sneaky way to introduce them to ideas like the Cold War or the military-industrial complex), this is the movie for you.
Happy movie watching!
- Chris AKA “Pop Culture Dad”
