20+ Best Educational Movies for Kids

A child’s development does not depend on schooling and books alone; playtime and movies help in their overall development too. Fun educational movies can help in the overall development of your little one as these movies render important life lessons that cannot be taught through books. Therefore, it is important that children spend some time watching educational movies for kindergarten under their parent’s supervision. In this article, we have covered some of the best educational movies that your children can watch and learn from. Let’s read!

Educational Movies for Children to Enhance Their Mental and Social Development

There are tons of educational films for kids that can help them obtain new knowledge and information on a variety of subjects. Good movies can impart great moral lessons to children, and hence, you should not stop your child from watching movies altogether. Movies can also help children to be social and transform their behaviour in a good way. So, here are some awesome movies that your kid will love watching:

1. Finding Nemo

It did not take long for this movie to reach the hearts and homes of everyone when it released. The story of a father looking for his lost son took the world by storm and soon became one of the top family movies of all time.

What Your Child Will Learn

Finding Nemo is a great story that revolves around the concept of parenting. The initial scenes establish how important it is, to listen to your parents and be careful about the dangers that surround your lives. As the story progresses, it also teaches kids to be brave and courageous even in the face of adversity. Valuing those friends who help you when you are in trouble is also a valuable lesson this movie teaches.

Suitable Age

This movie is best for kids who are five-years-old and above.

2. Babe

While pigs may not be looked at, as cute domestic animals, this movie flips the table around and makes everyone fall in love with a wonderful pig who finds its way in life.

What Your Child Will Learn

Babe is a dilogy that demonstrates unique lessons. The first movie can teach the kids to believe in their abilities and be confident to try out new things without being afraid. The other movie shows how scary it is, to be in an unknown environment, but keeping calm and staying true to yourself, can help you find your own way.

Suitable Age

Your five-year-old toddler would love the film.

3. The Story of Mankind

An educational film, this movie takes the audience on a journey, right from the origin of the universe, through the development of civilizations, showing us how mankind evolved.

What Your Child Will Learn

The movie is extremely focused on providing great visuals, which makes it easier for kids to understand the concepts of old history, that might be too difficult to imagine. The origins can instill a sense of humility and can literally turn into a notebook for your kid’s history lessons. Most historical innovations are described in this movie, too.

Suitable Age

Kids that are at least eight-years-old would benefit from watching the film.

4. The Sound of Music

This movie has been considered to be one of the most important movies to have ever graced the 20th century. It released in India a few years later, but still managed to captivate people all around.

What Your Child Will Learn

The backdrop of the war and fleeing from Austria might not be relevant to most kids. But what the movie helps children understand is that a positive perspective towards life can help you wade your way out of trouble. Julie Andrews who plays Maria in the movie is an inspiring character. She is an amazing singer and she sings to drive away the sadness of life. She also teaches the kids to sing and soon they sing their own tunes too.

Suitable Age

Kids who are six-years-old and above will be able to grasp this movie well.

5. Toy Story 2

One of the greatest animated educational movies for kids, Toy Story 2 was a great follow-up to the original film, which came with better animation and a story that went beyond the homes and took the toys on a ride outside their comfort zones.

What Your Child Will Learn

While all three Toy Story movies are great, the second movie has its special place in the trilogy. It very smartly explains the concepts of loyalty and friendship, by expanding on the meaning of family. Kids will have a gala time in understanding why ‘Woody’ finds all the old toys to be his family, even when he belongs to a different set and could lead a better life with them. And the friendship that Buzz and Woody share also teaches the importance of friendship.

Suitable Age

Kids from five-years-old or even preschoolers can enjoy the film.

6. The Incredibles

Another winner from Pixar, The Incredibles was a film that adults ended up loving as much as children did, making it a summer blockbuster when it released. The recent sequel has the same charm as the original one.

What Your Child Will Learn

Since the entire film revolves around a family having superpowers, your kids will have an amazing time watching it. While watching the movie, they will learn how all members of the family work together in keeping themselves safe. At the same time, it teaches them the responsibility that comes with superpowers and how one can be a good person by using them for good deeds.

Suitable Age

Children who are around six-seven years will love the film.

7. Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory

Based on Roald Dahl’s popular book, the movie charmed audiences everywhere with its great portrayal of the characters, as well as creating a world that allowed the viewers to be immersed fully in it.

What Your Child Will Learn

The importance and spirit of honesty is the cornerstone of the movie. When Charlie wins the golden ticket to enter Willie Wonka’s chocolate factory, he has every chance to leak the secrets of the factory and let go of his poverty. But he stays honest and true and wins the grand prize as a result of it. As kids grow up, teaching them the importance of honesty and the importance of truth can be quite difficult, but a movie like this will teach them everything.

Suitable Age

Your child needs to be at least 8-years-old to understand the film clearly.

8. Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs

One of the best educational movies for preschoolers, this movie truly brought to life a story heard by everyone in their childhood. The animated film presented by Walt Disney was an instant hit and made people eager to look forward to new films that they made.

What Your Child Will Learn

The story of Snow White and Seven Dwarfs is introduced to kids early on in their lives. Seeing their characters come alive on screen would leave little toddlers extremely excited. It can help them understand the concepts of good and evil early on in life, and even the importance of the family that cares for you. The songs can even turn out to be great melodies for your toddlers.

Suitable Age

Even kids as young as four-years-old can watch the film.

9. Moana

This is one movie that can’t be left off the list! ‘Moana’ is filled to the brim with life lessons that go way beyond finding true love. Not to forget, that the cutest character ‘Maui’ is voiced by one of the most loved actors- Dwayne Johnson. What more can one ask for!

What Your Child Will Learn

Like Moana, kids will learn to always follow their heart, no matter what the situation demands. They will also learn to face their fears, and move onwards. If you watch closely, each and every character has a different and interesting lesson to teach.

Suitable Age

Kids from the age of eight to ten years are guaranteed to fall in love with this movie, its characters and the great music.

10. The BFG

The recent film by Steven Spielberg presents another story of Roald Dahl in a world that is beautifully imagined on-screen. It is a wonderful children’s film that is filled with adventure and comedy.

What Your Child Will Learn

Just like the story, the film teaches kids to not be prejudiced towards people based on how they look. The giants are shown to be lazy and ruthless, but BFG is sweet and friendly and is good to Sophie. Thus, this movie teaches the importance of friendship and giving people a chance. By watching this movie, kids will also realise how important family is and that dreams come true and they should never stop believing.

Suitable Age

Kids ought to be at least 5 years old to enjoy this.

11. The Lion King

There’s a reason why this film was worthy of an Academy Award. A wonderful story, powered by great animation, and inspiring music, make it a movie that can be watched numerous times.

What Your Child Will Learn

Simba is a character that kids can instantly fall in love with. They get to see him grow up, face troubles, and return back to claim what’s rightfully his. It can teach the importance of love and friendship and show that it has no boundaries. Finally, it also lets children get comfortable with facing their worst fears and win in the end.

Suitable Age

Although young kids will love the film, kids who are aged eight and above will understand it better.

12. Wall-E

A great movie to teach kids about caring for and nurturing the environment; otherwise, there will be no life left on this planet.

What Will Your Child Learn

Wall-E envisions the destruction made by humans on  Earth and how there is still a chance to reverse the damage. This animated movie is about a robot named Wall-E who is the only one left behind on the planet after humans abandon it. He and his pet cockroach spend days cleaning up the garbage left behind on the Earth. But one day, Wall-E meets EVE, a sleek reconnaissance robot on a mission to find a living plant on Earth. And their adventure begins.

Suitable Age

The movie is suitable for children above the age of 5 years.

13. Coco

A movie that will teach kids about hope, optimism, and passion that they may have for an art form.

What Will Your Child Learn

Miguel loves music, but no one in his family is allowed to sing or play any kind of music. Surprisingly, Miguel’s desperation to prove his musical talent takes him to the Land of the Deaths. And so starts a chain of mysterious events that reveals the secret behind the ban on music in his family.

Suitable Age

Kids aged between seven to ten years will love watching Coco and while discovering no one in the family is allowed to play music.

14. Wings of Life

A special Earth Day release by the Disney nature doc. The movie is all about the birds and the bees.

What Will Your Child Learn

The movie will help kids understand the important work done by pollinators. The storyline deals with squabbling between birds and a couple of insect-related predator-prey things.

Suitable Age

Kids above the age of 6 years will love watching this movie on nature.

15. Inside Out

Inside Out will help children understand the struggles and emotional challenges we face in daily life and how to cope with them.

What Will Your Child Learn

This cartoon movie is about a tween girl, Riley, and her daily struggles and the flood of emotions that adolescence has introduced. The twist is that it’s those very feelings, personified, that tell the story from inside her brain. The plot of this movie has plenty of excitement and moderate peril, but what really stands out is the positive and emotionally evolved message it sends that all feelings are okay, even anger and sadness, and what matters most is how you express them.

Suitable Age

Children above the age of six will like this cartoon movie.

16. March of the Penguins

A great movie that will help kids understand emotions with the story of sweet little creatures, penguins.

What Will Your Child Learn

A documentary on penguins in stunning nature. The movie is moving—tragic, at times—and ultimately serves up a display of empathy and community among the migrating birds that’s so beautiful that you and your child will have teary eyes by the time movie ends.

Suitable Age

The movie will teach kids above the age of six about emotions.

17. Akeelah and the Bee

The movie is ideal for teaching your little one about the triumphs that come after struggles.

What Will Your Child Learn

A young black girl, Akeelah, navigates her relationships with family and friends whilst pursuing her talent as a champion speller. The story of the movie unfolds around a National Spelling Bee competition, along with an empowering conclusion.

Suitable Age

Children above the age of eight years will get inspiring from this movie.

18. What’s on Your Plate?

A kid-friendly version of Fast-Food Nation and an educational watch, to be sure.

What Will Your Child Learn

An engaging documentary about food, which covers almost all things, from the global impact of consumption and waste to basic nutrition. Parents, be ready to field some difficult questions about your eating habits.

Suitable Age

Kids aged eight will be able to comprehend this movie.

19. Turning Red

Turning Red is Pixar’s first-ever women-only project which is a winner. It’s a heartwarming story about a young girl reaching puberty.

What Will Your Child Learn

This animated movie is lively, the characters are likeable, and the sweet coming-of-age narrative perfectly captures the highs and lows of adolescence while highlighting the importance of friends and family at the same time.

Suitable Age

The movie is ideal for kids aged eleven and above.

20. Paper Clips

A great family-friendly movie that will help kids learn about tolerance, diversity and the horror that was the Holocaust.

What Will Your Child Learn

Paper Clips is a documentary about a group of students and a remarkable teacher who introduced the subject in a way that adequately unfolds the profound injustice of the historical event without all the violent details.

Suitable Age

The movie is for children above eight years.

21. Up

A movie that will teach kids about dreams and the meaning of life in form of a sweet animated film.

What Will Your Child Learn

The protagonist tackles illness and death in this surprisingly uplifting film, where he decides to honour his deceased wife’s memory by departing on a grand adventure with the help of a whole bunch of helium balloons and an unwanted company of a boy scout on board. The movie is humorous as well as touching.

Suitable Age

Kids above the age of 6 will be able to comprehend this movie.

What Factors Need to Be Considered While Choosing the Right Educational Movie for Kids?

The following factors must be considered while picking the educational movie for your child:

1. Age

Ensure that the movie’s content is appropriate for your child’s developmental stage.

2. Interests

If your little one is passionate about a particular subject, such as animals or nature, look for movies that focus on these topics.

3. Reviews

Hearing what other parents think about a movie you plan to make your child watch can give you a good idea of whether it will be a good fit for your child’s education or not.

FAQs

1. In What Way Do Movies Educate Children?

Educational movies bring up many conversational scenes that can help children learn vocabulary and pronunciation.

2. Why Movies Are Important for Children and How They Are Good for the Brain?

Movies present various stories and visuals that increase children’s knowledge of different topics, cultures and ideas, increasing their imagination and creativity. Movies are also good for their brain as it helps to improve their memory, focus, and reasoning skills.

Each movie brings forward a new life lesson for kids and having a family discussion about the movie after watching it can be a great idea, too. Another great way to spend time with your kids while helping them learn useful skills is by subscribing to Intellikit, a monthly subscription box for kids, filled with fun activities that promote all-round development. All you have to do is subscribe, enter your child’s age, and you’ll have a unique box delivered to your doorstep, each month!

Also Read: 

Back-to-School Movies for Kids
Best Animated Movies for Children
How to Make Your Child Interested in Studying?