It's the holidays – and if you didn't know that already, chances are you're not a parent. All over the country people are tearing their hair out in an attempt to come up with time and energy-consuming activities to keep their little ones contented over the long summer days (and nights).
Compared to the days of yore when your DVD or VHS collection was a limiting factor, though, the rise of the best streaming services means that parents have more access than ever to huge libraries of age-appropriate movies.
In fact, the challenge now is in sifting out the best stuff for your kids. So, we're here to help – and here are some unmissable movies on the biggest streaming platforms that you can watch right now. Many are good for families, not only kiddos watching solo!
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
- Streaming on Netflix
Its creator might have morphed into a bit of a bizarro figure now, but the magic of Harry Potter still looms large for kids all over the world – and Netflix has the film that kicks the saga off here in the UK.
It's a lovely little fable, full of spirited performances from young actors and with a crazy range of talent playing members of the teaching staff at Hogwarts. This is a perfect movie for kids who want a little peril in their entertainment, but are old enough to see the enjoyment in it – and significance to furthering the story.
Toy Story 2
- Streaming on Disney+
Disney+ is undoubtedly the market leader when it comes to children's films and shows on a streaming platform, and one of its biggest assets is its Pixar library. The celebrated studio's most highly-rated work on Rotten Tomatoes shouldn't be a surprise – Toy Story 2 has been a fan favourite for years.
Tied on a '100% fresh' score with its predecessor, this animated beauty expands Woody and Buzz's world massively and ups the stakes. It's the perfect movie for a family, with jokes for parents mixed into its heartwarming and pulse-quickening action.
Kiki's Delivery Service
- Streaming on Netflix
Studio Ghibli is another of the world's most storied producers of family-friendly movies (for the most part), and it has loads of highly-rated films to pick from. Kiki's Delivery Service misses out on the top spot going by Rotten Tomatoes scores (by a tiny margin) but it's our pick for the best starting point for younger watchers.
This lovely story about a young witch finding her feet and making her way in the world has loads of heart and some really fun comedy, too. It also doesn't get anywhere near as scary as some of the studio's other films, making it a safer pick. My Neighbour Totoro comes in as another excellent choice, too!
Time Bandits
- Streaming on Apple TV+
If your child is the sort who wants to watch something new, rather than something they've been hearing about for years, Apple just added a new series that could bring the best of both worlds. Time Bandits is a reboot of the cult-classic movie and promises to be fun for the family.
From the minds of Taika Waititi (director of Thor: Ragnarok) and Jemaine Clement (of Flight of the Conchords fame, among many voiceover roles for animated shows), it offers up an eclectic and fun cast of ragtag friends who travel through time together, anchored by a young protagonist whose bedroom they all stumble into one night. It looks like a really good bit of fun, and you can watch episodes as they come out.
Chicken Run
- Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Another immensely famous animation studio making top kids' movies, Aardman Animation has some stunners to offer up, and Chicken Run is rightly one of its most well-known films. The parodic story about a farm of talking chickens who realise their lives are in danger is jut fantastic fun.
It features some hugely inventive set-pieces, and its hand-made stop motion animation ensures that it doesn't look dated at all – and there's even a modern sequel streaming on Netflix. Before that, though, you should catch the original, and you can do so with Prime Video.