19 best family movies on Netflix to watch with kids right now

Fancy a '90s classic that captivated an entire generation of kids? Look no further than 1996's Matilda, a brilliant adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel packed with iconic moments. Yes, we are thinking about the chocolate cake scene that traumatised more than one kid back in the day.

Starring Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman, the story follows Matilda Wormwood, a gifted girl forced to put up with horrible parenting. Her biggest foe, however, is Agatha Trunchbull, the evil principal at her school. Thanks to her power of telekinesis, Matilda defies that horrible adults that surround her in order to defend her friends and fight back against injustice.

The story was adapted into a stage musical in 2010, which then became a movie in 2022. In whichever form, Matilda is an absolute classic.

Do you ever wonder what your pet does when you're not looking? That's the question at the heart of The Secret Life of Pets, and the answer is, of course, incredibly entertaining.

The plot follows Max, a spoiled terrier who lives a comfortable life in an apartment building in New York until his owner decides to adopt a loud, uncontrollable dog named Duke. That's just the start of their adventure together as during their walk, they end up fighting a group of alley cats and being shipped to an animal shelter.

Lucky for them, a bunny named Snowball saves them from captivity and asks them to join his gang of abandoned pets on a revenge mission against humans.

Genndy Tartakovsky's family-friendly monsters saga Hotel Transylvania is available to watch on Netflix UK.

The story imagines a luxury resort, run by none other than Count Dracula, where monsters (from the Invisible Man to the Mummy) go when they want to get away from everything. There, they can be themselves without humans around to bother them.

As Dracula's daughter celebrates her 118th birthday, things get complicated when an ordinary human crashes the party.

The cast of voices include Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, Steve Buscemi and more.

Looking for another double-feature family movie night? Paddington and Paddington 2 are the loveliest movies you will ever watch, and they are perfect to watch with kids.

And soon we'll have to add Paddington 3 as well!

Now, while both movies are exceptional and endearing, Paddington 2 is on a different level. If you have to choose only one to watch, go for the sequel.

The story follows Paddington bear as he saves money to buy the perfect gift for his aunt on her 100th birthday.

NBA legend Michael Jordan becomes the Looney Tunes' basketball coach in this timeless nineties' classic, which is now available to watch on Netflix.

Mixing animation and live action, the story starts when an evil alien kidnaps the Looney Tunes to turn them into the newest attraction at his amusement park. However, Bugs Bunny challenges them to a basketball game to win their freedom, and they accept.

After the aliens steal the basketball powers from a few NBA stars and it's clear they are not going to play fair, Bugs Bunny asks Michael Jordan to help them win.

It is as deliciously absurd as it sounds, and it's a much better option than the 2021 standalone sequel Space Jam: A New Legacy starring LeBron James.

The Imaginary is as close as it gets to a new Studio Ghibli movie, though this one is made by former Ghibli workers' new brand Studio Ponoc.

Based on a novel of the same name by AF Harrold, the story follows young Amanda and her imaginary friend Rudger. The duo discover a world of adventures from Amanda's attic, however an evil force threatens to destroy not just their imaginary world but their friendship too.

Directed by Yoshiyuki Momose (a Ghibli alum who worked as a key animator on movies like Spirited Away and The Tale of Princess Kaguya), The Imaginary is a beautiful tribute to children's imagination, and a perfect family watch.

A visually stunning adventure, Ultraman: Rising is a must-see animated movie on Netflix, and you can do it with the whole family.

Based on the Ultraman franchise, the movie follows Ken Sato, an egotistical baseball player who lives a secret life as the giant superhero known as Ultraman.

In the story, Sato needs to rise to the challenge when he is forced to adopt a 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju. Will his ego allow him to be a good parent? And will he be able to protect the baby from the dark forces set on exploiting her?

Almost all Studio Ghibli movies are available to watch on Netflix, from overlooked gems like Castle in the Sky and Whisper of the Heart to iconic movies like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke.

Most of them would be a terrific pick for a family movie night, but you can start with one of their most family-friendly, kind and gorgeous titles — Hayao Miyazaki's 1989 movie Kiki's Delivery Service.

Meet Kiki, a 13-year-old witch who embarks on a one-year adventure far from home. Alongside her black cat Jiji, she settles in a coastal town and opens a delivery service in a bakery.

Who hasn't been afraid of the dark as a child? Orion and the Dark explores that fear and other types of anxieties in a gorgeous family-friendly adventure, now available on Netflix.

The story follows Orion, a kid who is afraid of the dark and the monsters that might live in it. Sensing his suffering, Dark itself invites him to spend 24 hours with it, hoping that by understanding how Dark works he won't be that scared anymore.

Charlie Kaufman, the mind behind classics like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, freely adapts Emma Yarlett's picture book, adding many layers to the story and its meanings.

ET: The Extra-Terrestrial meets Casper in this hilarious and endearing family movie, starring Stranger Things's David Harbour and Marvel star Anthony Mackie.

We Have a Ghost follows a family that moves into a new house in the Illinois suburbs, only to discover there is a ghost living in the attic. Ernest (Harbour) is a harmless ghost suffering from amnesia, but there is a dark secret regarding his past, and his death.

With Jennifer Coolidge being once again a scene-stealer as a TV medium and plenty of emotional moments to make you cry, this Netflix movie is an underrated gem that feels like a classic family watch.

Here's an amazing double-feature for a family movie day — both Chicken Run (2000) and Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023) are available to watch on Netflix.

The Aardman classic and its recent sequel (which, despite the controversial voice recastings, is also fantastic) are perfect family movies with equal parts comedy, adventures and important life lessons.

Reunite with Ginger, Rocky and the rest of the residents of a British chicken farm as they fight for freedom.

As one of the best animated movies on Netflix, The Mitchells vs The Machines is an absolute joy to watch. The whole family will have a blast with this one.

It's no surprise to find out it's produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, since their brand of meta humour and animation style is all over it — you'll quickly see the similarities with other Lord-Miller productions like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and The Lego Movie.

The Mitchells vs The Machines centres on an ordinary family who become humanity's last hope when the world is enslaved by a robot uprising, led by virtual assistant PAL (Olivia Colman).

Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbour Totoro is the masterpiece your kids need to watch as soon as possible. It is a bit slower than the Hollywood movies they might be used to, but it's well worth it.

The story follows two sisters who move into a new house in the countryside with their father, where they meet a fuzzy creature that controls the wind and travels on a Catbus.

Your kids will most definitely ask for a Totoro stuffed toy right away, so be ready!

Nimona is a must-watch family flick, as well as a LGTBQ-diverse, groundbreaking movie and one of the best movies of 2023.

Based on the award-winning graphic novel by ND Stevenson, the story follows Ballister Boldheart (voiced by Riz Ahmed), a commoner turned noble warrior who finds himself in a difficult situation when he is blamed for an attack on the Queen. Meanwhile, a rebellious shape-shifter called Nimona (voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz) decides he wants to be Ballister's evil sidekick.

It's a beautifully animated and incredibly funny adventure story that also teaches viewers some lessons about tolerance and bravery.

If you're a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda's work (from Hamilton to the soundtrack of Disney's Encanto), this Netflix animated movie is an overlooked gem.

Vivo follows a very special kinkajou (also known as a rainforest "honey bear") who plays music to the crowds in a lively square with his beloved owner Andrés. However, when tragedy strikes, Vivo sees himself tasked with a very important mission — deliver a love letter in the form of a song.

Miranda wrote the songs and voices Vivo, alongside a voice cast including Marvel stars Zoe Saldaña and Brian Tyree Henry.

This Netflix movie is both a standalone and legacy sequel to 2005's The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D, so don't worry if you don't remember what that was about.

We Can Be Heroes introduces a new group of young superheroes that need to rise to the occasion when their parents, the actual professional superheroes, are kidnapped by alien invaders.

Pedro Pascal, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Christian Slater and Boyd Holbrook lead the cast of this enjoyable family movie with lots of action and comedy.

Adam Sandler plays a 74-year-old lizard in Netflix's Leo, and that's probably the only piece of information you need to start watching.

The story follows Leo, a lizard that has been stuck in the same Florida school for decades. When he learns he only has one year left to live, he plans to escape to freedom, but instead has to rescue his class from their horribly mean substitute teacher.

Also starring Saturday Night Live's Cecily Strong, Everything Everywhere All at Once's Stephanie Hsu, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel's Jason Alexander and regular Sandler collaborator Rob Schneider, Leo is a fun movie for a family movie night.