Classic Children’s Movies: Our Favourites
With the temperatures soaring and the kids cooped up indoors with ‘nothing’ to do, popping a DVD of favourites or classics is my go-to tactic when I’ve tried everything else with my preschooler and she just won’t settle down with something that lasts more than two minutes.
Because she doesn’t get a lot of telly time, or even get to watch movies as much, these are a real treat. So far she’s watched only FIVE movies – two she watches quite regularly and the third being her first movie at the cinemas, UP and the two sequels to Ice Age. Going to the cinema was a fun experience for her and watching a movie on the big screen doesn’t quite compare to watching it at home. The other two, which I’m sure are also most kids favourites are:
Finding Nemo is her personal favourite. It’s the one that, no matter how many times she’s watched it, still holds her attention like nothing else. From the moment that the barracuda gets Coral, to Nemo’s first day at school, to when Nemo gets taken by the diver to Marlin and Dory’s adventures with the sharks, jelly fish and giant sea turtles – she’s completely absorbed in the movie. She’s curious about the kinds of fish and birds in the movie and I think, stumped by the portrayal of a whole new world under the sea.
Ice Age is our family movie. It’s the movie we’ve watched together and enjoyed many times over. It’s the movie we pop into the DVD player on a lazy Friday afternoon. My daughter loves ‘silly’ Sid and the baby in the movie. She loves the action-packed scenes and she watches them with sharp intakes of breath even though she knows everything is going to be alright in the end. She laughs out loud at Sid’s antics and the parts with the dodos. We’ve watched Ice Age 2 and 3, but this one remains our very favourite!
Now that she’s older, my husband I are looking forward to introducing her to children’s movies that we enjoyed. This summer, we’re going to watch:
The Jungle Book: I remember many a summer days spent watching this movie over and over again. I could probably still sing along to ‘Bare Necessities’. My preschooler is going through a love of all things forest-and-jungle relates, especially elephants so I think she’ll really enjoy this story of man-cub Mowgli reared by wolves in the jungle, and finally being taken back to human civilization in the care of a bear and panther and their many adventures along the way.
The Little Mermaid: This movie, about a mermaid princess fascinated with life on land will be perfect for my preschooler who is also obsessed with princesses as well sea-life, thanks to Finding Nemo. She already adores ‘Under the Sea‘ and has seen pictures of Flounder and Sebastian on her memory game pieces so this is one movie she’s looking forward to as well.
E.T.: This story about an alien getting left behind by his spaceship and the efforts of the three siblings who find him, to get him back is heartwarming and funny. I remember crying and laughing with this movie and even though, this movie isn’t considered ideal for viewing according to many parents, I think that there are many lessons to be learned from it, as well. And my preschooler is young enough that I can just rush over the parts I don’t want her watching.
The Lion King: Despite its dark undertones, that I’m hoping that my daughter most likely won’t pick up on, this movie is a a bittersweet coming-of-age story with a focus on all the right elements. Plus, Timon and Pumba are hilarious!
Monsters, Inc.: This movie maybe about monsters but they’re not scary monsters at all – just the cutest. And Boo – the little human girl – is just the most adorable cartoon character ever, in my books. I loved this movie and I think my preschooler will too.
The two movies that the jury is still out on are A Bug’s Life and The Incredibles. We’re not sure that our daughter is ready for them, much as we enjoyed them,
What children’s movies do you consider classics? Which of these classics / favourites do you plan on introducing your children to? What will you be watching with your kids on loop this summer?
