Drawing Them In: Animated Movies for Every Stage of Childhood
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By Tom Caroccia
Every movie lover who has a child wants to see them take a journey through films, and animated movies are some of the best to enjoy as a family on that journey. So here is a guide of some animated movies I think would hit the best throughout childhood, from the toddler phase all the way through high school.
Toddler (1-3 years old)
WALL-E
While a toddler may not pick up on the environmentalist and anti-consumerist themes in this excellent Disney-Pixar film, the entire first third of the movie consists of very little language, mostly connecting with the audience through sound design, visuals, music, and slapstick comedy. Plus, rewatching later in life, they will hopefully see it in a whole new light and open up another layer of appreciation.
My Neighbor Totoro
It has beautiful scenery and cinematography that looks like an oil painting. Anyone who wants to introduce a baby to some hand-drawn animation can’t go wrong with a Studio Ghibli film that features a precocious young protagonist, a loving family, a cat-bus, and a bunch of cute forest spirits largely just…hanging out. Surprisingly, Totoro is the movie that our one-year-old has sat down and watched for the longest amount of time. It works.
Honorable mentions:
Cars, Finding Nemo, Frozen
Preschool (3-4 years old)
The Lion King
It truly is the “circle of life” for us millennials to raise our kids on The Lion King. A titan of the Disney Renaissance of the 1990s (along with three of our honorable mentions), this one introduces a child to not only great animation and a wonderful coming-of-age story, but also Elton John, William Shakespeare, and the great Nathan Lane and James Earl Jones!
Toy Story
Another absolute classic and one of the best written Pixar films. While the CGI doesn’t quite hold up when standing side-by-side against other movies already mentioned, the concept and performances carry the day. It adds a meta element to children’s own imaginative play-times and lays valuable foundation to show what teamwork and bridging gaps can accomplish.
Honorable mentions:
Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, The LEGO Movie, The Little Mermaid
Early Elementary (5-7 years old)
Monsters, Inc.
This movie is aimed at debunking kids’ fears of monsters in their closet, and I’m willing to bet its humor and playfulness have helped a lot of kids over the years. As with Toy Story, the visuals may not be the best anymore, but who can deny the chemistry of Mike and Sully? And not only that, but years later you can show them films like The Big Lebowski and blow their minds with Sully and Randall getting into even more hijinks together.
Encanto
A movie that perhaps got overshadowed by the cultural explosion of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” Encanto is a touching and sneakily complex story about not judging a book by its cover, forgiving misunderstandings, and finding your place in the world. But it’s also got “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and “Surface Pressure,” which are bonafide bangers that kids love.
Honorable mentions:
Despicable Me, Moana, The Boss Baby, The Land Before Time, Toy Story 2
Late Elementary (7-9 years old)
Ratatouille
Who doesn’t love a rat who can cook some potato leek soup? I know parents would love to have someone with the culinary prowess of Remy pulling their hair on a Wednesday night when they just want to be on autopilot. And for kids, you get…a rat who can cook potato leek soup! And that still rocks.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
This is just a beautiful film about a young witch who runs a delivery service suddenly losing her powers. Hayao Miyazaki’s story of growth and finding oneself works both for adults who may want to tap into some of their lost imagination and for children who like cute talking cats. It also has the benefit of being super relaxing, chill, and playful for most of the runtime.
Honorable mentions:
Aladdin, How to Train Your Dragon, Lilo & Stitch, The Emperor’s New Groove, The Incredibles
Early Middle School (9-11 years old)
Spirited Away
Sticking with Miyazaki, Spirited Away is a bit more emotionally complex and intense than Kiki. It packs self-actualization, independence, a connection with nature, the dangers of gluttony, and many other poignant themes into a neat package where villains aren’t necessarily villains and everyone—even the spirits and creatures—are human. Also, I love No-Face so much.
Coco
Pixar’s modern masterpiece is perfect for this age. You get some great songs, a heartfelt narrative backed by absolutely beautiful cinematography, and a stunning color palette. Miguel’s journey through the Land of the Dead (with his guide dog, Dante) is riveting, and this age is perfect for a child to reinforce the importance of family, memory, and sticking to your principles. And “Remember Me” rocks!
Honorable mentions:
Shrek, Inside Out, Luca, Tangled, The Secret of Kells
Late Middle School (12-13 years old)
Big Hero 6
Grief can send a volatile preteen and early teenager into a tailspin, so sometimes it takes a great set of friends to keep them in check. Big Hero 6 is fun, has sneakily one of the most popular Disney mascots (go see the line for kids waiting for Baymax at Disney World), and shows both the perils of revenge and the benefits of being emotionally open—all of which can resonate with kids at an age when they’re figuring their emotions out.
Wolfwalkers
This could probably be shown a bit earlier, but it does have some slightly scary moments and violence. It’s a primer on British oppression of the Irish, and it has Cartoon Saloon’s signature immaculate and breathtaking hand-drawn animation. Tackling themes like colonialism and our connection with nature, Wolfwalkers has the heart (but not the corniness) that an early teenager can appreciate.
Honorable mentions:
The Iron Giant, Coraline, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Wreck-It Ralph
Early High School (13-15 years old)
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
In these developing, rebellious teenage years, sometimes you just need a reminder that your family has your back. You may not always get along, but when the rubber hits the road your family is sometimes the only thing you can trust. This one, like WALL-E, also focuses on an over-reliance on technology, which only becomes more poignant as we progress through the 21st century.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
This movie is just absolutely captivating. One of the most fun animated films out there, Into the Spider-Verse did what other similar films have yet to master: it created a multiverse with stakes. Because of the “2.5D” animation, the urgent tone, the authentic New York City setting, and the heater of a soundtrack, even the most contrarian high schooler can connect with the coming-of-age story of Miles Morales, Peter B. Parker, and their multiversal group of misfits.
Honorable mentions:
Fantasia, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Late High School (16-18 years old)
Soul
Perhaps Pixar’s most ambitious and abstract effort, Soul’s rare focus on an adult protagonist searching for meaning lends itself to a viewing as a teenager enters the phase of preparing for college (or an alternative path) to figure out their passion. And even more than that, it’s about appreciating what you have and not being afraid to just live without the pressures of what comes next. In a time with a lot of flux, it’s important to remember that!
Akira
Far more adult than any other entry on this list, Akira is a marvel of animation. In this one, we’ve got a living, breathing cyberpunk post-apocalypse in Neo-Tokyo, where teenagers are shooting lasers and using psychic powers and having terrifying nightmares. It’s a timeless cautionary tale of power, corruption, oppression, and it is essential animated viewing. For a teen movie watcher, it opens up a whole new level of world-building and creativity.
Honorable mentions:
Up, Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood, Perfect Blue, Porco Rosso, Toy Story 3, Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Tom Caroccia is one-half of Baby’s First Watchlist, a podcast where he and his wife Erin watch movies to discuss and determine whether each one will join that neverending queue of films to watch with their kids. You can find Baby’s First Watchlist on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Threads (@babysfirstwatchlist) and Tom on Letterboxd (tc579).