FAMILY FRIENDLY FARE:

Movies and TV shows to Watch With Your Kids

NOTE: this all depends on your family and your kids, needless to say. I've got stuff here great for kids under 8 and stuff appropriate for teens and stuff some parents might never show to their kids at all. But hey, I meant well! 

Wondering where to find this stuff? A great resource is JUSTWATCH.COM. Go there and you'll  get a sense where a lot of this stuff is streaming or available .

MOVIES TO WATCH -- ages may vary!

ALL AGES -- really, these are great films and not JUST for little kids. Not at all. I'm not offering up time killers. These are all really great movies and tv shows that everyone should watch. Yes, Sesame Street and whatever are lovely but those are really JUST for kids. This stuff is for everyone. 

THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938) -- the classic adventure tale. 

BABE -- one of the great animal films, but be wholly prepared for your kids to announce they've gone vegetarian. That's not an agenda of the film but a little inevitable. If you're really into it (and I am), the darker sequel Babe: Pig In The City is also very good. This is an all-time classic. 

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991) -- The Disney animated version is one of the all-time great movie musicals. Full stop. And if you're a really cool parent, you will wait a bit and then show them the 1946 version La Belle et la Bette. Just saying. 

THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN -- funny/scary entertainment. As a bonus, show them this and a little later you can spring Young Frankenstein on them and they'll laugh all the louder. 

BUSTER KEATON SHORTS -- I've got one or two movies on here. But the shorts of Buster Keaton are the place to start. Just look for the ones viewed the most on YouTube or the most popular on whatever service you stream them. The younger the kids are, the less they'll realize they're not supposed to be watching a black and white short and the more they'll love them for life. Plus, they're short! Consider a black and white silent short or classic Looney Tunes cartoon before your feature film or TV show watching begins! When you're ready for movies, Steamboat Bill, Sherlock Jr, The General and so on. 

CHARLIE CHAPLIN SHORTS -- Chaplin has the feature length films best geared towards kids (more than Keaton et al, I think). But his shorts are amazing and you probably haven't seen most of them and they're so funny. See Buster Keaton shorts for my full advice on silent comedies. When you're ready for movies, of course The Kid, The Circus, City Lights, The Gold Rush and so on. 

DISNEY/PIXAR FILMS -- i list some of them here. You know them, you love them or at least you see their usefulness in keeping the kids intelligently entertained for 100 minutes at a time. 

E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL -- Ok, they're going to get upset and cry at one point. It's ok. 

A HARD DAY'S NIGHT -- So great. As a bonus, they'll be demanding to play Beatles music for weeks afterwars. 

THE HOBBIT (2012) -- No. Don't. Let them read the book, listen to a radio adaptation, but don't let them watch these movies. The Lord of the Rings? Yes. Not these. 

THE INCREDIBLES  

KOYAANISQATSI -- maybe they'll need to be hitting their teens for this, but I don't think so. In fact, kids are so visually savvy from a young age, they may get it more quickly than a lot of adults. This is an 86 min mostly wordless documentary. It's been so influential it might not wow as much as it did in 1982. But it's still a mesmerizing spectacle with much to say about the fragility and beauty of the planet. Gorgeous. Ideal for everyone from kiddies to college students. 

LAUREL AND HARDY SHORTS -- see also Buster Keaton for my advice on black and white silents. Kids will love them, especially when you're watching and laughing along with them. Laurel and Hardy have some decent movies but really the shorts are where it's at. Plus, they're short!

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO -- another animated gem from Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki. I just list this and Spirited Away, assuming anyone who loves these will seek out the rest. 

PINOCCHIO (1940) -- Of course I mean the 1940 Disney original, not ANY of the thousand awful to so-so remakes over the years. This is one of the most beautiful animated films of all time and the story is a thorough, complex delight. You'll like the end of Spielberg's "A.I. : Artificial Intelligence" much more if you see this first. Oh, and it's SCARY during the amusement park scene. Like many classic Disney films, it's got bite.  

THE RED BALLOON -- a wordless French film about a little boy being followed around by a red balloon. Simplicity itself and a delight. And it's 34 min long. I am not dissing the 2007 remake with Juliette Binocche but really, you need to see this first.  

THE SOUND OF MUSIC -- haven't you shown them this already? What are you, a monster? 

SPIRITED AWAY -- A classic from Japan's Disney, Hayao Miyazaki. He is a genius and almost everything he did is worth checking out. This is his masterpiece and it is VERY Japanese. That sense of discovering something new (rather than the latest spin on a fairy tale) is what makes it so wonderful for Westerners. Just a delight. 

STAR WARS -- duh. extra points if you can find a cut of the original theatrical cut for them to watch. Even more points if you stop watching after the original trilogy, at least for a while. Don't spoil their childhood so soon. Bonus: like many movies and tv shows on here, you've got a LOT of books for them to dive into if they're loving it and want more. 

TOY STORY 1 AND 2 AND 3 AND 4 

THE WIZARD OF OZ -- see, I'm not taking anything for granted. 

OLDER KIDS/TEENS 

CROUCHING TIGER,  HIDDEN DRAGON -- quite long, with slow parts a flashback that will confuse younger kids. But it's a great film akin to The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) in terms of glorious entertainment. 

GOODFELLAS -- Good. You're paying attention. Just checking. 

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE -- pretty darn dark, by the way. 

THE LORD OF THE RINGS -- Quite violent and dark, ultimately but great. Do NOT let your kids watch The Hobbit movies, not if you love them. Let them read that book, or better still read it with them. Then when they're ready, the Lord Of The Rings movies. You can also find a GREAT BBC radio adaptation that runs to 12 or so episodes. It's terrific and a great new way to enjoy these stories. 

PAPER MOON -- During the Depression, a shady Bible salesman is saddled with a little girl. In black and white but since you've been showing your kids Charlie Chaplin shorts for a while, they won't blink twice! A gem, but a little downbeat and serious at times, so really for kids ready for that. 

SEVEN SAMURAI -- Perfect for older kids. You might think they'll complain about subtitles but they've probably been seeing them on various tv shows for years. A great entertainment to get them into classic cinema from around the world. Wait a little and then you can show them The Magnificent Seven. 

SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE - the grand daddy of superhero movies, this is also kind of beautifully SLOW. Like an old Bible epic. 

GREAT TV SHOWS TO WATCH WITH YOUR KIDS 

ALL AGES 

ADVENTURE TIME -- 12 min episodes make this perfect for diving in. 

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL (1978) -- definitely the original rather than the recent remake. The original is perfect for kids with a love of animals. 

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (1985) -- I'm referring to the 1985 Canadian TV series, which surely will pop up again somewhere someday soon. Bonus: the books are great too. 

BLUE PLANET (2001) -- The quality of nature documentaries has gone through the roof in recent decades and you can credit Blue Planet for that. It's an absolute milestone and I couldn't give a toss for nature or the outdoors. Engrossing and thrilling from start to finish. Like Disney, you will be seeing some death and dying but by and large it's inspiring and hopeful. They can deal with it. 

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS -- the classic original. 

THE COSBY SHOW -- yep.  

DEXTER'S LABORATORY (1996) -- kid with secret lab he hides from his folks, though annoying sister complicates things. The gateway drug to Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2003) and Samurai Jack. 

DOCTOR WHO (1963 onward) -- If you're not a fan already, you probably won't be. But anyone with a zest for sci-fi should dive in. Especially fun with the kids and a great reminder how $5 special effects work great when you're ready to suspend disbelief. 

EERIE, INDIANA -- a Twilight Zone for kids. Gone too soon!

EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS -- a great show centered on a kid, very funny and sharp. 

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS -- irreplaceable. And dear god, not the film version with Jim Carrey. 

LEAVE IT TO BEAVER -- early seasons especially are great. The pilot will open your mind to this show, for a scene where Beaver and Wally discuss how to handle their parents. Not so wholesome or dull as you'd think. 

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE -- stop after about three or four seasons, but it's saccharine good fun right up until Nellie Olsen becomes a demon child and one of the Ingalls kids goes blind. Bonus: you can get them to tackle the books. (And if you're that sort of parent, you'll follow with a discussion about HOW to read them.) 

THE MUPPET SHOW (1976) -- finally available again on Disney+ and worth the $6 a month for that alone. Old school vaudeville, this is great family entertainment in the best sense of the word.  

PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE -- sneakily progressive, but don't worry. It's mostly just silly fun. 

PINKY AND THE BRAIN -- worthy of comparison to classic Looney Tunes stuff. 'nuff said. 

THE ROCKY & BULLWINKLE SHOW (1959) -- missing in action, but awesomely fun in its absurdist and silly attitude. So keep an eye out. 

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS -- You'll probably feel SpongeBob has drained Bikini Bottom of every comic potential after the fourth or fifth season, but the series is dependably delightful and I cherish any show that has a kind rather than snarky attitude. Who better to celebrate dorkiness and optimism? Pretty irresistible. 

THE WONDER YEARS (1998) -- getting a reboot but the original is still striking for its mix of comedy and drama and taking the kids' point of view w seriousness. 

OLDER KIDS/TEENS 

BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES (1992) -- a gazillion comic book-based shows are out there. If you're into that stuff, you know what to enjoy with your kids. This is a high water mark and perfect for sharing.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER -- older kids. Great way to have boys watch a girl kick ass. Monsters! High school! Sex (eventually)!

FREAKS AND GEEKS -- set in high school in the early 1980s. One of the great casting jobs of all time means this is filled with amazing talent. 

GILMORE GIRLS -- not just for girls! Great watching kids deal with parents and parents deal with THEIR parents. Great dialogue and smart and funny and sweet. 

I'LL FLY AWAY -- this classic tv drama is impossible to find right now. But once it's available, this is great and enduring television. 

I  LOVE LUCY -- especially the first few seasons. Barely a kid in sight but who cares? 

MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS -- the kids will come for the silliness and stay for the bracing absurdity of it all. 

SAMURAI JACK -- awesome cartoon series that notches up the darkness in the fifth and final season. 

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (2003) -- Note, this is the 2003 miniseries/movie created by Genndy Tartakovsky, NOT the 2008 series overseen by George Lucas. Needless to say, the Lucas series is more readily available. Sigh. 

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN -- So, so funny. Even better, prepare them with some scary classic horror originals like Bride Of Frankenstein and the like. Not necessary to enjoy this  masterpiece from Mel Brooks.