Valentine’s Day can bring up all sorts of feelings. Many people think the whole thing is too commercialized and call it a “Hallmark holiday.” Celebrating “Galentine’s Day” feels much more important to others. If you’re one of the unabashedly sappy folks among us, though, you count down the days until Feb. 14 every year. Like Debbie Harry and Lara Jean Covey, you’re in Love with love! You practically spend the first half of February walking around with googly eyes and, not surprisingly, want to celebrate that love with everyone. Romantic dinners with partners are always a nice way to mark the occasion, but there’s just something extra special about spending this heart-shaped holiday with the younger members of the household, too. Since chicken nuggets by candlelight might be a bit much, what can you do instead? Cue up some Valentine’s Day movies for kids and have the sweetest evening in with your biggest (little) loves. Yep, kid-friendly Valentine’s Day films do exist — the trick is simply finding movies full of heart. That’s what Valentine’s Day is really all about, right?
Of course, no family movie night is complete without snacks. You can lean into the holiday theme by letting your kids eat the candy they brought home after their school Valentine swap (just make sure you call dibs on at least one candy necklace). So, break out the sugar bombs, form a cuddle puddle with your kiddos on the couch, and enjoy the heartwarming togetherness — at least until a fight breaks out over the last Hershey’s Kiss.
Valentine’s Day Movies for Younger Kids
1. Encanto (PG)
You’d be hard-pressed to find many movies with as much heart as Disney’s latest mega-hit. Romance? Very little of it. But the biggest romantic storyline of the film turns into the kind of love story kids need to see more of — one of self-love, when Isabela chooses her happiness over a relationship that doesn’t work for her. In fact, the film is bursting at the seams with all kinds of life-affirming love, from familial to the love of community and culture.
2. Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (NR)
Who doesn’t love Charlie Brown? Even adults get excited about that annual airing of the various holiday-themed episodes. (Though you could stream most of them at any time.) For parents, it’s nostalgia — and a bit of relatability with Charlie. For kids, well, it’s Snoopy. At only 30 minutes long, this 1975 classic is perfect for even the shortest of attention spans.
3. Lady and The Tramp (G)
Lady and The Tramp is, hands down, one of the most perfect Valentine’s Day movies to watch with your kids. While younger kids may not fully grasp the narrative of the “other side of the tracks” forbidden love story, they’ll still get that these two pups love each other. As a bonus, you can turn this movie time into a real-life Valentine’s Day lunch date simply by serving some spaghetti and meatballs to watch with the film. Swoon. The only problem? Having to decide whether to watch the 1955 animated classic or the 2019 live-action adaptation.
4. Gnomeo & Juliet (G)
Gnomeo & Juliet (and all the other Gnome films) is a work of clear genius. If you haven’t seen it yet, yes, it’s almost exactly like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet — but with gnomes. Beyond the obvious love story, the film is bold, colorful, and just the right amount of silly to keep children and parents entertained.
5. The Princess and the Frog (G)
One of the best Disney movies to release in the last decade, this spin on the classic frog prince story isn’t set in some magical imagined land. Rather, it takes in the vibrant and one-of-a-kind city of New Orleans in the American South. Accordingly, the film is loaded with great food and even better music. How about making some homemade beignets to enjoy while you watch together?
Valentine’s Day Movies for (Slightly) Older Kids
6. Shrek (PG)
You might not think ogres scream Valentine’s Day. And Mike Myers may not usually be your particular brand of funny. But there’s something about Mike Myers playing an ogre that’s practically impossible not to adore. Shrek might feature fantastical creatures and far-off lands, but the love story between Shrek and Fiona is about as real as it gets. Love doesn’t always happen instantaneously. Love doesn’t always make sense. Perhaps most importantly, love isn’t always easy. How about a sweet-but-realistic look at love this Valentine’s Day? And, if your kids don’t care about any of that stuff, they’ll still get a kick out of all the fart jokes.
7. Kung Fu Panda (PG)
“Uhhh, hold up. Is Kung Fu Panda really a Valentine’s Day movie?” Yeah, friends. It is. While romance may not take up the central storyline in the film, love does. Po has a huge crush on Tigress, which is cute in and of itself. But when you factor in that he loves her not just because she’s a beautiful, majestic tiger but also because she’s totally tough, it makes the whole thing even more special. And that’s to say nothing of the love between Po and his adoptive parents or the Furious Five and Master Shifu.
8. Clifford the Big Red Dog (PG)
Clifford isn’t a conventional Valentine’s Day movie either, but it definitely deserves a place on the list. From the moment Emily Elizabeth meets Clifford — a giant, Valentine’s Day-colored pup with an even bigger spot in Emily’s heart — she’s his devoted companion. In other words, not all Valentines need to be human. Clifford is proof.
9. How To Train Your Dragon (PG)
This one has layers, people. Yes, Hiccup and Astrid are clearly in love. (Spoiler Alert: They get married in the third film.) And, yes, Toothless and Light Fury are obviously meant for each other. But just like Emily Elizabeth and Clifford, the love between Hiccup and Toothless shouldn’t be overlooked. It may not be romantic, but it’s fierce and steadfast.
10. Tangled (PG)
What parent wouldn’t stan a strong and capable princess? Watching Rapunzel come into her own as she gets further from the manipulation of Mother Gothel could open the door for some interesting conversations with your kids. The dynamic between Rapunzel and Flynn Rider is also pretty compelling.
11. The Little Rascals (PG)
Heart swells and hijinx? Yes, please. The Little Rascals will be every bit as cheesy as you remember it. Let’s face it, though; kids eat that stuff up. It’s cute and relatively innocent, making it ideal for a Valentine’s Day movie date with your little love.
12. Yours, Mine, & Ours (PG)
There are two versions of this movie, one with Lucille Ball as the leading lady (1968) and one with Rene Russo in that role (2005). But the concept is basically the same for each film: A widower with ten kids falls for a widow with eight kids. They get married and create a giant, drama-filled family. Naturally, yet not without a few snags along the way, they all learn to love each other.
13. My Girl (PG)
First kiss? Check. Big crushes? Check. A dad with a cute and kooky new employee-turned-girlfriend? Check. Even the trauma from losing Thomas J. can’t make My Girl any less romantic. Vada-Bo-Bada is *everyone’s* girl from the beginning of this 1991 classic all the way until the end of the 1994 sequel.
Valentine’s Day Movies to Watch With Tweens and Teens
14. The Princess Diaries (G)
Still one of the best feel-good films out there, The Princess Diaries is innocent enough for even younger kids — though your tweens will likely love it most. Prepare to swoon over royalty, a glow-up, and a kiss with a “foot pop.”
15. The Princess Bride (PG)
Need something full of family-friendly, syrupy-sweet romance? As you wish. The Princess Bride is a classic and almost always at the top of everyone’s favorite movies. The film is cast entirely with adults, so it doesn’t feel like a “kids’ movie.” However, it can be watched and enjoyed with your offspring at your side, making it the perfect film for any Valentine’s evening when you can’t get a sitter.
16. Love and Monsters (PG-13)
A post-apocalyptic love story? Yup. Watch Love and Monsters and traverse across the futuristic wasteland of America with a teenager in an attempt to reach his long-lost love on the other side. It might be weird to think about dystopian romance, but “the kids” are into it.
17. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (PG-13)
If you want to watch something cool and on-theme with your teens this Valentine’s Day, you can’t go wrong with this pick. The new era of coming-of-age rom-coms has arrived, and TATB is the very best of that genre. Team Kavinsky forever!
The post Have A Family-Friendly Love Fest With These Valentine’s Day Movies For Kids appeared first on Scary Mommy.
