G-rated films have a bit of a bad reputation. Adults tend not to appreciate them, thinking there’s nothing in the movie they’ll enjoy. Well, guess what! There are plenty of G-rated films that adults can enjoy too, and even if you don’t ultimately like them, children do and in many cases they’re the target audience.
These ten films can all be found on Netflix (so no Disney here, sorry) and are well worth your time.
Some of these films are actually labelled “NR”, meaning they were never submitted for a rating, but are G-rated in all but name and suitable for all ages nonetheless. Enjoy!
Spelling the Dream (2020)
A charming documentary that follows four of the world’s best spellers, all Indian-American kids, as they compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. You wouldn’t think spelling could be dramatic, but it very much is in this film. Listening to a child try and spell “boarder” had me positively on edge.
Spelling the Dream does delve into racism and bigotry, which might be upsetting for kids and adults alike, but on the whole it’s the perfect educational documentary to show your children. It might even encourage them to be spellers.
Jessica Darling’s It List (2016)
A movie based on the book by Megan McCafferty, and the ideal film to show kids who aren’t old enough for Mean Girls yet. Jessica Darling’s It List is all about a tweenage girl’s quest to survive in high school (we’ve all been there) and to that end, her older sister gives her an “it list” detailing the steps she needs to take to be popular.
Jessica thinks she needs to wear cute clothes, talk to boys, join the cheerleading team etc. But wouldn’t it be easier to ditch the list and just be herself? You got it!
Robin Robin (2021)
A short film from Aardman Animations, the brains and heart behind Claymation hits such as Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit. The characters of Robin Robin aren’t made with clay, though, they’re made with needle felting! And as someone who loves (but is terrible at) needle felting, I wholeheartedly approve.
Robin Robin is all about a robin who was raised as a mouse with a family of mice (awww) and her mission to steal a Christmas star from the Who-Man’s house. It’s the perfect Christmas movie for small children.
The Beginning of Life (2016)
Another excellent documentary. The Beginning of Life is all about early childhood development and the role both genes and the environment play. It comes to us from Brazil, but is available on Netflix in multiple languages.
The filmmakers visited nine countries to learn more about childhood and interviewed several experts on the matter. The result is a film that explores how children are “the best learning machines in the universe.”
Octonauts and the Caves of Sac Actun (2020)
Have you heard of the Octonauts? They’re a bunch of adorable animals who live on a deep-sea base and go on adventures to protect the ocean and its inhabitants. Kids love them! And adults love them too, because they teach the kids about the wonders of the water.
In this feature-length outing for the Octonauts, they help an octopus friend return to the Caribbean Sea, with lots of child-friendly danger along the way. Very young kids might still be scared by some of the tenser scenes, so be on your guard.
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (2019)
Another hit from Aardman. Shaun the Sheep, who made his debut in a Wallace and Gromit film, is one of their most beloved characters. And in this adorable movie, he goes on his second feature-length adventure! (The first was Shaun the Sheep Movie back in 2015.)
Shaun and his friends encounter a cute little alien after a UFO crash, and they must call on all their sheepy smarts to get her home and avoid MAD, the Ministry for Alien Detection. If your kids (or you!) like the movie, there’s plenty more Shaun about—he has his own TV series too.
The Princess Switch: Switched Again (2020)
The Princess Switch movies are very popular among kids, and this one is the sequel to the (PG-rated!) original. Vanessa Hudgens plays three royal roles: Princess Stacy, Queen Margaret, and Lady Fiona Pembroke.
Like its predecessor, it’s a Christmas flick, and well deserving of a spot on your Christmas playlist. And it was so successful that there was a third film released later, with Vanessa Hudgens returning to play her three characters.
The Main Event (2020)
A little boy named Leo, played by Seth Carr (young Killmonger in Black Panther!) is in a bad situation. His mother has abandoned him, leaving only his dad and grandmother, and he’s being bullied at school by jerks who make fun of his WWE dreams. Then he finds an old wrestling mask that grants him powers, and he starts to take part in wacky wrestling matches under the name “Kid Chaos.”
This is a kids’ movie through and through but adults are more than welcome to come along for the ride. It has everything you’d want a kid to learn about pursuing their dreams, presented in a cool and funny way.
Rescued By Ruby (2022)
A DOG MOVIE! And doesn’t everyone love dog movies? The dog in question here is Ruby, a shelter dog who simply can’t be trained… until state trooper Daniel O’Neil comes along. And he’s played by Grant Gustin, The Flash himself!
This is definitely a G rated movie, however there are some intense scenes due to the nature of Ruby’s work as a search and rescue dog. So very young kids might want to skip those scenes and focus entirely on the ones of Ruby being adorable.
My Octopus Teacher (2020)
A rightfully highly acclaimed documentary about a diver, Craig Foster, who encountered and befriended an octopus in the South African seas. The unnamed octopus teaches Foster about underwater life and, eventually, death.
My Octopus Teacher is widely considered one of the best documentaries of the decade and it won Best Documentary Feature at the 93rd Oscars. Be prepared to feel everything—joy, sadness, connection—when you watch it.
Published: Jul 27, 2024 11:51 am