10 Movies That Are Fun to Watch as a Family

We asked parents and kids what movies they like to watch together. The answers were quickly forthcoming, and everyone found it easy to come up with his or her own short list of “bests.” The 10 most frequently mentioned films are included below.

“So, What Did You Think?” After Movie Discussion Below are a short list of general questions you can use to prompt discussion of the conflicts, characters, and themes from the movie your family watched. 1. What did you think of the main character? What traits about him or her did you identify with? 2. What is the main conflict of this movie? Can you relate to it in any way? 3. Who is “the bad guy,” the villain, the antagonist? Do you think the bad guy has any good qualities? 4. What sort of questions does this movie bring up? 5. How does this movie remind you of your faith? Where is God in this film? 6. What do you want to know more about because of this movie? 7. Why do you like or dislike this movie?

In an attempt to compile an unofficial list of favorite movies that families enjoy watching together, we gathered suggestions from dozens of families. We soon realized there were just too many nominees and everyone had his or her own favorites. People had a lot of fun simply discussing the issue.

Get in on the conversation and review the list below, discuss it with your family, and compile your own list of family favorites. This list can not only guide you while streaming at home, but it can also serve as a great discussion starter with your children. You’ll find out a lot about what's going on inside your kids’ heads by discussing what’s happening on the screen. All that’s left is to put the popcorn (right side up) in the microwave and just press Play.

Here are 10 family favorites that were on almost everybody’s list:

The Wizard of Oz

Finding Nemo

The Lion King

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

The Sound of Music

October Sky

It’s a Wonderful Life

A Christmas Story

With kids 12 and over:

To Kill a Mockingbird

Stand by Me

Content originally developed for Finding God parent newsletter