This is the crown jewel of Apple TV+'s kids film library, full stop. From the same Irish studio that made The Secret of Kells, it's a hand-drawn animated film about a girl in 1650s Ireland who befriends a "wolfwalker" (someone who transforms into a wolf while sleeping). The animation style alone is worth the watch—it looks like a living storybook.

The real talk: It deals with themes of colonization, environmental destruction, and fear of the "other" in ways that are accessible to kids but not dumbed down. There are some intense wolf-hunting scenes that might be too much for sensitive younger viewers, but for kids 7+ who can handle adventure films, this is genuinely beautiful storytelling. It's the kind of movie adults will actually enjoy watching too.

This one's from Skydance Animation (the studio started by former Pixar folks), and it shows. It's about an unlucky girl who discovers a secret world where luck—both good and bad—is manufactured and distributed to humans. Think Monsters, Inc. but with luck instead of screams.

What works: The world-building is genuinely clever, and the message about accepting both good and bad luck in life is surprisingly nuanced. What doesn't work as well: some of the humor falls flat, and the pacing drags in the middle. But the cat voiced by Simon Pegg is delightful, and kids seem to really connect with the main character. It's a solid "sure, put that on" option.

Okay, technically this started as a Netflix series, but the feature film is an Apple TV+ exclusive, so we're counting it. If your kids loved the Hilda show, this movie is a must-watch conclusion to season 2. If they haven't seen Hilda yet—what are you waiting for? It's one of the best animated series out there.

The movie follows Hilda after she's transformed into a troll, exploring themes of identity, belonging, and what makes someone human (or not). The vibe is cozy adventure with genuine emotional depth. No annoying characters, no pop culture references that'll age badly, just good storytelling.

Wait, wrong platform—Orion's on Netflix. But if you're comparison shopping between the two services for animated films about kids facing fears, just know that Apple's Luck is more straightforward while Netflix's Orion (which is excellent, by the way) gets more meta and existential. Different vibes for different kids.

This 35-minute animated short is based on the beloved illustrated book by Charlie Mackesy. It's essentially a moving meditation on kindness, friendship, and hope. The animation mimics the book's hand-drawn style, and the voice cast (including Tom Hollander and Idris Elba) is perfect.

Parent heads-up: This isn't plot-driven entertainment—it's more like visual poetry. Some kids will be mesmerized; others will get fidgety after 10 minutes. It's beautiful and genuinely moving, but know your audience. This works best as a wind-down watch or a conversation starter about feelings and friendship. Also, at 35 minutes, it's a great option when you don't want to commit to a full feature.

Technically a series of short episodes, but they play like mini-movies. Based on the classic Arnold Lobel books, these are gentle, sweet stories about friendship. Perfect for younger kids, but older elementary schoolers will probably find them babyish. The animation is lovely—very faithful to the original illustrations.

Here's where Apple TV+ gets thin. They have some live-action kids content, but most of it skews toward series rather than films. Ghostwriter is a solid mystery series for elementary-aged kids, and Harriet the Spy is a fun adaptation, but for feature films? The pickings are slim.

The good news: Apple TV+ doesn't have the overwhelming "what do we even watch" problem that Netflix has. The bad news: if your kids burn through these films, you're going to run out of options fast. This is where the service works best as a supplement to other streaming platforms, not a replacement.

Content quality is consistently high, which means you're not going to find much truly terrible stuff here (looking at you, random Netflix cash-grab sequels). But you're also not going to find the massive back catalog of classics that Disney+ has or the sheer volume that Netflix offers.

Age ratings are generally accurate, but as always, you know your kid best. Check out our guide on understanding content ratings if you want to dig deeper into what those ratings actually mean.

Apple TV+ has a small but mighty collection of kids films. Wolfwalkers alone is worth a month's subscription, and The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is the kind of thing you'll want to watch together as a family. Luck and Hilda and the Mountain King round out a solid core of quality options.

Is it enough to be your family's only streaming service? Probably not. But if you're already subscribed for Ted Lasso or Severance (and honestly, you should be), the kids section punches above its weight. Quality over quantity actually works here.

The real win is that you can let your kids browse the kids section without worrying they'll stumble onto something that'll rot their brain or give them nightmares. In 2026, that's worth something.