TL;DR: Mary Poppins is still the gold standard for "magical nanny" movies, but it’s 139 minutes long—which is basically four years in toddler time. It recently made headlines for a rating upgrade to PG due to "discriminatory language," but it remains a foundational piece of media for teaching kids about imagination and the fact that parents are people too.
If your kids find the 1964 version too slow, try Mary Poppins Returns for a faster pace, or Paddington for that same "wholesome British chaos" energy.
If you haven’t seen it since you were a kid, here’s the refresher: Mary Poppins is a 1964 musical set in Edwardian London. A "practically perfect" nanny descends from the clouds with a talking umbrella to take care of Jane and Michael Banks.
But really, she’s there to fix their dad, George Banks, who is the quintessential "all work and no play" 1910s banker. It’s a mix of live-action and animation that was revolutionary for its time and still looks surprisingly charming today, even in the age of 4K CGI.
In a world where kids are constantly bombarded by the high-speed, dopamine-loop editing of YouTube Shorts and TikTok, Mary Poppins is a deliberate "slow-burn."
It matters because it’s one of the few classic films that respects a child’s ability to sit with a story. It deals with real-world themes—the suffragette movement, the coldness of corporate life, and the importance of a "tuppence"—without being cynical. It’s the antithesis of "brain rot."
You might have seen the news that the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) bumped the movie’s rating from U (Universal) to PG (Parental Guidance).
The reason? The use of the word "Hottentots."
In the film, Admiral Boom—the eccentric neighbor who shoots a cannon off his roof—uses the term twice to refer to the chimney sweeps whose faces are covered in soot. Historically, this was a derogatory term used by white Europeans for the Khoekhoe people in South Africa.
Is it a dealbreaker? For most families, probably not. But it is a "blink and you’ll miss it" moment that hasn't aged well. If you’re watching with older kids (ages 7-10), it’s a quick 30-second conversation about how people used to talk and why we don't use those words anymore. It doesn't ruin the movie, but it's the kind of thing Screenwise parents like to be aware of before the "What does that word mean?" question hits.
Despite being sixty years old, the movie hits a few psychological sweet spots for kids:
- The Power Fantasy: Mary Poppins has all the power but none of the "mean parent" vibes. She can clean a room with a snap and jump into sidewalk chalk drawings.
- The Music: Let’s be real, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and "A Spoonful of Sugar" are earworms that rival anything on the Disney+ homepage today.
- The Animation Mix: The "Jolly Holiday" sequence where they enter a cartoon world is still genuinely impressive. It feels "hand-made" in a way that Roblox graphics never will.
Ages 2-5: The "Highlight Reel" Phase
The full movie is way too long for this group. They will love the "Spoonful of Sugar" scene and the dancing penguins, but they will absolutely check out during the 15-minute bank board meeting or the "Feed the Birds" sequence.
- Strategy: Watch it in 20-minute chunks or just skip to the musical numbers.
Ages 6-9: The Sweet Spot
This is the best age to watch the whole thing. They’re old enough to understand that Mr. Banks is being a bit of a jerk and that the "Step in Time" chimney sweep dance is objectively cool.
- Discussion Point: Talk about Mrs. Banks and the "Sister Suffragette" song. It's a great intro to the concept of women's rights.
Ages 10+: The "Film Critic" Phase
They might find it "cringe" or too slow at first, especially if they’re used to the pacing of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
- Strategy: Frame it as a piece of history. Compare it to Mary Poppins Returns to see how filmmaking has changed.
If your family enjoyed the vibe of Mary Poppins, here are a few logical next steps:
Emily Blunt does a fantastic job taking over the mantle. It’s more of a "remake-quel" than a true sequel, but the colors are brighter, the sound is crisper, and Lin-Manuel Miranda (of Hamilton fame) brings a modern energy to the "Bert" role.
If you want the "magical nanny" trope but with a slightly darker, more "Roald Dahl" edge, this is the one. It’s great for kids who think Mary Poppins is a little too sweet.
If your kids are officially Julie Andrews fans, this is the mandatory follow-up. Just be prepared—it’s even longer than Mary Poppins and involves Nazis, so save it for the 8+ crowd.
For that specific brand of "polite British person/creature fixes a dysfunctional family," the Paddington movies are arguably the best live-action family films of the last decade.
This is strictly for the parents and maybe older teens. It’s the story of how Walt Disney (played by Tom Hanks) convinced the author P.L. Travers to let him make the movie. It’s a fascinating look at the creative process and the trauma that inspired the original Mary Poppins book.
If you’re trying to be an intentional "Screenwise" parent, don't just park them in front of the TV for two hours. Use the movie as a springboard for these conversations:
- Work-Life Balance: Ask your kids, "Why was Mr. Banks so unhappy at the beginning? What changed at the end?" It’s a low-stakes way to talk about why you sometimes have to be on your laptop during dinner (and why you’re trying not to be).
- The "Hottentot" Comment: If it comes up, just say: "That was a word people used a long time ago that was unkind and disrespectful to people from Africa. We don't use it anymore because we know better now."
- Imagination vs. Reality: Mary Poppins never admits she’s magical. She gaslights the kids in the funniest way possible ("I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about"). Ask your kids if they think it was all in Jane and Michael's heads.
Mary Poppins is a 10/10 classic that every kid should probably see at least once, but it requires a bit of "active parenting" in 2026.
It’s long, it has some outdated language, and the pacing is from a different era. But the core message—that a family is more important than a bank account and that a little bit of nonsense is necessary for survival—is a "WISE" lesson that never goes out of style.
Check out our full list of classic movies that actually hold up for modern kids
- Check the runtime: If you start this at 7:00 PM, you aren't finishing until nearly 9:30 PM. Plan accordingly.
- Queue the soundtrack: Put "Life I Lead" or "Step in Time" on your Spotify playlist for the school run tomorrow.
- Update your Screenwise profile: If your kids loved the musical aspect, we can recommend more theatre-adjacent media.