If you have an elementary schooler, they've probably read at least one Dog Man book by Dav Pilkey (the Captain Underpants guy). The movie adaptation dropped on Peacock in early 2025 and it's genuinely fun—way better than it needed to be.

The animation style captures Pilkey's intentionally crude comic book aesthetic while adding enough polish to work on screen. The humor hits for both kids and adults, with plenty of wordplay and visual gags that don't rely on pop culture references that'll age poorly. My favorite part? The movie actually captures the meta-narrative structure of the books, where the story is being created by two kids drawing comics in their treehouse.

Age sweet spot: 6-10 years old, though younger kids who are familiar with the books will enjoy it too.

Content notes: Mild cartoon violence (a villain gets bonked on the head, that sort of thing), some potty humor (it's Dav Pilkey, come on), but nothing that'll make you regret your choices.

Peacock has basically the entire DreamWorks Animation catalog, and while not every DreamWorks movie is a winner (looking at you, Shark Tale), the good ones are really good.

All four Shrek movies are here, and honestly? They hold up better than you'd think. The first Shrek is still genuinely funny with its fractured fairy tale humor, and the pop culture references feel more like time capsule artifacts than cringe-inducing dated jokes.

Shrek 2 is arguably the best of the bunch—tighter story, better jokes, and that Holding Out for a Hero sequence is still chef's kiss. Shrek the Third is the weak link (you can skip it), but Shrek Forever After is a surprisingly solid ending to the franchise with some real emotional depth about midlife crises and appreciating what you have.

Age range: 6 and up. Younger kids will enjoy the slapstick and fart jokes, older kids and adults will catch the fairy tale parodies and more sophisticated humor.

Parent tip: If your kids love Shrek, they'll probably also enjoy Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which is legitimately one of the best animated films of the past few years (and yes, it's on Peacock).

This trilogy is peak DreamWorks—gorgeous animation, compelling characters, and a story that actually grows and changes across three films. The relationship between Hiccup and Toothless is genuinely moving, and the movies tackle themes of disability, leadership, environmentalism, and letting go without being preachy about any of it.

The first film is the strongest, but all three are worth watching. The third movie has an ending that will absolutely wreck you in the best way.

Age range: 7 and up. There's some intense action and a few scary moments (dragons are big and sometimes aggressive), but nothing gratuitous.

Why it works: This is one of those rare franchises where each movie respects the audience's intelligence. Characters make real decisions with real consequences, and the movies don't reset everything to status quo at the end.

Jack Black as Po the Panda is perfect casting, and these movies are way more thoughtful than "fat panda learns kung fu" has any right to be. The first film is about believing in yourself, the second tackles trauma and family history, and the third explores legacy and teaching others.

The action sequences are legitimately impressive—the animation team studied actual martial arts films and it shows. Plus, the voice cast (Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen) is stacked.

Age range: 6 and up. Some martial arts violence but it's all stylized and not graphic.

Bonus: Kung Fu Panda 4 just hit Peacock recently, and while it's not as strong as 2 or 3, it's still solid family viewing.

Illumination is the studio behind Minions and Despicable Me, and Peacock has their entire library. Here's the thing about Illumination movies: they're aggressively fine. Not bad, not great, just... fine. They're colorful, loud, and designed to keep kids entertained while parents scroll their phones.

That said, some are better than others.

These are basically American Idol but with anthropomorphic animals, and they're way more charming than they should be. The music is great (all covers of existing songs, so you'll recognize everything), the animation is solid, and there's actual heart in the story about pursuing your dreams and supporting each other.

Age range: 4 and up. Very kid-friendly, nothing scary or inappropriate.

Parent survival tip: If your kid gets obsessed with these, at least the soundtrack is actually listenable. Could be worse—could be Cocomelon.

The premise—what do pets do when their owners leave?—is fun, and the first movie delivers on that promise with some genuinely funny moments. The sequel is more forgettable, but both are harmless entertainment for younger kids.

Age range: 5 and up.

Real talk: These movies are fine for a rainy afternoon, but they're not the kind of thing you'll want to rewatch multiple times. Which is good, actually—variety is healthy.

Minions: The Rise of Gru and the other Minions spinoffs are... a lot. If your kids are already obsessed with Minions, sure, throw these on. But if they're not, you're not missing anything. The Minions work best in small doses as comic relief, not as feature-length protagonists who mostly communicate in gibberish.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a huge hit, but it's basically just fan service strung together with a thin plot. If your kids are Mario fans, they'll love it. If not, it's skippable. (And yes, it's on Peacock now.)

One of Peacock's underrated strengths is access to Universal's back catalog, which includes some genuinely great family films.

Spielberg's 1982 masterpiece holds up remarkably well. Yes, it's older and slower-paced than modern kids movies, but the story of a lonely kid befriending an alien is timeless. The practical effects are charming in a way that CGI often isn't, and the emotional beats still land.

Age range: 8 and up. Some intense moments (E.T. getting sick, the government agents) might be too much for younger or more sensitive kids.

Why show this to your kids: It's a chance to share something from your own childhood that isn't just nostalgia—it's actually good. Plus, it's a great conversation starter about empathy, friendship, and what it means to be different.

The original Jurassic Park is still incredible—the practical effects hold up, the pacing is tight, and the sense of wonder and terror is perfectly balanced. The sequels are increasingly silly (by the time you get to Jurassic World Dominion, we're firmly in "turn off your brain and enjoy the dinosaurs" territory), but they're fun popcorn movies.

Age range: 10 and up for Jurassic Park, 8 and up for the Jurassic World films. The original has some genuinely scary moments and more graphic violence than the newer films.

Parent note: If your kids are dinosaur-obsessed but not quite ready for people getting eaten, stick with Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous on Netflix first.

These aren't must-watches, but they're solid options when you need something new:

Trolls franchise: Aggressively cheerful, very colorful, surprisingly good music. The first film is the best, but all three are harmless.

The Boss Baby: Weird premise (a baby in a suit who talks like Alec Baldwin) that somehow works. The sequel is forgettable.

Abominable: A DreamWorks film that flew under the radar but is actually quite sweet. Kid helps a yeti get home, gorgeous animation of China, nice message about family and letting go.

Spirit Untamed: If your kid is in a horse phase, this will hit. If not, it's skippable.

The direct-to-streaming sequels: Peacock has a bunch of these (Trolls Holiday specials, Secret Life of Pets shorts, etc.). They're fine as background noise but they're not worth actively choosing for family movie night.

Clifford the Big Red Dog: The live-action adaptation from 2021 is just... not good. The CGI is uncanny valley territory, the plot is nonsense, and it doesn't capture any of the charm of the books. Stick with the animated series instead.

Most of the older animated films: Peacock has a lot of early 2000s animated movies that were mediocre when they came out and haven't aged well. Unless you have specific nostalgia for something, you can skip most of these.

Ages 4-6: Stick with Illumination films (Sing, Secret Life of Pets, Trolls) and lighter DreamWorks fare. Avoid anything with intense action or scary moments.

Ages 7-9: This is the sweet spot for most of Peacock's library. Dog Man, Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, and Kung Fu Panda all work great.

Ages 10-12: Everything's on the table, plus you can introduce classics like E.T. and Jurassic Park. This is also a good age to start talking about how movies are made, what makes a story work, and why some sequels are better than others.

Teens: Honestly, most teens will prefer watching their own stuff, but the Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon films have enough depth that they won't feel like they're watching "baby movies."

Peacock's parental controls are basic. You can set up a Kids Profile that filters content to G, PG, and some PG-13 titles, but it's not as robust as Disney+ or Netflix's controls. You can't set screen time limits or get viewing reports through Peacock itself—you'll need to use your device's built-in parental controls for that.

The ad situation: Peacock's free tier has ads, and while the Kids Profile is supposed to show only kid-appropriate ads, they're still ads. If this bugs you (and honestly, it would bug me), the Premium tier ($7.99/month) removes most ads, and Premium Plus ($13.99/month) removes all of them. Compare this to ad-free streaming options if you're trying to minimize commercial exposure.

Content ratings aren't perfect. Peacock uses the standard MPAA ratings (G, PG, PG-13), but every family has different thresholds for what's appropriate. A PG rating can mean anything from mild cartoon violence to some scary moments to bathroom humor. If you're unsure about a specific movie, check out Common Sense Media reviews for detailed content breakdowns.

Peacock isn't going to replace Disney+ or Netflix as your primary kids streaming service, but it's a solid complement—especially if you're trying to rotate through different content and avoid the endless Bluey loop. The DreamWorks catalog alone makes it worthwhile, and having access to classics like E.T. and the Jurassic Park films is a nice bonus.

The interface could be better and the parental controls could be more robust, but if you're willing to do a little curation work upfront (bookmark the good stuff, skip the mediocre sequels), you'll find plenty of quality family viewing.

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