Ages 8+

This one surprised everyone. A robot stranded on an island learns to survive and eventually adopts a baby goose. It sounds like a Pixar knockoff but it's genuinely beautiful—both visually and thematically. The animation style is painterly and gorgeous, and the story tackles belonging, adaptation, and what makes a family without being preachy.

Why it works: The robot Roz has to figure out how to communicate with animals, survive harsh weather, and navigate social hierarchies. It's basically a survival story meets found family, with enough humor to keep it from getting too heavy. No romance subplot, minimal scary moments, and the emotional beats land without manipulation.

Parent note: There's one predator attack scene that might startle younger or sensitive kids, but it's not graphic. The themes about fitting in and being "different" resonate hard with this age group.

Ages 10+

A shapeshifting punk teen teams up with a disgraced knight to clear his name. This movie is chaotic in the best way—Nimona can transform into anything (whale, rhinoceros, dragon, otter), and the animation style matches her energy. It's set in a futuristic medieval world that somehow makes total sense.

Why it works: The humor is genuinely funny (not just kid-movie funny), the action sequences are creative, and underneath it all is a story about acceptance and questioning authority. The main knight character is in a same-sex relationship, which is presented as completely normal and not the point of the story—just part of who he is.

Content heads-up: There's more violence than The Wild Robot (sword fights, explosions), but it's stylized animation violence. The themes get into prejudice and scapegoating, which might prompt good conversations. Some kids find Nimona's shapeshifting body horror-adjacent in a few scenes.

Ages 9+

Sherlock Holmes' teenage sister becomes a detective in Victorian London. Millie Bobby Brown breaks the fourth wall constantly, the mysteries are actually engaging, and the feminist themes are baked in without being after-school-special obvious.

Why it works: The first movie is about Enola finding her missing mother while dodging her controlling brother. The second involves a factory girl mystery and a budding romance that's age-appropriate and sweet. Both movies have great pacing, beautiful costumes, and enough wit to keep parents entertained too.

Good to know: There are some fight scenes (Enola knows jujitsu), a few moments of peril, and themes about women's rights and class inequality. The romance in the second film is central but chaste—hand-holding and longing looks, nothing more.

Ages 8+

An oddball family accidentally becomes humanity's last hope during a robot apocalypse. The animation style is kinetic and meme-filled, the family dynamics are painfully relatable, and it's one of the few family movies that actually understands how kids use technology.

Why it works: The main character Katie is a creative teen heading to film school who feels misunderstood by her dad. When the robot uprising happens, her "weirdness" becomes the family's superpower. It's about generational gaps, accepting your family's quirks, and how screens can both connect and divide us.

Screen time irony alert: Yes, it's a movie about screen time that you watch on screens. The film actually has nuance about this—it's not "technology bad," it's "connection matters."

Ages 8+

If your kid loved the book or the 90s movie, this musical adaptation is darker and more theatrical but genuinely good. Emma Thompson is delightfully terrifying as Miss Trunchbull. The songs are catchy, the choreography is impressive, and Matilda's telekinetic revenge is satisfying.

Fair warning: Miss Trunchbull is SCARY. Like, properly menacing. The abuse at the school is played for dark comedy but it's intense. Some kids find it empowering, others find it stressful.

Ages 9+

A sea monster hunter and a stowaway girl discover that maybe the monsters aren't the real bad guys. It's basically a pirate adventure meets How to Train Your Dragon meets questioning everything you've been told. The animation is gorgeous, the action sequences are thrilling, and the themes about propaganda and perspective are surprisingly sophisticated.

Watch for: Some intense sea battle scenes and a few jump scares. The movie questions hero worship and military glory, which might lead to interesting conversations.

Ages 10+

Two best friends get kidnapped to a magical school that trains heroes and villains. It's Harry Potter meets Wicked with a strong friendship-over-romance angle. The costumes are incredible, the world-building is fun, and it subverts the "pretty = good, ugly = evil" trope.

Heads up: Some scary moments (it IS a school for villains), mild language, and themes about beauty standards and expectations. The friendship between the two girls is the heart of the story, which is refreshing.

Ages 8+

A girl travels through dreams with an outlaw to find her late father. Jason Momoa is doing maximum Jason Momoa-ness, the dream worlds are visually creative, and it's about grief without being devastatingly sad. Think Wizard of Oz meets Inception for kids.

Good for: Kids dealing with loss or big changes. The grief themes are present but handled gently. Some mildly scary dream sequences but nothing too intense.

Ages 11+

Time-traveling fighter pilot teams up with his 12-year-old self. Ryan Reynolds does his Ryan Reynolds thing, there's sci-fi action, and themes about father-son relationships and grief.

Why it's conditional: More violence and peril than the others on this list. Some language. The emotional core is strong but it skews slightly older. Great for kids who are ready for more action-heavy content.

Ages 9+

Brooklyn kids spend summer in Hawaii and discover a treasure hunt connected to their grandfather. It's Goonies-inspired adventure with Hawaiian culture and family themes.

Mixed bag: The adventure elements are fun, the scenery is beautiful, and the cultural representation is thoughtful. But the pacing drags in places and some of the humor doesn't land. Good for patient kids who like treasure hunt stories.

Yes Day - The concept (parents say yes to everything for 24 hours) sounds fun but the execution is chaotic and the kids are kind of insufferable. It's not bad but there are better options.

A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting - Tries to be a fun fantasy adventure but the plot is nonsensical and the monsters are more annoying than scary or cool.

Tall Girl 1 & 2 - These skew older (teen territory) and the "problems" are so first-world that they're hard to take seriously. Your tween might love them anyway, but be prepared for eye-rolling.

Ages 8-10: Stick with The Wild Robot, The Mitchells vs. The Machines, Enola Holmes, and Slumberland. These have the clearest good vs. evil dynamics, minimal romance, and age-appropriate humor.

Ages 10-12: Add Nimona, The Sea Beast, Matilda, and The School for Good and Evil. These handle more complex themes and moral ambiguity but still feel age-appropriate.

Ages 12-13: Everything on this list is fair game, including The Adam Project. At this age, kids can handle more nuanced stories and are ready for content that challenges black-and-white thinking.

Sensitivity considerations: If your kid is particularly sensitive to peril, scary imagery, or sad themes, preview the "watch for" sections above. The Wild Robot and Slumberland both deal with loss; Nimona and Matilda have genuinely menacing villains; The Sea Beast has intense action sequences.

The Netflix rating system is... weird. Some of these are rated TV-Y7, others TV-PG, and the ratings don't always align with what you'd expect. Always check the content details (Netflix lists specific concerns like "fear," "language," "violence") rather than just trusting the age rating.

Your kid's maturity matters more than their age. A mature 9-year-old might handle Nimona fine while a sensitive 12-year-old might find it overwhelming. You know your kid best.

Co-watching opens conversations. These movies tackle themes like prejudice, loss, family conflict, and questioning authority. Watching together gives you natural entry points for discussions about values and emotions.

The algorithm will suggest garbage. Just because Netflix says it's a "98% match" doesn't mean it's good. The platform prioritizes engagement over quality, so use actual recommendations (like this list!) rather than trusting the algorithm.

Netflix's tween movie selection is better than it has any right to be. The Wild Robot and Nimona are legitimately excellent films that happen to be age-appropriate. Enola Holmes and The Mitchells vs. The Machines are reliably entertaining with substance underneath. The others have their merits depending on your kid's interests and sensitivities.

The key is matching the movie to your specific kid—their maturity level, their interests, their tolerance for scary or sad content. A fantasy-loving 10-year-old will have different needs than a mystery-obsessed 12-year-old or an action-craving 13-year-old.

When in doubt, watch the first 15 minutes together. If your kid is engaged and not freaked out, you're probably good. If they're hiding behind a pillow or visibly bored, switch to something else. There's no prize for finishing a movie that isn't working.

And remember: a "good" tween movie is one that your kid enjoys, that doesn't make you want to fake a work emergency, and that maybe—just maybe—gives you something to talk about afterward beyond "that was good."

Want more recommendations? Check out alternatives to Netflix for kids or how to set up Netflix parental controls to manage what shows up in your kid's recommendations.