Ages 7+

This is DreamWorks at its absolute best. The first film is a genuine masterpiece about a Viking misfit who befriends a dragon, and the sequels actually maintain quality (rare!). Beautiful animation, real emotional depth, themes about disability, friendship, and growing up. The flying sequences are breathtaking.

Parent note: Some intense dragon battle scenes and a significant character death in the second film. The third movie deals with letting go and saying goodbye—bring tissues.

Ages 6+

Po the Panda's journey from noodle-shop dreamer to Dragon Warrior is genuinely inspiring without being preachy. Jack Black's voice work is perfect, the action sequences are creative, and there's actual philosophy woven in (the "there is no secret ingredient" moment still hits).

All three films are solid, though the first is the strongest. Great for kids who love martial arts or need a boost in believing in themselves.

Ages 7+

This 2022 film flew under many parents' radars, but it's a gem. A crew of criminal animals (wolf, snake, shark, tarantula, piranha) tries to go good. The animation style is fresh—think Spider-Verse energy—and the heist sequences are genuinely fun.

Why it works: It's about redemption and second chances without being heavy-handed. Plus the humor lands for both kids and adults.

Ages 8+

Okay, this movie has no business being as good as it is. A sequel to a Shrek spinoff released 11 years after the original? Yet here we are. This 2022 film is visually stunning, emotionally mature (it's literally about confronting death and anxiety), and features one of the most genuinely menacing villains in recent animation.

Parent note: The wolf character is actually scary—like, nightmare-inducing for sensitive kids. But for kids ready for it, this is sophisticated storytelling wrapped in a swashbuckling adventure.

Ages 5+

If your kid loves music, these Illumination films are catnip. A koala runs a theater and puts on singing competitions with various animals. It's basically animated American Idol with better production values.

The song choices are great (spanning decades), the voice cast is stacked, and there's genuine heart beneath the spectacle. Sing 2 amps up everything with a Vegas-style show plot.

Real talk: These movies are designed to sell soundtracks and they succeed. Your kids will be singing these songs for weeks.

Ages 5+

The Minions are either delightful or deeply annoying depending on your tolerance for gibberish-speaking yellow chaos agents. Kids universally love them.

The Despicable Me trilogy has surprising emotional depth (especially the first film about Gru adopting three girls), while the Minions movies are pure slapstick. Start with Despicable Me if you want story; go straight to Minions if your kid just wants to laugh at banana-obsessed mayhem.

Ages 5+

"What do our pets do when we leave?" is a question that apparently needed a Toy Story-style treatment. The result is charming enough—a terrier named Max navigates New York with a massive rescue dog while their owners are away.

It's not groundbreaking, but it's reliably entertaining for the elementary school set. The sequel is fine but skippable unless your kids are really invested.

Ages 7+

The movies that launched a thousand memes. Shrek (2001) was revolutionary for subverting fairy tale tropes, and it mostly holds up. The humor is clever, the soundtrack slaps, and there's real heart beneath the irreverence.

Parent note: Shrek 2 is arguably better than the original. Shrek the Third is skippable. Shrek Forever After is a decent send-off. Also, be prepared for your kids to quote these endlessly—"What are you doing in my swamp?" is the new "Hakuna Matata."

Ages 6+

Zoo animals escape to Madagascar, then Africa, then Europe. The plot is basically an excuse for physical comedy and Chris Rock's zebra doing bits.

These movies are pure fun—not deep, not particularly educational, just entertaining. The penguins are scene-stealers (hence their own spinoff). Great for rainy day background viewing.

Ages 4+

Aggressively cheerful movies based on those spiky-haired dolls from the '90s. The first film is about optimistic Poppy trying to rescue her friends from the pessimistic Bergens who think eating Trolls is the only path to happiness.

Real talk: These movies are BRIGHT and LOUD and MUSICAL. They're perfect for preschool and early elementary kids. They're also kind of exhausting for adults. The animation is genuinely creative though—lots of felt and craft textures.

Ages 10+

Peacock has the recent Jurassic World films, and yes, kids love dinosaurs. But these are legitimately intense—people get eaten, there are jump scares, and the dinosaurs are terrifying.

If your kid can handle suspense and mild horror, these deliver spectacular dinosaur action. But this isn't The Good Dinosaur. Preview first.

Ages 5+

A baby in a suit runs a corporation while his older brother navigates sibling rivalry. It's a weird premise that somehow spawned multiple movies and a Netflix series.

Some kids find it hilarious. Some parents find the baby-as-corporate-executive concept vaguely dystopian. It's harmless but also kind of... much? Your mileage will vary dramatically.

Ages 7+

A Chinese-American girl helps a young Yeti return home to Mount Everest. This 2019 DreamWorks film is gorgeous—the animation of China's landscapes is stunning—and it's a sweet story about grief, family, and friendship.

It got overshadowed by bigger releases but deserves attention. Great for kids who loved Turning Red or want stories centered on Asian characters.

Ages 6+

A reboot of the Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron franchise (which your kids probably haven't heard of but you might remember). A girl moves west and bonds with a wild mustang.

It's straightforward but well-made—beautiful horse animation, themes about freedom and belonging, strong female friendship. Perfect for the horse-obsessed kid in your life.

Ages 6+

A caveman family's world gets upended when they meet a more evolved human. It's a road trip movie set in prehistoric times with genuinely creative creature design.

The sequel (A New Age) is also on Peacock and is actually funnier than the first—it's basically prehistoric in-laws comedy. Both are worth watching if you want something different from the usual talking animals.

Peacock's kids library has gaps. You won't find:

But for what it offers—especially if you're already subscribing—there's enough quality content to keep kids entertained for months.

Ages 4-6: Stick with Trolls, Sing, Minions, and The Secret Life of Pets. These have the simplest plots and gentlest content.

Ages 7-9: Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, The Bad Guys, Shrek, and Abominable offer more sophisticated storytelling without overwhelming intensity.

Ages 10+: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and the Jurassic World films work for kids ready for scarier content and complex themes.

Always preview: Peacock's age ratings are sometimes generous. What they call "TV-Y7" might have moments that scare your particular 7-year-old. When in doubt, watch the first 20 minutes yourself or check Common Sense Media reviews.

The interface is clunky: Unlike Disney+ or Netflix, Peacock's kids mode doesn't automatically filter content well. You'll see trailers for adult shows in the main feed. Set up a kids profile but still curate their watchlist manually.

Ads exist (on free tier): If you're on Peacock's free or basic tier, your kids will see ads. They're supposedly family-friendly but still interrupting. Consider upgrading to Premium Plus if constant commercial breaks drive you (or them) crazy.

Download options are limited: Unlike Netflix, Peacock's download-for-offline-viewing is restricted. Don't count on this for long car rides unless you've got solid data.

Content rotates: Streaming rights change. A movie here today might leave next month. If your kid falls in love with something, don't assume it'll be available forever.

Peacock isn't going to replace Disney+ or Netflix as your primary kids streaming service, but it's a solid complement—especially if you already have it for sports or other content. The DreamWorks and Illumination libraries provide dozens of hours of quality (and quality-adjacent) entertainment.

Start here: How to Train Your Dragon, The Bad Guys, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish for kids ready for them. Sing and Kung Fu Panda for younger kids.

Skip: Boss Baby unless your kid specifically requests it, and Jurassic World unless you've confirmed they can handle dino-induced nightmares.

The key with Peacock is curation. Spend 20 minutes building a proper watchlist for your kids rather than letting them browse freely. The gems are there—they're just buried under a less-than-stellar interface.

Want to compare with other streaming options? Check out our guides to kids movies on Netflix, Disney+ for families, or alternatives to screen time when you've hit your movie quota for the week.