Movies for children that teach lessons 2026

To make it much simpler, there are two ways to choose which movie to watch: just to disconnect and pass the time, without expecting too much in return, or demanding something more from the product you have chosen: that it invites you to reflect, that it leaves you with a lesson along the way, or any other little thing, no matter how small, that adds to the good time it will give you. Surely, even for those who tend to opt for the latter, there are also moments for the former, but in these lines we are going to highlight, focused on children, those that do offer that added value.

In the same way that adults are often faced with the dilemma of what to watch and based on what, it happens to the little ones, with the difference that they are not going to choose a movie based on what they think they are going to learn from it. It is the adults who have to encourage children to not forget that they can enjoy themselves as what they are, children, with productions that will also leave them with something. Sometimes the movie in question will sell itself, but in other more unknown cases you will have to bring out your commercial streak so that the child "buys" the movie you would like them to see.

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The good thing is that you don't think you have to go crazy to find these types of movies. There are plenty of well-known examples as you will see in the list of ten that we have shaped taking into account that varied teachings are represented and, above all, the different age groups of the complex childhood stage. They don't necessarily have to be animated movies; In fact, some of the best children's movies that teach lessons are filmed with real actors.

Its content matters, that its creator has been able to compose a story balanced between the fun and the constructive. And, be careful, it is not so easy to create an entertaining formula for children at the same time as sending them a learning message. That is why, in our humble opinion, the dozen productions that we recommend have so much merit.

Billy Elliot

In 2000, this British film became one of the cinematic phenomena of the year. Its story is still fully current, so much so that its adaptation to the theatrical genre of the musical is a worldwide success. Beyond the geographical context, very focused on internal issues in the United Kingdom, the film is wonderful for children who are already very close to entering adolescence - it is recommended for children over thirteen years old - to see it. Not only because it deals with hot topics at that stage of personality development, but because it also offers them a reference to fight for their own desires and not let anyone choose their path for them.

inside out

The Pixar universe is pure talent. From its origins, long before Disney bought it, they showed the world their incredible ability to tell stories that moved both children and adults while leaving profound lessons for the viewer. Inside Out is one of the best examples of this, a film that teaches children in a very didactic way what the complex world of emotions that is unleashed within them is like. If you like The Color Monster, you'll love Inside Out.

Champions

Javier Fesser's film was a critical and box office success, and perhaps that is why so much importance was not given to the possibilities that this film has to educate children. Diversity, teamwork, positivism, ability to improve... The list of learning is enormous and the thread of the story, thanks to the sports component and the presence of comedy in it, is also attractive for children who show a certain maturity.

Monsters S.A.

Once again the value of friendship, diversity, the unlimited power of approaching life with a positive attitude and the fight against prejudice, among other teachings, are highlighted in a masterful way in a film for children. For all this, in addition to how fun and sensitive the film itself is, Monstruos S.A. deserves to enter this top 10.

toy story

It is a well-known classic, but that does not mean we could leave off the list the children's film that has best captured the value of friendship, among other teachings. Since the premiere of the first installment of the saga in 1996, which this same year has won the Oscar for best animated film with its fourth film, we have all carried Buzz and Woody inside us, the two protagonists of this great Pixar story.

Troop Zero

Christmas is a girl who dreams of communicating with outer space, but also with her mother, who died shortly before the moment in which the story unfolds, centered in 1977. The protagonist will form her own girl scout to achieve her goal, forming a group of friends of those that make teenage viewers really enjoy - see the success of Stranger Things -. Values ​​such as friendship are valued in this movie for all audiences released in 2019 that is available on Amazon Prime Video.

Up

Given the success of Coco, Inside out or the Toy Story saga, and the passage of time since the movie was released, the DVD of Up has been hidden in many homes at the back of the movie shelf, a wonderful story that highlights, like few others, respect for our elders, something so necessary to cultivate in our society. That grandchild-grandparent bond is one of the most special experiences experienced in childhood, and Up manages to reproduce it with an outstanding animated story.

Wall E

It is not a mainstream film because it barely has dialogue and that means that not all children connect with it, but it is worth trying because it is a delight. The Earth has become an uninhabitable planet due to pollution and Wall-E, its protagonist, is a robot that collects garbage with whom it is impossible not to empathize through its non-verbal communication. Among other details, the movie is ideal for promoting environmental values ​​in children.

wonder

This film starring, among others, the famous actor Owen Wilson tells the story of August, a boy who suffers social rejection and bullying simply because he has a physical deformation in his face. From here, Wonder tells an exciting story, full of learning and values ​​that hooks children from minute one.

My neighbor Totoro

We finish the list with a less conventional proposal because it is a Japanese film and with thirty years of history neither more nor less. This story of two girls and their father who go to live in the countryside and become friends with the spirit of the forest remains so current that, coinciding with the thirtieth anniversary of its release in 1988, it was re-released in cinemas around the world, including more than a hundred in Spain. It is a cult film for children over the age of five by director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, and it has plenty of arguments to be the most original choice in this valuable selection.