Awesome, Kid-Friendly Movies You Grew Up With (That Aren’t Cartoons)

If you grew up in the 80s and 90s, let’s take a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Here’s a list of movies everyone should see as a kid.

Do your kids want to watch the same silly movies over and over? Are they obsessed with the new craze everyone at school is watching? Getting tired of cartoons? The list below includes many of the wholesome movies we grew up on, along with the rating and a brief summary of each storyline.

Let me remind you, we grew up in a different time, a time when mom let us ride laying down in the back of the Chrysler Caravan with no seatbelts. A time when we still drank straight from the garden hose after a late-night game of Kick the Can with the neighbor kids. A time when no one worried about the neurological effects of consuming too many Squeezits and Dunkaroos.

With all of that said, paired with the fact that the rating of PG-13 didn’t even exist until 1984, I should advise you to watch these movies before you let your kids watch them; use your own parental judgment as to whether or not they’re appropriate for your kids.

Get ready – these will take ya’ back!

Please note that movies are listed in order of film rating, from PG (by pre-PG-13 ’80s standards) to R.

Kids’ Movies From My Childhood

• The Sandlot: Rated PG. A group of young baseball enthusiasts spend a summer playing ball, getting into comical scrapes, and forging unforgettable friendships in this nostalgic coming-of-age tale.

• Turner and Hooch: Rated PG. When a neat-freak detective inherits a slobbery and mischievous dog, chaos ensues as they reluctantly team up to solve a crime and learn to appreciate each other’s quirks.

• Wild America: Rated PG. Three brothers set out on a cross-country wildlife adventure, capturing dangerous and hilarious encounters with animals while discovering the true meaning of family.

• Fly Away Home: Rated PG. A young girl, accompanied by her eccentric inventor father, raises a flock of orphaned geese and teaches them to fly, leading to a heartwarming and feather-filled journey of self-discovery.

• Ghostbusters: Rated PG. A team of quirky scientists-turned-ghostbusters battle supernatural entities in New York City, blending witty humor, spectacular special effects, and slime-covered antics in this iconic supernatural comedy.

• Home Alone: Rated PG. When a young boy is accidentally left behind by his family during Christmas vacation, he outsmarts bumbling burglars with an array of booby traps in this side-splitting holiday adventure.

• The Mighty Ducks: Rated PG. A ragtag youth hockey team coached by a reluctant lawyer overcomes obstacles, rivalry, and their own clumsiness to become an underdog success story on ice.

• Matilda: Rated PG. A brilliant young girl with telekinetic powers uses her unique abilities to outsmart her neglectful parents and tyrannical school principal in this whimsical and empowering Roald Dahl adaptation.

• Man of the House: Rated PG. When a young boy’s mother starts dating a new man, hilarity ensues as he tries to sabotage their relationship, leading to a series of comical mishaps and unexpected bonding moments between the boy, played by young heart throb of our generation, JTT, and his mother’s boyfriend, played by Chevy Chase.

• Hook: Rated PG. Peter Pan, now grown up and leading a mundane life, returns to Neverland to rescue his children from the clutches of Captain Hook, resulting in an enchanting adventure full of imagination, swashbuckling, and Lost Boys. Peter Pan movies abound, but this is arguably the best ever. Still among my favorite kids’ movies from my childhood!

• Simon Birch: Rated PG. A small but determined boy with an extraordinary faith embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about his destiny while touching the lives of those around him with his contagious spirit and unique perspective.

• E.T.: Rated PG. A young boy befriends an adorable extraterrestrial who gets stranded on Earth, leading to a heartwarming and intergalactic adventure filled with friendship, bike rides, Reese’s Pieces, and flying bicycles.

• Mrs. Doubtfire: Rated PG. After a divorced father loses custody of his children, he transforms himself into a lovable and hilarious Scottish nanny to spend more time with them, resulting in a series of side-splitting situations, clever disguises, and heartfelt moments that remind us of the lengths we’ll go for family.

• Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: Rated PG. A poor young boy named Charlie Bucket wins a golden ticket to tour the mysterious and magical chocolate factory of the eccentric candy maker Willy Wonka, embarking on a whimsical and sugar-coated adventure that includes Oompa-Loompas, lickable wallpaper, and a lesson about the importance of honesty and kindness. Based on another Roald Dahl classic.

• Back to the Future: Rated PG. A teenager, with the help of a zany scientist and a time-traveling DeLorean car, journeys to the past to ensure his parents’ future marriage, leading to a thrilling and hilarious adventure that explores the consequences of altering history and the power of love. Although it’s a kids’ movie from my childhood, I still count it in my top five movies of all time.

• Beethoven: Rated PG. When an adorable, mischievous St. Bernard puppy enters the lives of a suburban family, chaos erupts as they navigate the challenges of raising a lovably clumsy giant dog, bringing uproarious antics, unexpected messes, and a lot of doggy love into their home.

• Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: Rated PG. An inventor’s shrinking machine accidentally miniaturizes his kids and their neighbors, leading to a pint-sized adventure through the backyard filled with oversized insects, wild obstacles, and plenty of laughs.

• Harry and the Hendersons: Rated PG. A suburban family’s lives are turned upside down when they accidentally hit a Sasquatch with their car and decide to take him home, resulting in hilarious encounters and heartfelt lessons about acceptance.

• My Girl: Rated PG-13. A coming-of-age story set in the summer of 1972 follows an 11-year-old girl’s adventures, first love, and struggles with loss as she navigates friendships and family in a small town.

• The War: Rated PG-13. Two young boys engage in a summer-long feud with a neighboring group, staging epic battles, pranks, and treehouse escapades while discovering the importance of compassion and friendship.

• White Water Summer: Rated PG-13. When a group of city boys join a wilderness camp led by a strict guide, they encounter thrilling outdoor challenges, personal growth, and learn the value of teamwork in this thrilling and occasionally profanity-laden story.

• Stand by Me: Rated R. The only R-rated movie on the list. Better suited for a slightly older audience, this is a story about four adventurous boys embarking on a journey to find a dead body, encountering leeches, bullies, and unexpected bonding moments along the way.

Hope you enjoyed this list of kids’ movies from my childhood. Which would you add to the list? Please let me know what you think!

Pin It For Later