10 Animated Children’s Movies That Teach Family Values

BY MOVIEGUIDE® CONTRIBUTOR

If family values are important to you, you’ll love this curated Movieguide® list. It seems increasingly that the traditional family structure is misrepresented in Hollywood. From the importance of teamwork, as seen in THE CROODS, to celebrating sibling bonds featured in ONWARD, these films feature families with healthy relationships. Whether it’s about an extended family like ENCANTO or an adoptive family in DESPICABLE ME, these movies demonstrate people who love and respect each other.

THE INCREDIBLES

Quality:

****

Content:

+2 Moderately questionable elements.

THE INCREDIBLES is another incredible animated movie from Pixar and Disney, about two retired superhero parents who must battle a villain targeting their family. Beautifully animated, THE INCREDIBLES is full of exciting energy, fantastic fun, and humorous hilarity, with a very strong redemptive, Christian worldview full of many positive moral messages.

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THE CROODS

Quality:

****

Content:

+1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)

THE CROODS is a new animated comedy about one of the world’s first families, who are fearful of the new when their cave is suddenly destroyed. THE CROODS is a fun adventure with a family who truly love each other, but it has some humanist, environmentalist elements.

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DESPICABLE ME

Quality:

****

Content:

+1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)

DESPICABLE ME is a very witty, heartfelt animated movie about an extremely sinful character transformed by the love of three little girls. The ending to DESPICABLE ME is so uplifting and redemptive that it overshadows some of the action violence, slapstick comedy and light scatological references.

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MEET THE ROBINSONS

Quality:

***

Content:

+4 Biblical, usually Christian, worldview, with no questionable elements whatsoever.

MEET THE ROBINSONS is an animated movie about a boy genius, Lewis, who escapes from a villain into the future, where he has to rebuild a time travel ship before a mysterious, eccentric family from the future disappears. MEET THE ROBINSONS tugs at the heartstrings and tickles the funnybone. It also has a very strong moral worldview.

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FROZEN (2013)

Quality:

****

Content:

+3 Some minor questionable elements. (Media-wisdom is suggested to discuss.)

FROZEN is an animated comic fantasy from Disney about a princess who must convince her sister, the queen, to bring summer back after she uses magic powers to freeze the kingdom. FROZEN is not only a funny, entertaining movie, with incredible animation, its highly redemptive, moral premise shows that true love is sacrifice.

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ONWARD

Quality:

****

Content:

-1 Caution advised for older children, including teenagers, and sensitive adults.

ONWARD is a witty animated fantasy movie about two elf brothers, Ian and Barley, who set out to bring their deceased father back to life for a day. ONWARD is set in modern times but takes place in a fantasy world with magic at the heart of the story. However, ONWARD also has strong moral elements with some redemptive content stressing family relationships, sacrifice, and reconciliation.

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LILO & STITCH

Quality:

****

Content:

+1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)

LILO & STITCH is the story of two outcasts who find each other and, through many dangers and trials, change each other for the better and find love and “Ohana,” the Hawaiian name for family. Cartoon violence and two brief comical references to evolution and voodoo are the only things which mar the moral worldview of LILI & STITCH, which is appropriate for older children.

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ENCANTO

Quality:

****

Content:

+2 Moderately questionable elements.

ENCANTO is a lively animated musical about a girl living in an isolated magical village in Colombia where everyone in her family has a magical gift but her, but she becomes the only one who can save her family from losing its magic. Beautifully produced, funny and heartwarming, ENCANTO sounds like it could be filled with witchcraft, but the movie explicitly states that family is the real magic and contains overt Christian references, themes, images, and symbolism, which form the backdrop to the story and plot.

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BIG HERO 6

Quality:

****

Content:

+1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)

BIG HERO 6 is an excellent Disney animated movie about a 14-year-old boy who turns a huggable healthcare robot into a fighting machine and enlists the help of four friends to catch a villain in the city of San Fransokyo. BIG HERO 6 is delightful and charming with positive messages of helping others, courage and selflessness. A light caution is advised for younger children because of some heavier elements, including lots of action.

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THE PEANUTS MOVIE

Quality:

****

Content:

+3 Some minor questionable elements. (Media-wisdom is suggested to discuss.)

THE PEANUTS MOVIE is a wonderful animated movie based on the beloved comic strip created by Charles Schulz, wherein Charlie Brown falls for the new girl in town and tries to make a good first impression, despite his poor reputation. THE PEANUTS MOVIE is a lovable, funny, entertaining animated movie for all ages that teaches positive lessons of compassion, honesty, and selflessness, with only some slapstick and minor perilous scenes that might scary sensitive, very young children.

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