There are a number of films out there for children to watch, however, some are aimed at those slightly younger and some for an older audience. We have compiled a list for you of some of our top picks for movies that are appropriate for children between 5 and 6 years old.
Movies for 5 to 6-year-olds come in varying genres and were made in different time periods. Some of these films are live-action, however many, mainly produced by Disney and Pixar, are cartoons. Before allowing your child to watch any movie though, it is good to consider viewing it yourself first.
By this age, children are no longer toddlers, even if we would like them to stay young. They are able to comprehend more complex stories than they would have been able to even a year or two before. On this list we have films such as The Lion King (1994), Shrek (2001), and Inside Out (2015). For these and more exciting kids’ movies, be sure to read on.
1. The Lion King
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The Lion King, released in 1994, is an animated musical by directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. The film is about a young lion prince, Simba, who’s father dies and he believes it to be his fault. He then runs away and his devious uncle takes the throne for himself.
The film won two Academy Awards for its music and also earned a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Musical. The film led to many other works and even had a photorealistic, 2019, remake which was also hugely successful.
The film had a budget of $45 million and made a box office return of an incredible $968.5 million. The film received high ratings from critics and audience members and is a film that is still a must-see today. If your child enjoys animals and music, they are sure to love this. The film’s total run time sits at 88 minutes.
2. Shrek
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Shrek, released in 2001, is a computer-animated fantasy comedy film, directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson; this being their directorial debuts. The film is about a grumpy and isolated ogre who has a bunch of fairytale creatures exiled, by a nearby lord, to his swamp. Shrek must then go on a mission to save a princess for the lord, in order to reclaim his land.
The film has the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz. The voice performances, animation, and writing, with its exceptional humor, that catered to both children and adults, were praised by critics.
Shrek was the winner of the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and it also received a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Additionally, it raked in six nominations at the BAFTA awards and it won for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was produced on a budget of $60 million and earned a sizable $487.9 million. The film’s total run time is 90 minutes.
If your child likes the story of the underdog or the one who is socially sidelined, then Shrek is definitely the character, along with Donkey and Fiona, that they will be rooting for.
3. Inside Out
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Inside Out, released in 2015, is a computer-animated film, which was directed by Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen. The film is about a young girl, Riley who is uprooted from her life in the Midwest and moves to San Francisco. Her emotions, Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust, and Sadness have to help Riley navigate in her new surroundings.
The film stars the voices of Amy Poehler, Richard Kind, and Phyllis Smith. The film was well-received for many aspects such as the vocal performances, the screenplay and the subject matter.
Although made on a hefty budget of $175 million, thankfully the public flocked to see the film and it came out with a box office of $858.8 million. It also received two nominations at the Academy Awards, one of which it won. If your child has had to experience the struggles of relocating, they will definitely relate to Riley. The film has a run time of 95 minutes.
4. Coco
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Coco, released in 2017, is a computer-animated fantasy film that was directed by Lee Unkrich, and Adrian Molina. The story follows Miguel, a young, aspiring musician. Unfortunately for him, he is faced with an ancestral ban on music. He ultimately enters the Land of the Dead to locate his great-great-grandfather, who was a singer.
The voice cast includes Anthony Gonzalez, Benjamin Bratt, and Gael García Bernal. The film received tremendous praise for the voice acting, the music and also its respect of the Mexican culture.
The film was the recipient of various accolades, of which, two were Academy Awards. It also won Best Animated Film at the Golden Globe Awards, BAFTA Awards, and Critic’s Choice Movie Awards. Made on a budget of approximately $175 million the film earned a resounding $807.8 million. The film’s total run time is 105 minutes.
If your child likes music and different cultures, then this festive bonanza is something that will certainly entertain them and help them learn about the customs of others.
5. Toy Story
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Toy Story, is a computer-animated film that was produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter, in his feature directorial debut. The film follows a young boy’s toys who encounter a new spaceman figure that Andy receives for his birthday. Woody, the leader of the toys becomes incredibly jealous and feels threatened by the new toy, Buzz Lightyear.
The film was the first to be entirely computer animated, in terms of feature films, and it was the first feature length movie by Pixar. It stars the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Don Rickles. The film won various awards including an Academy Award.
The film was produced on a budget of only $30 million and saw a box office return of $373 million. The film sparked a number of sequels. The film was met with critical acclaim and was noted for its 3D animation, clever humor, and great vocal performances. The film’s total run time sits at 81 minutes.
6. The Wizard Of Oz
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The Wizard of Oz, released way back in 1939, is a musical fantasy film directed, for the most part, by Victor Fleming. The film is the story of a girl, Dorothy, from Kansas who gets swept away by a tornado, to the magical Land of Oz. Together with friends, she meets along the way, she then journeys to the Wizard who can help her get back home.
The film stars Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, and Bert Lahr. Together they pulled off a film that according to most critics is one of the best films of all time and a must-see before the age of 14.
The story is full of wholesome messages and is free of some of the more inappropriate humor and content that gets slipped into modern day children’s movies. That said though, the Wicked Witch of the West could potentially be somewhat scary for younger viewers.
The film has a total run time of 101 minutes and it performed well at the box office, making $29.7 million on a budget of $2.8 million.
7. How The Grinch Stole Christmas
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How the Grinch Stole Christmas, released in 2000, is a Christmas fantasy comedy-drama directed by Ron Howard. The film is about a green Grinch who lives on the mountain near Whoville. He is a nasty character and hopes to ruin Christmas for all the townsfolk who love the holiday.
In the lead role we have the eccentric and absolutely brilliant Jim Carrey. Our narrator is Anthony Hopkins and also starring in the film are Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, and Molly Shannon. The film was met with mixed reviews that praised Carrey, but noted the rather dark theme and also the moments which some children may have found scary.
The film won an Academy Award for makeup and was nominated for two others. The film’s budget sat at $123 million and thankfully saw a return of $345.1 million. The total run time of the film is 105 minutes. If your child is a fan of Christmas, and loves a film with lots of energy and excitement, they’ll love this one.
8. Despicable Me
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Despicable Me, released in computer-animated comedy film directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud in their directorial debuts. The film is about a criminal mastermind, who has had little success. He ultimately adopts and uses three orphan girls to help in an evil scheme, but soon finds his heart changing for the better.
The film stars the voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, and Miranda Cosgrove. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award and received excellent reviews from critics.
The film was produced on a budget of $69 million and it was a box office hit, making $543.1 million. The film was the first installment in the franchise that holds the same name. The run time for this film is 95 minutes in total.
9. The Sound Of Music
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The Sound of Music, released in 1965, is a musical drama film directed by Robert Wise. The film is set in the 1930s and is about a young novitiate who sent, by her convent, to be a governess who has to look after seven children of a widowed naval officer.
The film stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, with Richard Haydn, Charmian Carr, and Peggy Wood. The film received five Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards, as well as awards from the Directors Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America.
The film is considered as one of America’s greatest films of all time and is listed as the fourth greatest movie musical, by the American Film Institute. The film had a budget of $8.2 million and made a substantial return of $286.2 million at the box office. The film is relatively long and sits with a run time of $174 minutes.
10. WALL-E
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WALL-E, released in 2008, is a computer-animated science fiction film, produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by Andrew Stanton, who was also a co-writer. The film is set in a distant future where a tiny waste-collecting robot unintentionally goes on a space journey which ultimately holds the fate of humanity.
The film stars the voice of Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, and John Ratzenberger. The film was met with commercial and critical success and it won several awards. These include a Golden Globe, Hugo Award, Nebula Award, and Academy Award.
The film was voted as being 29th on the list of the best films of the 21st century. At the box office it earned $521.3 million off of a budget of $180 million. Its total run time sits at 97 minutes. If your child likes robots and things of the future, they will find this highly entertaining and insightful.
11. Kung Fu Panda
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Kung Fu Panda, released in 2008, is a computer-animated martial arts comedy film that was produced by DreamWorks Animation and was directed by Mark Osborne and John Stevenson in his directorial debut. The film is about a panda, Po who dreams of becoming a kung fu master. To his and everyone else’s surprise he is chosen as the Dragon Warrior and has to defend the Valley of Peace.
The film stars the voices of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen and Ian McShane, among others. The film received praise from critics for the writing and action sequences, and its more mature themes that play out in such a way that even younger audience members would understand them.
The film spawned two sequels and was rather successful at the box office, on its opening weekend it sat the number one position and worldwide it made $631.7 million, on a budget of $130 million. The total run time for the film is $92 minutes. If your child likes martial arts and is fascinated with Chinese culture then this is the film for them.
12. Charlotte’s Web
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Charlotte’s Web, released in 1973, is an animated musical drama based on the children’s book of the same name. The film was directed by Charles A. Nichols and Iwao Takamoto. The film is about a pig named Wilbur who befriends a spider, Charlotte who helps save him from ultimately being slaughtered.
The film stars the voices of Debbie Reynolds, Henry Gibson, and Paul Lynde. The film was well received by critics for the most part and was noted for being heartwarming, imaginative and clever.
Although it did not receive any noteworthy awards the film thankfully managed to earn approximately $5 million at the box office, however the budget is unknown. The film also got itself a live-action remake in 2006. The film has a run time of 94 minutes.
13. Up
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Up, released in 2009, is a computer animated movie that was produced by Pixar and released by Disney. In the director’s chairs for this film we had Pete Docter and Bob Peterson. The film is about Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old who flies his house (pulled along by helium balloons) to Paradise Falls and unintentionally takes a young scout along with him.
The film stars the voices of Ed Asner, Jordan Nagai, and Christopher Plummer. The film was very well received by critics and the media and was applauded for the characters, the overall narrative and the themes with which it dealt.
The film received five nominations for Academy Awards, of which it won two and it also garnered numerous other accolades. At the box office it also performed exceptionally well and made $735.1 million on a budget of $175 million. The film’s total run time is 96 minutes.
14. Honey, I Shrunk The Kids
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Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, released in 1989, is a comic science fiction film directed by Joe Johnston in his directorial debut and was produced by Disney. The film follows a scientist who accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teenagers, down to the size of insects. While he is searching for them, the poor teens have to fight off what would otherwise have been annoying insects.
As the inventor, Wayne Szalinski, we have Rick Moranis and with him are Amy O’Neill, Robert Oliveri, and Marcia Strassman, among others. The film received positive feedback from critics and audience members and at the time the film became the highest grossing live-action films ever made by Disney. It held this title for five years and it also spawned two sequels.
The film had an estimated budget of $18 million and it made a surprisingly big return of $222.7 million. The film was nominated for various Saturn Awards and it won a BAFTA for its special visual effects. The total run time of this film sits at 93 minutes.
15. Babe
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Babe, released in 1995, is a comedy-drama directed by Chris Noonan. The film is about a big, Babe, who was raised by Sheepdogs in rural England, on a farm. He learns to herd sheep and is aided by Farmer Hoggett. The main animal characters were actually played by real animals as well as animatronic puppets.
The film stars James Cromwell and Magda Szubanski and has the voices of Christine Cavanaugh, Miriam Margolyes, and Hugo Weaving. The film received multiple nominations and awards. Seven of which nominations were for the Academy Awards.
The film was quoted as having, “a heart as big as its special effects budget.” It is a timeless classic that any child will adore and was a great success when it initially came out. It had a budget of $30 million and made a return of $254.1 million at the box office. The run time for the film sits at 92 minutes.
16. Finding Nemo
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Finding Nemo, released in 2003, is a computer-animated adventure movie, which was produced by Pixar and released by Disney. The film was directed and co-written by Andrew Stanton. The film follows a clownfish, Marlin, whose son is captured by a diver on the Great Barrier Reef, he sets out on a journey to go and find his son, Nemo.
The film stars the voices of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe and Alexander Gould. The film was well received by critics and audience members, young and old, absolutely loved it. The film was also awarded an Academy Award for the Best Animated Feature, which was the first for Pixar, and was nominated in three other categories.
Critics and audience members were astounded by how much they related and connected to these sea creatures and Pixar’s hard work paid off as the film grossed $940.3 million, on a budget of $94 million. The film’s total run time is 100 minutes. If your child is a fan of marine life then this is the movie to pick for them.
17. Monsters, Inc.
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Monsters, Inc., released in 2001, is a computer-animated monster comedy that was produced by Pixar and distributed by Disney. Pete Docter directed this film in his directorial debut, and he went on to direct films like Up (2009) and Inside Out (2015).
The film is about a monster city where their power is generated by scaring human children at night. Children are thought to be toxic to monsters, however, when a child gets through, into their world; two monsters realize things may not be as they originally thought. The film stars the voices of John Goodman, Billy Crystal, and Steve Buscemi.
The film won an Academy Award for the Best Original Song and had two other nominations. The film also had a prequel, Monsters University, directed by Dan Scanlon. The first film had a budget of $115 million and earned a rather decent box office return of $577.4 million. The film’s total run time is 92 minutes.
18. The Lego Movie
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The Lego Movie, released in 2014, is a computer-animated adventure comedy, written and directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord. The film follows an ordinary Lego minifigure, Emmet, is recruited by a resistance to stop a tyrant from gluing the Lego universe into his vision of what is perfection.
The film stars the voice s of Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell, and Will Arnett. The film overall was a critical success and it won a BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film and was nominated for a Golden Globe and also earned an Academy Award nomination.
At the box office the film also saw success when its budget of approximately $60 million brought in a return of $468.1 million. If your child is a Lego fan, then this is a must-see for them as they will love seeing familiar toys coming to life. The film has a total run time of 100 minutes.
19. How To Train Your Dragon
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How to Train Your Dragon, released in 2010, is a computer-animated action fantasy, produced by DreamWorks and was directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. The film is set in a mythical Viking world where Hiccup, a teenage Viking, aspires to become a dragon slayer. When he finally catches and has the chance to kill one, he ends up befriending it and teaches those of tribe to do the same.
The film stars the voices of Jay Baruchel, Craig Ferguson, Gerard Butler, and America Ferrera. The film was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards, but unfortunately lost to Toy Story 3 (2010). It also did manage to win other awards including ten Annie Awards.
The film received praise from the critics and was loved by all who went to see it. Its budget of $165 million made a good return of $494.9 million. If your child is a fan of dragons or has read the books, they will be delighted by this film, which has a total runtime of 98 minutes.
20. Moana
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Moana (also known in some places as Viana or Oceania), released in 2016, is a 3D computer-animated musical adventure film with plenty of comic elements, produced by Disney. The film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. It follows the story of Moana, who, when a terrible curse is incurred by a demigod, answers the call to go and find the demigod in order to straighten things out.
The film stars the voices of Auliʻi Cravalho, Rachel House, Dwayne Johnson, and Temuera Morrison. The film was met with positive reviews, particularly for the vocal performances, the music and the animation.
The film received two nominations at the Academy Awards and it performed well at the box office too, making a substantial $645 million on its budget of approximately $150 million. If you child loves music and the ocean, then this film that combines these two so eloquently is a must-see. The total run time for the film is 107 minutes.
Conclusion
So there we have it an array of spectacular options for you to choose from, all of these were and are great for children between the ages of 5 and 6 and they are sure to be thrilled with your pick for the evening. Or perhaps you’ve left it up to them to pick the show for the movie night, either way, we hope you have an absolute blast.
Related to: Movies for 7-9 Year Olds | Movies for 10-12 Year Olds | Movies for 13-15 Year Olds | Movies for Teenagers
