Awesome Kids Movies: Films are one of the most powerful teaching tools available to parents and educators working with primary-aged children. Whether you are a teacher planning a film literacy unit, a parent searching for something genuinely worthwhile to watch on a rainy afternoon, or a teaching assistant looking for a discussion starter that will actually engage your group, this list is for you.
LearningMole, a UK educational platform founded by former primary teacher Michelle Connolly, has gathered 33 films that do far more than keep children entertained. They open doors to history, science, empathy, and the art of storytelling.
The UK National Curriculum treats film as a valid literacy medium, and with good reason. Research from the British Film Institute consistently shows that children who engage critically with moving image texts develop stronger comprehension, vocabulary, and analytical thinking skills than those who do not. These are precisely the outcomes that KS1 and KS2 teachers are working towards every day. The films in this guide have been chosen because they connect naturally to curriculum subjects: history, PSHE, English, art and design, and science, while remaining age-appropriate and genuinely enjoyable.
Unlike most lists of this kind, this guide uses BBFC ratings rather than American MPAA equivalents, identifies UK streaming platforms where each film is commonly available, and includes a Teacher’s Takeaway for each entry. You will also find a curriculum cross-reference table, a practical active viewing framework, and a resource section pointing to LearningMole’s wider teaching materials. Whether you use these films in the classroom or at home, this guide gives you everything you need to make the viewing genuinely educational.
| Film | Year | BBFC | UK Platform | Learning Theme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | 1982 | U | Netflix / Sky | Empathy & loss |
| My Neighbour Totoro | 1988 | U | Netflix | Nature & family |
| The Wizard of Oz | 1939 | U | BFI Player | Courage & friendship |
| The Lion King | 1994 | U | Disney+ | Responsibility & identity |
| The Lego Movie | 2014 | U | Netflix | Creativity & teamwork |
| Monsters, Inc. | 2001 | U | Disney+ | Kindness & bravery |
| The Iron Giant | 1999 | U | Sky Cinema | Cold War / pacifism |
| Toy Story 3 | 2010 | U | Disney+ | Change & letting go |
| Paddington 2 | 2017 | PG | Netflix | Community & justice |
| Babe | 1995 | U | Sky Cinema | Identity & acceptance |
| Spirited Away | 2001 | PG | Netflix | Courage & growth |
| Pinocchio | 1940 | U | Disney+ | Honesty & conscience |
| The Secret of Kells | 2009 | PG | BFI Player | Cold War/pacifism |
| The Nightmare Before Christmas | 1993 | PG | Disney+ | Belonging & identity |
| Coco | 2018 | PG | Disney+ | Ancestry & remembrance |
| Home Alone | 1990 | PG | Disney+ | Problem-solving & family |
| The Red Balloon | 1956 | U | BFI Player | Imagination/KS1 Art |
| WALL-E | 2008 | U | Disney+ | Environment & sustainability |
| Oliver! | 1968 | U | Sky Cinema | Victorian lit/KS2 History |
| Beauty and the Beast | 1991 | U | Disney+ | Empathy & prejudice |
| Finding Nemo | 2003 | U | Disney+ | Marine science / family |
| The Incredible Journey | 1963 | U | Apple TV+ | Loyalty & perseverance |
| How to Train Your Dragon | 2010 | PG | Netflix | Belonging & leadership |
| The Muppet Movie | 1979 | U | Disney+ | Ambition & friendship |
| Howl’s Moving Castle | 2004 | PG | Netflix | War & compassion |
| The Kid Who Would Be King | 2019 | PG | Disney+ | Arthurian legend / KS2 |
| Shrek 2 | 2004 | PG | Netflix | Identity & acceptance |
| Zathura: A Space Adventure | 2005 | PG | Sky Cinema | Marine science/family |
| The Black Cauldron | 1985 | PG | Disney+ | Welsh mythology / KS2 |
| George of the Jungle | 1997 | U | Disney+ | Environment & community |
| Treasure Planet | 2002 | PG | Disney+ | Space/sibling bonds |
| Monster House | 2006 | PG | Netflix | Problem-solving / mystery |
| Anastasia | 1997 | U | Disney+ | Classic literature/adventure |
Film is a text. This is not a controversial statement in modern primary education. The UK National Curriculum explicitly includes moving image as a form of media literacy, and Ofsted inspectors increasingly ask how schools use visual texts to develop reading comprehension and critical thinking. Yet most lists of recommended children’s films focus purely on entertainment value. This guide takes a different position.
The 33 films here were chosen because they connect directly to curriculum subjects taught in primary schools across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. They range from award-winning short films to beloved animated features, from Cold War fables to Irish folklore brought to life through hand-drawn animation. Several are underrated gems that do not appear on mainstream lists; others are classics that deserve a second look through a teaching lens.
The key point, which applies equally to teachers and parents, is that the educational value of a film is almost entirely determined by what happens around it rather than during it. Watching a film passively is entertainment. Discussing it before and after, relating it to something the child already knows, giving it a purpose — that is learning. The active viewing framework later in this guide shows you exactly how to structure that.
“Children are natural storytellers and story-seekers. When we treat film as a serious text alongside picture books and novels, we give them a new set of tools for making sense of the world.” — Michelle Connolly, Founder of LearningMole and former teacher with over 15 years of classroom experience
These films are ideal for units on art and design, creative writing, and visual literacy. KS1 and KS2 art teachers will find strong links to animation techniques, colour theory, and composition.
Spielberg’s story of a lonely boy and a stranded alien remains one of cinema’s most emotionally honest portrayals of childhood. The film works brilliantly as a PSHE discussion starter on loneliness, belonging, and difference. Use it alongside work on friendship and community in Year 3 or 4. John Williams’ score is also a starting point for music lessons exploring how sound creates emotion.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to write a diary entry from E.T.’s perspective on his first day on Earth. This connects directly to KS2 writing objectives around first-person narrative voice.
Hayao Miyazaki’s gentle masterpiece about two sisters adjusting to life in the countryside while their mother is ill is one of the finest films ever made for young children. The hand-drawn animation style, rooted in Japanese countryside scenery, works beautifully as a stimulus for observational drawing and landscape art in KS1 and lower KS2. The theme of coping with uncertainty connects naturally to PSHE units on emotional resilience.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Pause on key scenes and ask children to identify the colours Miyazaki uses to show safety versus worry. A simple annotated sketch activity can extend this into art vocabulary.
The shift from sepia to Technicolour remains one of cinema’s great moments, and it is all the more powerful when children understand that this was genuinely revolutionary in 1939. The film covers courage, friendship, and the gap between what we believe we lack and what we actually have. It also offers a strong stimulus for creative writing: the journey narrative is one of the most transferable structures in fiction.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Use the three companions as a basis for character analysis. Ask children to argue which companion already had their gift before the Wizard gave it to them.
Beyond the songs and spectacle, The Lion King is a study in responsibility, grief, and the pressure of expectation. Simba’s refusal to return home maps directly onto avoidance behaviour that primary children recognise, making it a useful PSHE resource for Year 4 and 5. The film’s Shakespearean structure (it loosely follows Hamlet) provides English teachers with an accessible entry point for discussing how stories recur across cultures.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Compare the Pride Lands before and after Scar’s rule as a geography and environmental change activity. What changed? Why?
Beneath its cheerfully anarchic surface, The Lego Movie is a well-constructed story about conformity, creativity, and the difference between following instructions and thinking independently. It resonates strongly with children in upper KS2 who are beginning to navigate peer pressure. The animation technique, blending physical Lego aesthetics with digital movement, makes it a useful discussion starter in art lessons covering design and construction.
Teacher’s Takeaway: After watching, give children a design challenge using only available classroom materials. Discuss the link between constraints and creativity.
Pixar’s world of professional scarers is built on a brilliant inversion: what if the monsters are more frightened of children than children are of them? This premise opens up rich discussion about fear, assumptions, and empathy. The film’s conclusion, where laughter proves more powerful than screaming, gives teachers a natural entry point into PSHE conversations about positive relationships and kindness.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to design their own monster: what is it afraid of, and why? This connects to character development in writing and explores the PSHE theme of empathy.
Based on Ted Hughes’ 1968 novel The Iron Man, this animated film is set during the Cold War and explores pacifism, identity, and government paranoia with remarkable directness for a children’s film. The book is commonly taught in Year 4 and 5, making the film a valuable companion resource. The contrast between how different adults respond to the Giant — fear versus curiosity — generates strong debate about assumptions and prejudice.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Compare the film with Ted Hughes’ original text. What has been changed, and why? This is a strong comparative reading activity for Year 5 and 6.
The third Toy Story film deals with themes that children in upper KS2 are beginning to experience: change, endings, and the anxiety of growing up. Andy’s departure for university is handled with unusual emotional honesty for an animated film, and the climactic furnace scene tests characters’ values in a way that generates genuine discussion. The film also asks what it means to be useful, and how our sense of worth can be tied to what others need from us.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to write a letter from Woody to Andy five years later. What would he say? This is a strong stimulus for persuasive and reflective writing.
Paddington 2 is quite possibly the best British children’s film of the last two decades. It is warm, witty, and built on a deep belief in community, generosity, and the importance of giving people a chance. The prison scenes, in which Paddington transforms his fellow inmates through kindness and marmalade sandwiches, are both funny and genuinely moving. For KS2 children, the film raises useful questions about justice, fairness, and how we judge people.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Discuss the idea of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ in age-appropriate terms. How did people in the film decide Paddington was guilty? Was that fair?
Babe is one of the most charming films on this list and also one of the most philosophically interesting. A pig who becomes a sheepdog challenges every assumption the other farm animals hold about what different animals are for and what they are capable of. The film’s central message — that categories and roles assigned by others do not have to define you — is exactly the kind of thinking PSHE and citizenship lessons are designed to foster.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Create a class debate: Should animals be kept on farms? Use the film to introduce ethical reasoning and structured argument in upper KS2.
Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning film follows ten-year-old Chihiro through a spirit world after her parents are transformed into pigs. It is a film about courage, hard work, and finding your identity when everything familiar has been stripped away. The spirit world setting, rooted in Japanese Shinto mythology, connects to KS2 history and geography units on Japan and provides a rich stimulus for creative writing and world-building activities.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to research Japanese Shinto spirits (kami) and identify three that appear in the film. This blends media literacy with guided research skills.
These films align directly with KS2 history curriculum topics and provide rich stimuli for English, geography, and humanities work. Several connect to specific National Curriculum content areas.
This Irish animated film about the creation of the Book of Kells is one of the most visually distinctive films on this list, with its flat, geometric animation style rooted in medieval illuminated manuscript art. It connects directly to KS2 History work on the early medieval period and provides an exceptional stimulus for art lessons exploring Celtic knotwork, symmetry, and illustration. The film also depicts a Viking raid with sensitivity, making it suitable for Year 5 and 6.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Challenge children to design their own illuminated initial letter in the style of the Book of Kells. Cross-curricular between art, history, and literacy.
Tim Burton’s stop-motion musical is a unique study in ambition, empathy, and the limits of borrowing another culture’s traditions without understanding them. Jack Skellington’s takeover of Christmas raises genuine questions about respect, intent, and impact that connect to PSHE and citizenship work. The stop-motion animation technique is also worth discussing in art lessons: children are frequently astonished to learn that every frame was physically repositioned by hand.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Introduce children to stop-motion animation and have them create a brief sequence using paper or clay. This links art, design, and digital skills.
Pixar’s Coco is set during Mexico’s Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and handles themes of ancestry, family, memory, and the fear of being forgotten with real care. The film provides an exceptional entry point for KS2 cultural studies and geography work on Mexico. It also raises the question of what it means to be remembered, which connects naturally to work on significant individuals in history. The treatment of family conflict and reconciliation is handled in a way that is honest without being distressing.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to research their own family tree and create an ‘ofrenda’ (memorial display) for someone significant in their family history.
The musical adaptation of Dickens’ Oliver Twist connects directly to KS2 History work on Victorian Britain and is a useful companion to classroom reading of the novel or extracts. The film portrays workhouses, child labour, and poverty in ways that generate genuine historical empathy without sensationalising. Fagin and the Artful Dodger are morally complex characters who give children practice in discussing motivation and circumstance rather than simple right and wrong.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Compare the conditions at Fagin’s den with the workhouse. What choices does Oliver actually have? Discuss the concept of ‘lesser evil’ in age-appropriate terms.
Set in a Norse Viking community, How to Train Your Dragon depicts a society built entirely around dragon-fighting, and a boy who fundamentally disagrees with that tradition. The film explores courage, nonconformity, and the distinction between inherited belief and examined belief. It connects to KS2 History work on the Vikings and provides a strong stimulus for discussion about how societies change and who drives that change.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Compare the Viking portrayal in this film with what children know from their history unit. What is accurate? What was invented? Discuss why filmmakers change history.
A modern Arthurian adventure set largely in and around a secondary school, this film works well for upper KS2 and Year 7 transition. The Arthurian legend connects to KS2 History work on medieval Britain and myths and legends in English, and the film’s central message about finding the qualities of a leader in ordinary circumstances is both accessible and discussable. It also features Merlin, which provides an entry point into discussing anachronism and how legends are retold across time.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to identify the qualities Alex shows that make him a good leader. How do these compare with traditional ideas of kingship from history lessons?
Disney’s most underrated animated film is based on Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain, which is itself rooted in Welsh mythology. The film covers the Mabinogion tradition and features characters and settings drawn from Celtic legend, making it a natural companion to KS2 work on Wales, Celtic Britain, and mythology. It is darker than most Disney films of its era, which makes it more suitable for upper KS2, but the central quest structure is deeply satisfying.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Research the Mabinogion with your class. Which characters from Welsh mythology appear in the film? What has been changed?
Although it takes significant historical liberties with the story of the Romanov family, Anastasia provides an accessible entry point to KS2 work on Russia and the early twentieth century. Teachers should be transparent with children about what the film changes and why. The core story of a girl searching for her identity and her family is genuinely moving, and Rasputin’s portrayal as a supernatural villain gives children a chance to discuss how history becomes legend.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Compare the film’s Anastasia with the historical record. Why do storytellers change history? Discuss the difference between historical fiction and propaganda.
Disney’s science-fiction reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island is one of the most criminally underrated animated films of the 2000s. It covers the original novel’s themes of trust, betrayal, and the lure of adventure, transposed to a brilliantly designed space setting. KS2 children reading Treasure Island will find the film a useful companion, and the visual design, blending Age of Sail aesthetics with spacecraft, makes it a rich stimulus for creative world-building.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Read chapter one of Treasure Island and then watch the opening of Treasure Planet. Ask children to identify what has been kept and what has been changed, and why.
These films are particularly strong for PSHE, citizenship, and social and emotional learning objectives. They deal with resilience, empathy, neurodiversity, loss, and belonging in ways that are accessible to primary-aged children.
Disney’s second animated feature raises some of the most enduring questions in moral philosophy in a form entirely accessible to young children: what does it mean to be good? What is the difference between doing the right thing because someone is watching and doing it because it is right? Jiminy Cricket’s role as a conscience is particularly useful for PSHE discussions about internal moral reasoning. The Pleasure Island sequence, where boys who misbehave are turned into donkeys, is legitimately unsettling and worth discussing.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children: Does Pinocchio become a real boy because he is brave, or because he is good? Can you be brave without being good? This is a rich philosophy for children (P4C) prompt.
One of the most environmentally friendly films in mainstream cinema, WALL-E depicts a future Earth buried under centuries of accumulated waste, with the last robot left behind to clean it up. The film’s first act is largely wordless, making it accessible to younger children and exceptional for developing inference and visual literacy. For KS2 science and geography units on sustainability and environmental change, it provides a powerful, non-preachy stimulus for discussion.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children what one change they could make this week to reduce waste. Connect to KS2 science objectives on materials, sustainability, and environmental responsibility.
Beneath the remarkable ocean animation, Finding Nemo is a film about overprotection, independence, and the gap between caring for someone and controlling them. Marlin’s journey from terrified, controlling parent to someone who can let go is one of the most relatable character arcs in animated film. For children, Nemo’s determination to prove himself despite his physical difference is a strong, positive model. The film also connects to KS2 science work on ocean habitats and marine ecosystems.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Use the Great Barrier Reef setting as a springboard for a science research task on marine biodiversity. Then discuss: how has the reef changed since 2003?
Miyazaki’s anti-war film, adapted loosely from Diana Wynne Jones’ novel, deals with conflict, cowardice, and the transformative effect of kindness on people who have given up on themselves. Sophie, cursed into old age at eighteen, is one of the most interesting protagonists in animated film because her apparent weakness turns out to be a form of freedom. For KS2 children, the film raises questions about why countries go to war and who bears the cost. Diana Wynne Jones was a British author who also connected to KS2 English work on significant UK authors.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Read the opening chapter of Wynne Jones’ novel alongside the film. Ask children how Sophie’s character differs between the two versions.
Underneath the slapstick, Home Alone is a film about a child who has to solve a genuine problem without any adult help. Kevin’s ingenuity and the methodical way he prepares his defence of the house make this a surprisingly good stimulus for problem-solving and planning activities. The film also raises useful questions about family, being heard, and what we actually miss when we feel overlooked. For Christmas half-term viewing with a curriculum connection, it works well alongside PSHE units on family relationships.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to plan their own home defence using only items in a standard classroom. Present the logic, not the booby traps.
Albert Lamorisse’s 34-minute French short film won the Palme d’Or and the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in the same year, and it remains one of the most beautiful films ever made for or about children. Almost entirely without dialogue, it follows a young boy through the streets of Paris with a balloon that behaves as though it has a will of its own. For KS1 children, it is perfect for inference work and discussing how a story can be told without words. For KS2, it provides an entry point into French culture and the idea of imagination as a form of freedom.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Watch in silence. Afterwards, ask children to write what they think the balloon was thinking at three key moments. Inference and empathy in a single activity.
While the first Shrek film makes the stronger case for accepting difference, Shrek 2 adds a layer of complexity by exploring what happens when the people around you cannot accept who you are. Fiona’s parents’ expectations, and the lengths to which Shrek goes to meet them, generate rich discussion about authenticity, self-worth, and the difference between wanting approval and needing it. For Year 5 and 6, this connects naturally to PSHE work on identity and relationships.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children: Is it ever kind to pretend to be something you are not? Use Shrek’s decision to take the Happily Ever After potion as the discussion stimulus.
Often overlooked because it was released the same year as The Chronicles of Narnia, Zathura is a tense, genuinely exciting science-fiction adventure about two brothers forced to cooperate to survive a board game that launches their house into space. The sibling conflict at its centre is immediately recognisable to children, and the resolution, which involves time travel and an unexpected reveal, rewards careful attention. For KS2 science units on space and the solar system, it provides a lively and engaging stimulus.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to identify which elements of the space setting are scientifically plausible and which are impossible. A strong scientific thinking exercise.
Kermit’s journey from a swamp to Hollywood is, in its way, a film about believing in a dream large enough to attract other dreamers. The Muppet Movie is structured as a road trip with a clear pursuit narrative, which makes it a useful model for story structure in KS2 writing. The self-aware humour, with characters who know they are in a film, also introduces younger children to the concept of dramatic irony and meta-narrative in a genuinely funny way.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Use the film as a model for a class ‘journey narrative’ writing project. What is each character travelling towards? What do they have to overcome?
Disney’s animated classic is a study in prejudice, patience, and the difference between surface and depth. The Beast’s emotional arc, from tyrannical self-pity to genuine vulnerability, gives children a model for discussing emotional regulation in PSHE. Belle’s love of books and her refusal to be defined by others’ expectations make her one of Disney’s most interesting protagonists for classroom discussion.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to argue whether the Beast deserved to be cursed in the first place. Use the prologue as the evidence. This is a strong philosophy for children’s activity on fairness and proportionality.
This live-action film, based on Sheila Burnford’s 1961 novel, follows two dogs and a cat travelling 250 miles across the Canadian wilderness to find their family. It is remarkably understated for a children’s film: the animals have no voice-over narration, which means children have to read body language and behaviour to understand what is happening. This makes it genuinely valuable for work on inference and non-verbal communication.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to write the journey from one of the animals’ perspectives. What would the cat notice that the dog would not? A strong characterisation and voice exercise.
George of the Jungle is pure physical comedy, and it works. But beyond the pratfalls, it raises interesting questions about what we consider ‘civilised’ and who gets to define that. George, raised in the jungle, is kinder, more honest, and less motivated by status than almost every other character in the film. For KS2 children, it offers a light-hearted way into discussions about cultural assumptions and environmental awareness.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to write a guide to ‘civilised society’ from George’s perspective. What would he find strange, and what might he admire?
Three children, ignored by the adults around them, take it upon themselves to deal with a genuinely dangerous situation before Halloween. The film is genuinely tense in places, but its central message — that children’s concerns deserve to be taken seriously — is one that resonates strongly. For Year 5 and 6, the mystery plot structure makes it a useful model for suspense writing, and the resolution, which involves understanding the backstory of a grieving old man, is handled with more emotional sophistication than you might expect.
Teacher’s Takeaway: Ask children to write the backstory of the house from the old man’s perspective before the events of the film. A strong empathy and narrative voice exercise.
The most important thing to understand about using film educationally is that the learning happens in the conversation around the film, not in the viewing itself. A child who watches Finding Nemo without discussion takes home a story about a clownfish. A child who watches it with a thinking question in mind takes home a framework for thinking about overprotection, independence, and the ocean ecosystem.
A three-step active viewing framework works well for both classroom and home use.
Before watching: Give children a specific question or task to hold in mind during the film. This should be simple: ‘What does the main character want most? Does that change?’ For younger children, show them a still image from the film and ask what they think the story will be about.
During watching: For classroom use, two or three planned pause points allow for brief discussion without breaking the narrative flow. At home, natural breaks (a clear chapter change, a moment of emotional intensity) work equally well. The question should always be: ‘What do you notice?’
After watching: This is where the real learning happens. A focused discussion question, a short piece of writing, a drawing, or a research task rooted in the film’s content all extend the educational value significantly. Every Teacher’s Takeaway in this guide offers a specific post-viewing activity.
LearningMole, the UK educational platform founded by Michelle Connolly, provides curriculum-aligned teaching resources and educational videos for primary schools across the UK. With over 3,300 free resources and 800 educational videos aligned to the UK National Curriculum, LearningMole supports teachers, teaching assistants, and parents in making learning genuinely engaging.
For media literacy and creative writing work connected to the films in this guide, LearningMole’s English and literacy resources provide strong classroom foundations. The platform’s creative writing resources cover narrative structure, character development, and the kinds of writing tasks featured in the Teacher’s Takeaway sections above.
For home learning support, LearningMole’s parent-focused resources provide practical, curriculum-aligned activities that extend classroom learning into family life. Many of the discussion and writing activities in this guide work equally well as homework or holiday projects.
The films in this guide span BBFC ratings from U to PG, making most of them suitable for children aged 5 and above. U-rated films are appropriate for all ages; PG films may contain mild threat, language, or emotional intensity that younger or more sensitive children may find upsetting. The Teacher’s Takeaway sections indicate which films are best suited to specific year groups. As a general guide, Miyazaki’s PG-rated films (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle) work best from Year 3 upwards, while U-rated classics like My Neighbour Totoro and WALL-E are suitable from Reception.
Many films in this guide connect directly to National Curriculum subjects. The Iron Giant and How to Train Your Dragon support KS2 History work on the Cold War and Vikings, respectively. WALL-E and Finding Nemo connect to KS2 Science units on sustainability and ocean habitats. The Secret of Kells covers the medieval period and Celtic art. Coco and Anastasia connect to KS2 Geography and History work on Mexico and Russia. The quick-reference table at the beginning of this guide summarises the primary curriculum connection for each film.
For educational use within a school setting, teachers can show films to classes provided the school holds an ERA (Educational Recording Agency) licence, which most UK state schools do. This covers films broadcast on UK television. For films not broadcast on UK television, a separate licence may be required. Schools should check their current licences with the ERA and Filmbank before screening any commercial film. This article does not constitute legal advice; check current licensing requirements with your school’s licensing coordinator.
LearningMole provides curriculum-aligned teaching resources and videos for a range of subjects that connect to the films in this guide. English and literacy resources support the writing activities in the Teacher’s Takeaway sections. Science resources connect to films like WALL-E and Finding Nemo. History resources cover the Vikings, ancient civilisations, and Victorian Britain, which are referenced in films including How to Train Your Dragon, The Secret of Kells, and Oliver!. Visit LearningMole’s resource library at learningmole.com for free access to materials across all primary curriculum subjects.
For upper KS2 PSHE, Paddington 2 is particularly strong for discussions about justice, community, and fairness. Shrek 2 works well for identity and self-worth. Coco is exceptional for units on family, ancestry, and loss. The Iron Giant raises questions about violence, fear, and choice that Year 6 children can engage with seriously. Each of these is available on major UK streaming platforms and carries a U or PG rating appropriate for primary school use.
The simplest approach is to watch together and talk. Before the film, give your child a single question to think about: ‘What does this character want? Does that change by the end?’ During the film, share your own reactions — say what surprised you or made you curious. After the film, ask your child to rate not how exciting it was but how interesting the characters were. This shifts attention from passive entertainment to active engagement without making watching films feel like homework. LearningMole’s parent resources at learningmole.com/category/parental-guidance/ include practical tips for extending learning into family activities.
Yes, and the evidence for this is clear. The UK Literacy Trust and the British Film Institute have both published research showing that engagement with moving image texts strengthens children’s written literacy, including vocabulary, narrative structure, and inference skills. Many primary schools now include film as a core reading text alongside picture books and novels. Animated films, in particular, tend to use sophisticated visual storytelling techniques — colour, composition, music, pacing — that children can learn to analyse in exactly the same way they analyse language in written texts.
The quick-reference table at the beginning of this guide lists the primary UK streaming platform for each film as of early 2026. Platforms change their catalogues regularly, so availability may shift. For films not currently on streaming services, most are available to rent or buy through Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, or Google Play. The BFI Player is particularly worth exploring for older films like The Red Balloon and The Wizard of Oz, and often has free access for schools through the BFI Education subscription.
These 33 films cover more than 80 years of cinema, from the hand-cranked Hollywood musicals of the late 1930s to the digital animation of the 2010s. What they have in common is that they all tell stories worth discussing: stories about courage, identity, belonging, loss, the natural world, and the complicated business of being human. That is precisely what the UK National Curriculum asks primary teachers and parents to help children explore.
The practical approaches in this guide — the active viewing framework, the Teacher’s Takeaways, the curriculum cross-references — are tools for making that exploration purposeful. Film does not replace the other texts children encounter at school, but it complements them in ways that particularly benefit children who find written texts difficult or who respond more readily to visual and auditory storytelling.
Used thoughtfully, the films in this guide can support reluctant readers, provide entry points into challenging curriculum topics, and generate some of the most genuinely engaged classroom conversations you will have all year.
LearningMole’s full library of curriculum-aligned videos and teaching resources is available at learningmole.com, with free access to thousands of materials for teachers, parents, and children across every primary subject. If you are building a film literacy unit and need supporting resources in English, history, science, or PSHE, the platform’s educational content provides a strong foundation alongside the films in this guide.
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