Best Movies for 10 Year Old Kids

When you’re choosing a movie for your 10 year old to watch, you want to be careful with what you’re about to show them. Ten is an age where children are still very impressionable, which is why this list provides movie ideas that don’t contain violence or overly-suggestive humor. We’ve broken down this list of good movies for 10 year olds by the following categories: Fantasy/Adventure, Comedy, Action, and Emotional. 

Fantasy and Adventure Movies for 10 Year Olds

For movies that are magical, otherworldly, creepy, or fantastic, here are 5 solid choices for fantasy movies for 10 year olds. We selected these films because they are aren’t too abstract or scary, don’t contain much violence, and don’t show anything that a 10 year old might be confused about.

1. Goosebumps

R.L Stine’s beloved series Goosebumps finally made it to the big screen, and who better to star in the movie than Jack Black? This PG-rated movie is funny, spooky, and actually pretty highly rated with a score of 76% on Rotten Tomatoes. It runs only 1 hour and 45 minutes long, so if you need a quick flick to throw on for your kids then you’re good to go.

 

2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

The Harry Potter movies are perfect for 10 year olds- there are plenty of imaginative details in the film that will stimulate their minds, but it doesn’t get gratuitously violent at any point. The film is rated PG and runs close to three hours long.

3. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

Although the popularity of Star Wars is starting to reach children again, you can almost guarantee that most 10 year olds these days have not seen the original films. Unlike The Force Awakens (the newest iteration in the series), A New Hope is rated PG rather PG-13, and contains significantly less violence then the new movie does. Sure it’s a bit old, but it’s a timeless classic that any child can’t help but fall in love with.

 

4. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Remember how magical it was the first time you saw Steven Spielberg’s E.T.? Although it was released in 1982, this is a movie that no ten year old will walk away from without feeling warm and fuzzy inside. It runs just about 2 hours, so throw it on for your ten year old and watch their faces light up with joy.

 

5. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water

Released in 2015, Sponge Out of Water combines 3-D animation with live action to give the effect that Spongebob and his friends are interacting with the real world. The movie has a lot of laughs, and plenty of awesome action sequences that your kids will love. It runs only 1 hour and 30 minutes, so definitely a great choice for something fast.

 

Funny Comedy Movies for 10 Year Olds

If you have ten year olds, you know they love to laugh. At their age suggestive humor should probably be avoided, so go for some of the picks below for some family friendly laughs. If some of these are too obvious we apologize, but you’d be surprised how many people aren’t familiar with a few of the titles below!

6. Minions

As a parent, you aren’t alone if you find the Minions to be annoying. However, kids really love them, and they actually are quite funny in a slapstick humor kind of way. Minions from 2015 finally saw the little yellow puffs star in their own movie, and although it was negatively reviewed by many critics, it’s still a solid pick for your 10 year old.

 

7. Penguins of Madagascar

As a grown man, I’m just going to come out and say it - this movie is ridiculously funny. I honestly can’t remember the last time I laughed out loud so many times while watching a movie intended for children, so make this a movie you watch with them the whole way through.

 

8. Hotel Transylvania

What happens when Dracula becomes overprotective of his daughter? The story of Hotel Transylvania revolves around just that, and contains the perfect amount of romance for a 10 year old child. The film is also really funny, with great voice acting by Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Kevin James, and more.

 

9. The Lego Movie

From the very beginning of this movie when they sing the “everything is awesome” song, you know this movie is going to be fun. The voice acting is tremendous (starring Chris Pratt and Will Ferrell), the songs are catchy, and the humor is always on point. Make sure you watch this one with them, it’s a treat!

 

10. Bee Movie

Don’t listen to the ratings- my ten year old loved Bee Movie. I enjoyed watching with him seeing as Jerry Seinfeld is the star, so if you’re a fan of his then you’ll probably appreciate this more than other parents.

 

Exciting Action Movies for 10 Year Olds

Since not all parents are comfortable letting their 10 year olds watch modern action movies like Captain America or Batman vs Superman, we’ve included some great choices that are full of action but don’t contain gratuitous violence (we included one blast from the past because kids need to see the classics!)

11. Big Hero 6

This movie has it all- emotion, action, humor, and a great cast of characters. The beginning of the movie is a little bit heavy (the main character’s older brother tragically dies) but Big Hero 6 quickly evolves into a fun action movie that hits all the right notes.

 

12. Night at the Museum

Starring Ben Stiller as Larry Daley, a divorced night watchman at a museum, Night at the Museum is a really fun action movies for 10 year olds that doesn’t have any violence or profanity. Since the original was released there have been two sequels, so throw those on for your kids if they like this first one.

 

13. How to Train Your Dragon

If your kids haven’t already seen How to Train Your Dragon, then prepare for a slight obsession. This 2010 film tells the story of a Norse teen name Hiccup, who lives in a world where dragon fighting is commonplace. The writing is phenomenal and the film is critically acclaimed, so what are you waiting for?

 

14. Kung Fu Panda

There’s a reason Kung Fu Panda was a massive box office hit in 2008 - it’s clever, original, funny, and action-packed. Jack Black is great as Po, the panda who dreams of being a master of kung-fu, and the surrounding cast of characters are interesting and funny as well. At the time of writing this, the third movie in the series Kung Fu Panda 3 is in theaters, so take your kids to that if  they enjoyed the firs two films.

 

15. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

Timeless movies like Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark are never lost on younger viewers. Raiders is a film that any kid will become fascinated with, no matter how long ago the film was made. There is some violence, but it’s not very graphic and never the focus of the film.

 

Emotional Movies for 10 Year Olds

As children are growing, it’s important for them to experience a wide variety of emotions. Our final picks for the best movies for 10 year olds include emotional films that have some pretty sad moments. If you watch any of these films with your child, don’t be surprised if you’re the one who ends up crying!

16. Inside Out

Timeless movies like Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark are never lost on younger viewers. Raiders is a film that any kid will become fascinated with, no matter how long ago the film was made. There is some violence, but it’s not very graphic and never the focus of the film.

 

17. Toy Story 3

Timeless movies like Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark are never lost on younger viewers. Raiders is a film that any kid will become fascinated with, no matter how long ago the film was made. There is some violence, but it’s not very graphic and never the focus of the film.

 

18. Up

Timeless movies like Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark are never lost on younger viewers. Raiders is a film that any kid will become fascinated with, no matter how long ago the film was made. There is some violence, but it’s not very graphic and never the focus of the film.

 

19. The Lion King

Timeless movies like Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark are never lost on younger viewers. Raiders is a film that any kid will become fascinated with, no matter how long ago the film was made. There is some violence, but it’s not very graphic and never the focus of the film.

 

20. Monster’s Inc

Timeless movies like Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark are never lost on younger viewers. Raiders is a film that any kid will become fascinated with, no matter how long ago the film was made. There is some violence, but it’s not very graphic and never the focus of the film.

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