It’s a time-honored tradition for families the world over. Just as the temperatures drop and the end-of-year holidays start rolling in, everyone cozies up on the couch for a cuppa hot cocoa and a holiday movie. Because really, is there a more perfect way to take a break from the madness of the season?
Looking for a solid roster of some of the best holiday movies for kids? We’ve got you covered. During the 2024 holiday season, stream these holiday movies on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Disney Plus and AppleTV (where packages and subscription fees vary). And keep in mind, Santa adds and removes movies regularly. Happy watching!
Kids holiday movies on Netflix
1. ‘Klaus’
A disgruntled postal worker forms a friendship with a talented toymaker.
Director: Sergio Pablos
Release date: November 8, 2019
Run time: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Klaus” on Netflix
2. ‘Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey’
A toy maker finds hope after being betrayed by his apprentice.
Director: David E. Talbert
Release date: November 6, 2020
Run time: 2 hours, 2 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Jingle Jangle” on Netflix
3. ‘Holiday Rush’
A lavish radio DJ and his four kids are forced to move out of their mansion just before the holidays.
Director: Leslie Small
Release date: November 28, 2019
Run time: 1 hour, 34 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Holiday Rush” on Netflix
4. ‘Spookley and the Christmas Kittens’
A 45-minute holiday special that’s perfect for little ones who are fans of Spookley the Square Pumpkin.
Director: Bernie Denk
Release date: December 6, 2019
Run time: 45 minutes
Rating: TV-Y
Watch: “Spookley and the Christmas Kittens” on Netflix
5. ‘The Grinch’
A remake of the classic book about the most famous holiday hater.
Director: Ron Howard
Release date: November 9, 2018
Run time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “The Grinch” on Netflix
Holiday movies for kids on Hulu
6. ‘The Polar Express’
Tom Hanks stars in the animatronic rendition of the iconic book.
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Release date: November 10, 2004
Run time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “The Polar Express” on Hulu
Disney Plus holiday movies
7. ‘Home Alone’
A kid has the holiday season of his life after he’s accidentally left home alone for the week.
Director: Chris Columbus
Release date: November 16, 1990
Run time: 1 hour, 43 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Home Alone” on Disney Plus
8. ‘Noelle’
Anna Kendrick stars as Kris Kringle’s daughter with big dreams.
Director: Marc Lawrence
Release date: November 12, 2019
Run time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “Noelle” on Disney Plus
9. ‘The Nutcracker and the Four Realms’
A slightly-darker version of the ballet classic.
Director: Lasse Hallström, Joe Johnston
Release date: November 2, 2018
Run time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” on Disney Plus
10. ‘Decorating Disney’
An hour-long special that goes behind the scenes of the Disney parks’ decor during the holidays.
Release date: 2017
Run time: 42 minutes
Rating: TV-PG
Watch: “Decorating Disney” on Disney Plus
11. ‘Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups’
A group of mischievous pups help save Christmas.
Director: Robert Vince
Release date: November 20, 2012
Run time: 1 hour, 28 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “The Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups” on Disney Plus
12. ‘Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year’
A throw-back musical with Pooh and the gang that’s perfect for little kids.
Director: Jim Cummings
Release date: November 12, 2002
Run time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year” on Disney Plus
Holiday movies for kids on Amazon
13. ‘Arthur Christmas’
Santa Claus’s son Arthur has to take on the responsibility of delivering a Christmas gift to a child his dad missed.
Director: Sarah Smith
Release date: November 23, 2011
Run time: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Arthur Christmas” on Amazon Prime Video
14. ‘Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas’
George and The Man in the Yellow Hat can’t decide what to get each other for Christmas.
Director: Scott Heming
Release date: November 25, 2009
Run time: 58 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas” on Amazon Prime Video
15. ‘48 Christmas Wishes’
Two elves have to leave home for the first time after losing a whole town’s Christmas letters.
Director: Marco Deufemia, Justin G. Dyck
Release date: November 2, 2017
Run time: 1 hour, 24 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “48 Christmas Wishes” on Amazon Prime Video
16. ‘Elf’
An adult (Will Ferrell) has an over-the-top love for Christmas after being raised in the North Pole.
Director: Jon Favreau
Release date: November 7, 2003
Run time: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Elf” on Amazon Prime Video
17. ‘The Black Candle’
A documentary that explores Kwanzaa’s growth from the Black Power Movement in the 1960s.
Director: Roy Battersby
Release date: November 2008
Run time: 1 hour, 43 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “The Black Candle” on Amazon Prime Video
18. ‘Little Women’
The coming-of-age drama, Greta Gerwig-style.
Director: Greta Gerwig
Release date: December 25, 2019
Run time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “Little Women” on Amazon Prime Video
19. ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop’
A security guard gets his moment in the sun when a mall is taken over on Black Friday.
Director: Steve Carr
Release date: January 16, 2009
Run time: 1 hour, 31 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” on Amazon Prime Video
20. ‘Eight Crazy Nights’
Best for older kids, this Adam Sandler flick tells the story of a party animal who changes his ways.
Director: Seth Kearsley
Release date: November 27, 2002
Run time: 1 hour, 18 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “Eight Crazy Nights” on Amazon Prime Video
21. ‘Black Nativity’
A modern-day version of the Langston Hughes play, set in Harlem.
(Available to rent for $3.99)
Director: Kasi Lemmons
Release date: November 27, 2013
Run time: 1 hour, 33 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “Black Nativity” on Amazon Prime Video
Best kids holiday movies to stream on AppleTV
22. ‘All I Want Is Christmas’
A Christmas-obsessed Jewish boy swaps plane tickets with another boy at the airport so he can see what the holiday is really like.
Director: Sue Corcoran
Release date: November 13, 2017
Run time: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “All I Want Is Christmas” on Apple TV
23. ‘Caillou’s Holiday Movie’
Caillou learns the true meaning of Christmas.
Director: Nick Rijgersberg
Release date: October 7, 2003
Run time: 1 hour, 13 minutes
Rating: NR
Watch: “Caillou’s Holiday Movie” on Apple TV
24. ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’
Charlie helps his friends discover the true meaning of Christmas.
Director: Bill Melendez
Release date: December 9, 1965
Run time: 30 minutes
Rating: NR
Watch: “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on Apple TV
25. ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving‘
Thanksgiving isn’t what they envisioned, but the Peanuts gang makes it work.
Director: Bill Melendez
Release date: November 20, 1973
Run time: 30 minutes
Rating: NR
Watch: “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” on Apple TV
26. ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’
Halloween meets Christmas in a way only Tim Burton could envision.
Director: Tim Burton
Release date: October 29, 1993
Run time: 1 hour, 16 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “The Nightmare Before Christmas” on Apple TV
