When kids reach the tween years, finding something great to watch for family movie night can be a challenge. They may scoff at animated movies aimed at younger audiences, but they aren’t quite ready for more grown-up films that feature lots of swearing, scary violence or risqué romantic situations. So, what are some good movies for 9-12-year-olds?
There are actually a surprising number of tween-friendly movies, spanning all the way from ’80s classics like “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” to modern hits like “The Adam Project.” These movies have more complex storylines and characters, but they’re still enjoyable for the whole family. Best of all, you don’t have to waste a whole Friday night searching for tween movies on Netflix in order to find them. Here are 20 great movies from all decades and genres that are worth streaming with your tween.
1. “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret”
This movie adaptation of a classic Judy Blume novel follows 11-year-old Margaret as she navigates a move from New York City to the suburbs, making new friends and the tumultuous days of early puberty. Though the story is set in the ’70s, the accurate portrayal of life as a tween resonates across generations.
Director: Kelly Fremon Craig
Release date: April 28, 2023
Runtime: 1 hour, 46 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” on Apple TV
2. “National Treasure”
Historian Benjamin Franklin Gates searches for a rumored treasure that dates back to the origins of the United States. The quest leads him on an action-packed adventure while still keeping the violence and scariness to a minimum. If this beginner action movie is a hit with your tween, check out the sequel, “National Treasure: Book of Secrets.”
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Release date: November 19, 2004
Runtime: 2 hours, 11 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “National Treasure” on Disney Plus
3. “Napoleon Dynamite”
Napoleon Dynamite is an awkward kid from Idaho who decides to help his best friend, Pedro, run for class president. Along the way, he makes new friends, has plenty of silly misadventures and finds new ways to thrive on his own terms.
Director: Jared Hess
Release date: June 11, 2004
Runtime: 1 hour, 36 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Napoleon Dynamite” on Hulu
4. “The Sandlot”
When Scottie Smalls moves to a new town, he befriends the local kids who play baseball at the nearby sandlot. Trouble arrives when Scottie borrows his stepdad’s prized collector’s baseball and the kids hit it over a fence. Getting the ball back from the legendary “beast” (aka, the neighbor’s dog) on the other side might just be the adventure of a lifetime.
Director: David Mickey Evans
Release date: April 7, 1993
Runtime: 1 hour, 42 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “The Sandlot” on Hulu
5. “Akeelah and The Bee”
Akeelah is an 11-year-old girl living in Los Angeles who discovers she has an exceptional talent for spelling. Despite dozens of obstacles and her mom’s objections, she sets a goal to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Director: Doug Atchison
Release date: April 28, 2006
Runtime: 1 hour, 52 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Akeelah and The Bee” on Hulu
6. “Little Women”
While she’s best known for the “Barbie” movie, director Greta Gerwig also put her unique stamp on this 2019 movie based on a classic Louisa May Alcott novel. The movie follows Josephine “Jo” March and her beloved sisters as they make their way in the world as vibrant, forward-thinking women living in the 1860s.
Director: Greta Gerwig
Release date: December 25, 2019
Runtime: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Little Women” on Prime Video
7. “The Princess Diaries”
Mia Thermopolis is a shy, awkward teenager from San Francisco, until her grandmother shows up one day with a startling secret: Mia is actually a princess. From there, Mia begins a hilarious journey of self-discovery, including princess training, important lessons about friendship and the agony of having a first crush.
Director: Garry Marshall
Release date: December 18, 2001
Runtime: 1 hour, 51 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “The Princess Diaries” on Hulu
8. “School of Rock”
What do you get when you combine Jack Black, classic rock songs and a classroom full of precocious and hilarious kids? “School of Rock,” a charming tween-friendly comedy about a down-and-out musician who takes a gig as a substitute teacher and forms the world’s greatest all-kid rock band.
Director: Richard Linklater
Release date: September 24, 2003
Runtime: 1 hour, 49 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “School of Rock” on Paramount Plus
9. “The Princess Bride”
Join a swashbuckling farmhand named Westley as he rescues his true love, Princess Buttercup, from the repugnant Prince Humperdinck. This movie is not only a tween-friendly love story, but also a hilarious comedy that is just as funny today as it was in 1987.
Director: Rob Reiner
Release date: October 9, 1987
Runtime: 1 hour, 38 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “The Princess Bride” on Disney Plus
10. “Freaky Friday”
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan play a hilarious mother-daughter duo who accidentally switch personalities in this modern remake of “Freaky Friday.” The movie deals with relatable tween drama, like first crushes, friend trouble and pressure at school, while staying true to its PG-rating.
Director: Mark Waters
Release date: August 6, 2003
Runtime: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Freaky Friday” on Disney Plus
11. “The Adam Project”
In this sci-fi Netflix hit, a kid named Adam Reed meets an older version of himself from the future who’ s traveled back in time to stop an evil dictator. They join forces and go on a time-hopping quest to save Adam’s family — and the entire world — from chaos and destruction.
Director: Shawn Levy
Release date: February 28, 2022
Runtime: 1 hour, 46 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “The Adam Project” on Netflix
12. “The Goonies”
A group of charming misfit kids is on the verge of losing their homes to a wealthy developer, but then they find an old pirate’s map hidden in an attic. Together, they follow the route to an underground cavern in search of adventure, danger and a long-buried secret treasure that just might be enough to save their neighborhood.
Director: Richard Donner
Release date: June 7, 1985
Runtime: 1 hour, 54 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “The Goonies” on Amazon Prime
13. “The House With a Clock in Its Walls”
For a tween-friendly horror movie, try this one about a 10-year-old named Lewis who is sent to live with his oddball uncle in a creepy, old house. Lewis discovers that his uncle is a warlock and then accidentally uses magic to awaken the dead. Only an enchanted clock hidden somewhere in his uncle’s house can stop the curse and stave off the end of the world.
Director: Eli Roth
Release date: September 21, 2018
Runtime: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “The House With a Clock in Its Walls” on Apple TV
14. “Now And Then”
Four lifelong friends reunite and reminisce about the unforgettable summer that changed their lives in 1970. The story is told in flashbacks to when the friends were 12 years old and saving up money to buy their dream treehouse from the Sears catalogue. Along the way, they learn important lessons about friendship, love, loss and growing up.
Director: Lesli Linka Glatter
Release date: October 20, 1995
Runtime: 1 hour, 42 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “Now And Then” on Amazon Prime
15. “Enola Holmes”
Enola Holmes is Sherlock Holmes’ tween sister, and when she discovers her mother is missing, she outwits her superstar brother to solve the case. Along the way, she unravels a dangerous mystery that could change the course of history. Parents of younger tweens should note that this one does have some violence, earning it a PG-13 rating.
Director: Harry Bradbeer
Release date: September 23, 2020
Runtime: 2 hours, 3 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “Enola Holmes” on Netflix
16. “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”
Many adults will fondly remember this movie about a boy named Elliott who befriends an alien who’s been stranded on earth. He decides to keep the alien a secret, but then the alien gets sick and the federal government discovers his secret. Can Elliott find a way to get E.T. back home before it’s too late?
Director: Steven Spielberg
Release date: June 11, 1982
Runtime: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” on Peacock
17. “Yes Day”
These parents are frustrated by always having to say “no” to their three kids. So, they decide to say “yes” instead, agreeing to anything their kids request for an entire day. The result is a hilarious series of misadventures involving pillow fights, water balloons and even a (comical) bird attack. Ultimately, they all learn important lessons about compromise and growing up.
Director: Miguel Arteta
Release date: March 12, 2021
Runtime: 1 hour, 29 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Yes Day” on Netflix
18. “A Wrinkle in Time”
Based on a novel by Madeleine L’Engle, this movie follows Meg Murry as she searches for her missing father, a scientist who studies time travel. To find him, she and her brother must go on a stunning adventure through time and space, confronting dark forces and dangerous diversions along the way.
Director: Ava DuVernay
Release date: February 26, 2018
Runtime: 2 hours
Rating: PG
Watch: “A Wrinkle in Time” on Disney Plus
19. “My Girl”
Eleven-year-old Vada Sultenfuss feels like her world is turning upside down. Her widowed father is falling in love with someone new, no one seems to understand her except for her best friend, Thomas J., and she’s got an awkward crush on one of her teachers. Life changes when an unexpected tragedy takes place, forcing Vada to confront her fears, be honest with people she loves and learn important lessons about life’s uncertainties.
Director: Howard Zieff
Release date: November 27, 1991
Runtime: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “My Girl” on Amazon Prime
20. “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids”
A quirky inventor finally gets his incredible shrink ray machine to work. The only problem is that the machine accidentally shrinks his kids! Now, he and his wife must search for their Polly Pocket-sized children, who are lost in the vast and dangerous jungle of their backyard.
Director: Joe Johnson
Release date: June 23, 1989
Runtime: 1 hour, 33 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” on Disney Plus
