30+ Thanksgiving Movies for Kids That the Whole Family Will Enjoy
A Garfield Thanksgiving
Looking for a movie the whole family can enjoy as you recover from the turkey coma this Thanksgiving? While there aren't as many Thanksgiving movies specifically about Thanksgiving as there are for Christmas, plenty of heartwarming films and TV specials embody the holiday's spirit of love and gratitude. From old classics like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving to modern favorites including Free Birds and Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow, we're taking a look at some of the best Thanksgiving family movies, and how to stream them on Amazon, Disney+, Netflix and Apple TV. Here are the best Thanksgiving movies for kids.
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Best Thanksgiving Movies for Kids
1. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
CBS
When Charlie Brown attempts to prepare a Thanksgiving meal with the help of Linus, Snoopy and Woodstock, things do not go exactly as planned. This 1973 animated classic will remind your family of the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
Related: Fun Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids to Make
2. Garfield’s Thanksgiving
poster
In this 1989 special, Garfield faces a Thanksgiving crisis when the vet tells him he’s overweight and forces him to go on a low-fat, low-carb diet. And when Jon asks the vet on a date and attempts to cook her a turkey, Thanksgiving kitchen disasters ensue.
Related: Best Thanksgiving Games
3. Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow
This Thanksgiving movie originally aired on Lifetime in 2015, and it’s the perfect, whimsical movie for the whole family. It follows the story of two kids searching for the legendary monster, the Howling Hoodoo, in the quirky town of Turkey Hollow, and features some of Jim Henson’s trademark, animatronic puppets.
4. Free Birds
Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler and George Takei lend their voices to this 2013 animated comedy about two turkeys who travel back in time to prevent Thanksgiving, and to save all turkeys from the dinner table.
Related: The Best Thanksgiving Activities to Do With Kids
5. Ratatouille
Thanksgiving is about family and togetherness, but it’s also a holiday for eating lots of delicious food—and what better way to celebrate than by watching Pixar’s beloved movie about the adventures of an ambitious chef in Paris (who happens to be a rat)?
6. A Family Thanksgiving
This heartwarming 2010 Hallmark Channel movie tells the story of a high-powered corporate attorney who gets pulled into an alternate reality to see how her life might have turned out if she had made different choices. When she returns to her real life, she has a new perspective on what really matters and what she feels thankful for.
7. Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic
This special, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, looks behind the scenes at how the Disneyland and Walt Disney World parks transform each year into a winter wonderland. It’s a fun, feel-good special to get the whole family into the holiday spirit in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Related: Thanksgiving Jokes
8. Little Women (2019)
As soon as it came out last year, this adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel became an instant holiday classic. It follows the coming-of-age journeys of the March sisters, Jo, Beth, Amy and Meg, in 19th-century Massachusetts.
9. Little Women (1994)
The ‘90s version of Little Women starring Winona Ryder as Jo March is just as wonderful as the most recent adaptation, and it would be the perfect, feel-good drama for the whole family to enjoy while recovering from the Thanksgiving feast.
10. Home Alone
Home Alone may have a reputation as a Christmas movie, but why not get into the holiday mood with a Thanksgiving Day re-watch?
11. Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Paul Blart, a security guard who patrols the local mall in his Segway, has to save the day when a gang of organized criminals takes over the mall in a Black Friday heist.
12. Addams Family Values
Paramount Pictures
This 1993 sequel to The Addams Family—which is great for older kids to enjoy, but probably not suitable for little ones—features one of the most memorable Thanksgiving scenes from any movie. In her biting, honest Thanksgiving speech, Wednesday Addams calls out the historical truths behind the holiday during a Thanksgiving Day play at Camp Chippewa.
13. Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Paramount
Steve Martin plays a marketing executive just trying to get home for Thanksgiving in this classic 1987 comedy. His traveling companion, an irritating shower ring salesman, isn’t going to make things any easier.
14. Mary Poppins Returns
After Thanksgiving dinner, the whole family can cozy up to this whimsical sequel to the 1964 classic. Emily Blunt stars as Mary Poppins and Dick Van Dyke even returns as the son of his original character, Mr. Dawes.
15. The Sound of Music
Is it even the holidays without a cozy re-watch of The Sound of Music? This beloved musical starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer is on Disney+ for adults to rediscover, and for kids to enjoy for the first time.
Buy on Amazon (This is DVD/Blu-ray only.)
16. TOGO: The Untold True Story
This 2019 Disney adventure film is based on the true story of Togo, a sled dog, and his owner, Leonhard Seppala, who must transport a critical antitoxin serum across hundreds of miles of harsh terrain during a diphtheria epidemic.
17. Queen of Katwe
Based on a true story, this heartwarming, live-action Disney family movie follows Phiona, a young girl growing up in rural Uganda who discovers she has a gift for playing chess.
18. Mrs. Doubtfire
If you’re looking for a lighthearted yet moving movie to watch as a family on Thanksgiving, this classic 1993 comedy would be the perfect choice. It will have everyone in stitches while also reminding you that happy families can come in many different forms.
19. National Treasure
Hidden jewels, a coded map, the secretive Knights Templar … 2004’s National Treasure has all the makings of a fun adventure movie for the whole family to enjoy after the Thanksgiving meal.
20. “Bart vs. Thanksgiving” from The Simpsons
PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive / Alamy
In this classic Thanksgiving episode from season 2 of The Simpsons, Bart runs away after a fight with Lisa and ends up eating Thanksgiving dinner at a homeless shelter, reminding him of everything he has to be thankful for.
21. Enola Holmes
Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things fame plays Sherlock Holmes’ teenage sister in this 2020 Netflix original film. A girl ahead of her time, Enola Holmes embarks on a daring quest around London to track down her mother after she disappears. It's a fun adventure movie for the whole family.
22. Holiday Rush
In this feel-good holiday film, a single dad and radio DJ loses his job and is forced to downsize just before Christmas. He and his kids come to realize that true happiness comes from who you love, not what you have.
23. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Based on a true story, this touching film tells the story of a young boy in Malawi who builds a windmill to power an electric water pump that could save his village after years of drought and famine.
24. Annie
This beloved 1982 musical follows little orphan Annie as she goes to live with Daddy Warbucks, who tries to help her find her real parents. Scene-chewing performances from Carol Burnett and Albert Finney make Annie a fun romp for the entire family.
25. Benji
In this recent reboot of the classic 1974 film, an adorably scruffy pup saves a brother and sister and forms a sweet bond with them in the process. This family film will make everyone feel warm and fuzzy on Thanksgiving Day.
26. White Fang
Parks and Recreation co-stars Nick Offerman and Rashida Jones both lend their voices to this 2018 animated movie about a loyal wolfdog, White Fang. This family-friendly adventure movie is based on Jack London’s classic novel.
27. We’re Back: A Dinosaur’s Story
A group of dinosaurs lands in modern-day New York City with the help of a time-traveling scientist. In one memorable scene, they disguise themselves as floats in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.
28. Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving
This home video release features three holiday-themed stories starring Winnie the Pooh and his buddies in the Hundred Acre Wood. In one of the vignettes, “A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving,” Pooh, Rabbit, Owl, Piglet and their friends all work hard to prepare a Thanksgiving feast, and end up learning that the true meaning of the holiday is about spending time with loved ones.
Buy on Amazon (This movie is DVD only.)
29. The Gruffalo
This Oscar-nominated animated short film tells the story of a young mouse who invents a fearsome monster called the Gruffalo to scare away a fox, an owl and a snake who wants to eat him. His plan works perfectly until he encounters a real Gruffalo in the woods. With its autumnal color palette and gentle storytelling, The Gruffalo would be the perfect film for the kids to snuggle up to on Thanksgiving Day.
30. A Looney Tunes Thanksgiving
Warner Bros.
Take a walk down memory lane with this collection of classic Looney Tunes Thanksgiving episodes, which includes “Bugs Bunny’s Thanksgiving Diet” and “Daffy Duck’s Thanks-for-giving Special.”
31. Remember the Titans
For many, Thanksgiving is a time for food, family and football, so what better day to watch one of the most beloved football movies ever made? Remember the Titans tells the moving story of an African American coach attempting to integrate a high school football team in Virginia in 1971.
32. Miracle on 34th Street
In this remake of the classic 1947 film, a department store Santa Claus pretends to be the real deal. The movie takes place between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, making it the perfect film to kick off the holiday season.
Check out these classic Thanksgiving quotes
