It's easy to find free kids' movies to watch when you know where to look. If you've got a phone, tablet, computer, TV or other device, chances are you can keep your kids entertained during school holidays, illnesses, or national emergencies with free movies they'll love. Use these resources to locate hours of legal content from swashbuckling adventures to animated cartoons and documentaries.
Popcornflix
Popcornflix is easier to navigate than many other free movie websites and has a bigger selection of films for children, including Alice in Wonderland, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Dog Gone.
- You can watch Popcornflix movies on Apple devices, including Apple TV, Roku, Google Play, XBOX, and Amazon.
- Scroll down to the "Family" channel to find movies for kids of all ages.
- There are well over 50 family-friendly movies, including animated movies for little kids like A Turtle's Tale 2.
- Movie series available include the hilarious Ernest movies or the action-packed live action Ninja Turtles movies.
YouTube
YouTube has hundreds of videos, films, and cartoons you can watch free with ads on any device with internet access.
- From the homepage, click on "Movies & Shows." Scroll down to the "Free to Watch" section and click on it to see all the free, legal movies you can watch on YouTube.
- Animated classics like All Dogs Go to Heaven are available for younger kids.
- Older kids can enjoy live action movies such as Camp Fred 3.
- When you click on a video, below the video, it shows all the details like the movie rating and how long it is.
Tubi
Tubi is a newer, free streaming service powered by ads, meaning there are commercials. You need to sign up for a free account to access certain features, but if you just want to watch movies, you don't need to make an account.
- The "Family Movie" section of Tubi features dozens of newer films for kids of all ages.
- Popular kids' movie titles available include the animated Shrek Forever After and Norm of the North.
- Kids can also watch popular live action movies like Monster Trucks.
Vudu
Vudu is another movie streaming platform that is free with advertisements. The Vudu Free Family & Kids section includes nearly 100 movie options for kids of all ages. Famous family movie titles include newer movies like Journey to the Center of the Earth and classics like Black Beauty. There are tons of holiday movies and animated movies available too.
Entertainment Magazine
All movies are free and in the public domain at Entertainment Magazine.
- You can download cartoon episodes like Bugs Bunny or get classic kids movies like the original versions of The Wizard of Oz and Gulliver's Travels.
- There aren't many kids movies to watch here, but you could also introduce your kids to film with Laurel & Hardy, the Three Stooges, or Charlie Chaplin.
- This site is best for kids ages seven and up who will appreciate old humor.
Internet Archive
Free, classic movies are available on Internet Archive, a non-profit organization that offers an online library of historical content in digital format. Titles like Santa and the Three Bears or The Magic Cloak are watched right on the website so you won't be redirected to other multimedia players.
- Click on the filmstrip icon with the word "video" at the top of the screen, then click "movies."
- From there, you can refine your search by year, genre, and language.
- If you filter for "family" and "animation" movies, you get nearly 100 movie results.
- Most of the available movies are in black and white and all are pretty old, so they're best for older kids ages 8 and up.
National Film Board
The National Film Board of Canada has over 2,000 items available for free by using their iPad, iPhone, or Android app. You can store the films for up to 48 hours for offline viewing. This is a great option for downloading movies your kids want to see on a plane trip or a car ride.
- Search by "Channel" to find categories like "Based on Children's Books" or "Kids' Movies."
- Many of the "films" for children are short, most are less than 30 minutes long, making them great for young kids with short attention spans.
- Most available titles for kids are not famous or popular movies, so you'll want to vet them first.
IMDb TV
If you create a free account with IMDb TV you can watch a variety of popular movies, including some for the whole family. Famous titles like Elf and Paddington are available to watch for free. Available movies include live-action films for kids of all ages and cartoon movies. Once you're signed in, there's no great way to search or sort movies, so it's best for an adult to help younger kids select films.
Crackle
Sony owns Crackle, so the offerings are extensive and more up to date than some other sites. It's free to use and join, but you do have to create an account using an email address.
- There's no "kids" or "family" genre, but you can find children's movies in the other categories like "comedy" or "action."
- Titles include mostly live action movies such as Baby Geniuses, The Next Karate Kid, or MouseHunt that are great for all ages.
- There can be commercials.
Pluto TV
You can watch movies on live TV or on demand free with Pluto TV. This free streaming service is available on a variety of devices. The Family On Demand section features nearly 100 movies for kids of all ages. You can find older animated Nickelodeon movies like The Wild Thornberries Movie along with newer live action titles such as Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Free Trials for Movie Platforms
If you want the biggest possible selection of kids' movies without the high prices, streaming may be a better option than downloading. Streaming services allow you to access a huge selection of titles from major movie studios. These movies are free to view, although most of them will display an occasional commercial.
Disney+
If you've got your heart set on watching Disney classics and new movies, you can get a 7-day free trial of Disney+. You do have to provide credit card information to sign up, but you won't be charged anything if you cancel at the end of your trial. Other big names owned by Disney and featured on this service include Pixar, Marvel, and National Geographic.
Hulu
Hulu has a large selection of movies in every imaginable genre, but they charge fees. You can sign up for a free, one-month trial to test it out, but you'll need to provide credit card information. There are commercials in the basic versions of Hulu, but it only costs $5.99 per month after your free trial if you want to keep it.
Netflix
With Netflix, you can get one month of free movies by signing up for the free trial. Just remember to dis-enroll at the end of the month so you don't get charged for future months because you do have to provide credit card or PayPal information to sign up. The streaming movies section has a big selection of films, particularly originals, but if you are looking for a particular movie, it usually doesn't have the most recent releases that just became available to rent.
A Word About Old Animation
Many sites that allow you to download free kids movies will feature cartoons that are 60+ years old and were traditionally shown before a feature film. These cartoons may have themes and images that are violent, of questionable taste, frightening, and racist. It's always smart to check out a film yourself before sitting down with your child to watch it together. You can always check sites like Common Sense Media to see weather the movies are appropriate.
Thinking Outside the Box
Today's streaming society makes it easy to watch free movies on almost any type of online device. Explore websites and apps to see what services are available to you. Keep in mind, while watching free movies is great, you need to make sure the content you've chosen is legal to view. Watching illegal content could get you in trouble with the law or end your movie-watching days because of a computer virus.