For many, many years now, Disney has been an integral part of the childhood of millions of people around the world. In one way or another, their films have left their mark on entire generations, as they were the first movies we ever watched as children, and titles that, even as adults, we fondly remember. At this point in time, it is impossible to ignore the enormous influence of this film company, whose productions not only manage to heartwarm and delight audiences, but also establish themselves among the classics in film history. Generally, their movies hit because they combine exciting stories, many charming characters, and songs that you just can’t get out of your head anymore.
One of the great things about Disney movies is that they can be shared with the whole family, and regardless of your age, you will definitely find something to enjoy in them. However, not all Disney movies are suitable for all audiences, especially if the audience is made up of toddlers. While children in general have no problem understanding and enjoying the company’s productions, toddlers are still not old enough to grasp much of what happens in them, and they tend to get bored easily.
For these reasons, and many others, it is essential to consider certain aspects when it comes to picking a film to watch with them, such as its length, theme and the animation style used. Here are 10 Disney movies that would be a perfect fit for toddlers.
10 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
All of us, at some point in our childhood, have been thrilled by Winnie the Pooh and his friends. And, truth be told, it makes sense: it’s a franchise specifically aimed at younger children, both in terms of its subject matter, pacing and animation style. With a running time of just over an hour, the 1977 film The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is an excellent option to enjoy with toddlers.
It links three pre-released short stories with Winnie the Pooh as the main character, while incorporating footage to make them into a longer narrative. Besides this production, the Winnie the Pooh franchise has many other toddler-oriented titles that are also worth checking out, such as The Tigger Movie, Piglet’s Big Movie, and Pooh’s Heffalump Movie, among others.
9 Peter Pan
The 1953 film Peter Pan is already part of Disney’s classics, and it is undoubtedly a wonderful option to enjoy with young children, especially if they like stories involving pirates, fairies and magic. Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi and Wilfred Jackson direct this hour-long production based on J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.
This acclaimed film follows the adventures of Wendy and her siblings, who, after meeting Peter Pan, travel along with him to Neverland under the promise of a life filled with fun in which they won’t have to grow up. If your toddlers like Peter Pan, chances are they’ll also like its sequel Return to Never Land, the Tinker Bell franchise, and the Jake and the Never Land Pirates TV series, which features some of the characters from the 1953 classic.
8 Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is one of those Disney movies that is enjoyed by both children and adults. In addition, the story contains several important lessons to share with the little ones. This 2003 production, which in its time became the first Pixar film to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, follows Marlin, an overprotective clown fish, who is forced to track his son across the ocean after the latter got captured by humans while approaching the surface.
During this journey where he will learn much more than he thinks, Marlin meets Dory, a very forgetful fish who will do her best to help him in his mission. Finding Dory, the 2016 sequel that delves into Dory’s life and past, is another great option to share with children.
7 Encanto
Through the story of Mirabel and the Madrigal family, the 2021 film Encanto reflects upon the children’s own identity, the importance of family, and the power of love. The production features a Colombian family living in a magical place known as the Encanto. Each of these family members holds a magical gift with which they help the community, except for Mirabel, who was not blessed with one. However, this does not prevent her from helping the people in the Encanto and her family in any way she can. When Mirabel discovers that her family’s magic is in danger, she sets out on a mission to find out what is going on, attempting to save her entire community.
Encanto earned rave reviews and many awards, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. On top of this, and becoming a hit with audiences, the film features one of the catchiest soundtracks of recent times, with hits like “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” reaching the top of music charts around the world.
6 Lilo & Stitch
Lilo & Stitch is another Disney film that focuses on the importance of family and, particularly, accepting and embracing diversity. This 2002 film marked Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois’ directorial debut, and features the story of Lilo, a Hawaiian girl who lives with her older sister Nani following the death of their parents. As Lilo is quite lonely, Nani allows her to adopt a puppy to keep her company in her daily life, and that’s how Stitch enters the family. What these sisters are unaware of is that Stitch is not just an animal, but a dangerous extraterrestrial experiment that is being hunted throughout the galaxy.
This production not only carries beautiful messages for children, but is also visually appealing, featuring some of Disney’s most lovable characters, whose adventures are continued in Stitch! The Movie and Lilo & Stitch: The Series.
5 The Little Mermaid
Just like Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid is another Disney classic that has earned a place among the audience’s greatest favorites, as has its catchy soundtrack. Not only that, but with the recent release of the live-action adaptation of the story, the 1989 film was watched again by millions around the world. This production, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale of the same name, was written and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements. It follows Ariel, a teenage mermaid who is obsessed with the human world.
Disobeying her father’s rules, the young mermaid approaches the surface and falls in love with a prince named Eric, with whom she wishes to live a romance. For that, she makes a magical deal with Ursula, the sea witch, who grants her the possibility of being human for three days, but this will not turn out the way she expects.
4 Moana
In 2016, many years after working on The Little Mermaid, Ron Clements and John Musker teamed up again on another film featuring the ocean as a main character: Moana. This production introduces Moana, the teenage daughter of the chief of Motunui, a community that is currently going through some rough patches after the island’s fishing and harvesting take a turn for the worse.
Knowing that this could be related to the actions of a demigod many years ago, Moana sets out on an adventure across the ocean to find this figure and restore peace to her community once and for all, unaware that along the way she will also find her true identity and the history of her ancestors. In addition to its entertaining story with great lessons and sweet songs, Moana introduces Heihei, a clumsy character that proved to be very entertaining for young children.
3 Cars
Many toddlers love cars, so a movie starring colorful talking cars seems like a great choice for them. Not only that: the story is interesting, the main character learns several important lessons and, as if all this wasn’t enough, the voice cast features some major stars of the movie industry, such as Owen Wilson, Paul Newman and Bonnie Hunt.
Carsintroduces Lightning McQueen, an up-and-coming, cocky racecar who is on his way to success. However, on his journey to what will be the race of his life, he suffers an accident that lands him in Radiator Springs, a quiet, forgotten town that isn’t too happy about his visit. Eventually, McQueen drops his arrogant attitude and starts to befriend the locals, unaware that he is about to learn things that will completely change his life. This 2006 film kicked off a franchise that currently boasts two other installments, and at the same time, it inspired the spin-off Planes.
2 Frozen
2013 marked the release of Frozen, an animated production that swept the world by storm. The story of sisters Anna and Elsa and how they save their kingdom from an eternal winter became a favorite among young audiences in no time, positioning itself as the highest-grossing film of its year of release and one of the highest-grossing films in the history of cinema. Frozen proved to be a hit with children thanks to its charismatic characters, especially Olaf, the snowman who stole everyone’s heart. It also won, among many other accolades, the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
The overwhelming popularity of this film by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee started a very popular franchise that currently has two feature films, some short films, stage musicals and even TV specials.
1 Toy Story
Toy Story is one of the most important films in the history of animated cinema, and even though several years have passed since its release, many children enjoy it each year for the first time, marveling at the adventures of Woody and the rest of Andy’s toys. In addition to being a visually attractive and relatively short film, Toy Story stars toys, something that children are very fond of.
Released in 1995, this film not only marked John Lasseter’s directorial debut, but was also the first fully computer-animated production, with techniques that would revolutionize the industry’s future. It quickly became a box-office hit and earned rave reviews, and even as time went by, it still stands as a masterpiece, with a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Toy Story kicked off an animated franchise that is still going strong today, with three sequels, a spin-off film and several short films.