Side-splitting comedies for kids of all ages!
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Comedies for kids: Laughing together is the best!
As the summer season approaches, many families are looking for ways to laugh and enjoy each other after a long day of fun in the sun.
Watching comedies together can be a great way to bond and create lasting memories.
However, when it comes to finding comedies for kids, it’s a jungle out there!
Finding age-appropriate, or content appropriate movies that are still funny can be really hard!
Here are 108 top comedies to watch this summer with the kids that are sure to bring laughter and joy to your family.
I felt like I had to “police,” censor, or oversee a lot as my boys were growing.
Honestly, I did not have time to watch movies ahead of time to make sure they were appropriate.
Everyone as a different meter for what they do or do not want their kiddos to watch.
For me it was sex, horror, and real life doom that causes anxiety.
I honestly did not care much about swear words, as long as they were used in a place I would use them, like:
“Holy flying catfish, Batman, I walked into a bear trap and I think my foot is cut off.”
Yeah, I could totally tolerate a curse word there.
Gratuitous swearing, I wasn’t a fan of.
Violence also did not bother me much; my children were not violent kids.
They were not even “rough and tumble” so we were able to watch a lot of action films that had violence.
Here is the thing though, you don’t always know.
Also, in order to be absolutely sure the movie does not measure on your meter, you have to watch it first.
So, I just went with the ratings.
If my kids were under 13, they couldn’t watch PG13.
They could not watch R until they 17.
It sounds harsh, but it made my life really easy.
Now sometimes they ended up watching inappropriate films while still using the rating system, Spaceballs is a perfect example.
My youngest watched it when he was 7 and loved it.
He thought it was so great I bought it for him.
He never told me why it was so wonderful…back in the 1980’s the ratings were different….
Spaceballs would be a PG13, I think, if it were rated when there was a PG13 rating system.
Remember, if you want to have a little more control over what your kiddos watch, but don’t have the time to “prescreen” every film, consider commonsensemedia.com.
They have parental reviews and say every single example of cursing, sex, violence, and heavy topics that appear in each film.
Recommended comedies for younger children, 5-9 years old:
You are looking for:
Humor: Slapstick comedy, wordplay, and visual gags tend to resonate well with this age group.
Themes: School adventures, family dynamics, imaginative storylines, and talking animals are always great themes!
Engaging Characters: Look for relatable and likable characters that children can identify with and root for and heroes and who face age-appropriate challenges.
There are a lot of funny movies for this age group.
I tried to find movies that were not all Disney, Pixar, etc.
However, usually, those are really funny so you can go with most of those.
Also, I tried to go with older films that may be off of your radar.
- Aladdin: A street-smart young man discovers a magical lamp containing a wish-granting genie, leading to a grand adventure to win the heart of a princess and defeat an evil sorcerer.
- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day: A boy experiences a series of comically disastrous events over the course of one very bad day, testing the patience and resilience of his family.
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: Three musical chipmunk brothers find themselves under the care of a struggling songwriter, leading to musical hijinks and heartwarming moments.
- Angry Birds: Birds with anger issues team up to save their island from invading pigs in this hilarious animated adventure based on the popular mobile game.
- The Borrowers 1998: Tiny people living beneath the floorboards of a house embark on a daring adventure to save their home from destruction by “human beans.”
- Boss Baby: A suit-wearing, briefcase-carrying baby teams up with his older brother to stop an evil plot, leading to hilarious sibling antics.
- Captain Underpants: Two mischievous students hypnotize their principal into becoming a superhero named Captain Underpants, leading to imaginative and comedic superhero adventures.
- Cool Runnings: Based on a true story, a Jamaican bobsled team defies the odds and competes in the Winter Olympics, teaching valuable lessons about teamwork and determination.
- Curious George: A playful monkey and his human friend embark on adventures together, learning valuable lessons along the way in this charming animated tale.
- Despicable Me: A supervillain with a heart of gold adopts three orphan girls as part of his plan for world domination, leading to unexpected bonds and hilarious mischief.
- The Emperor’s New Groove: A selfish emperor is transformed into a llama and embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the help of a kind-hearted peasant in this hilarious Disney animated film.
- Ferngully: A spirited fairy teams up with a young logger to save their rainforest home from destruction by an evil entity known as Hexxus.
- Happy Feet: A young penguin who can’t sing discovers he has a talent for tap dancing, leading to a journey of self-acceptance and empowerment.
- Hercules: A mighty but clumsy demigod embarks on a heroic journey to regain his godhood and defeat the villainous Hades, with help from colorful characters like Phil and Meg.
- Hotel Transylvania: Dracula operates a lavish resort for monsters, but his world turns upside down when a human boy stumbles upon the hotel, leading to comedic chaos.
- Ice Age: A group of mismatched prehistoric animals embark on a hilarious adventure to return a lost human baby to its tribe amid the onset of the Ice Age.
- The Incredibles: A family of superheroes comes out of retirement to save the world from a diabolical villain, showcasing the power of family and teamwork.
- Kung Fu Panda: A clumsy panda named Po becomes the chosen one destined to defend his village from an evil snow leopard with the help of his martial arts skills.
- The Secret Life of Pets: A group of pets embark on an adventure through the streets of New York City, encountering danger and hilarity along the way.
- The Lego Movie: An ordinary Lego construction worker discovers he may be the key to saving the Lego universe from an evil tyrant, leading to an imaginative adventure filled with humor and heart.
- MegaMind: A supervillain finally defeats his superhero nemesis but finds life without an adversary dull, leading to an unexpected turn of events.
- Monsters Inc: Monsters generate power by scaring children, but one monster forms an unlikely bond with a human child, leading to heartwarming adventures in the monster world.
- Mr. Popper’s Penguins: A businessman’s life is turned upside down when he inherits six penguins, leading to chaotic and heartwarming family fun.
- Open Season: A domesticated grizzly bear and a fast-talking deer must put aside their differences to rally the forest animals against hunters in this animated adventure.
- Over the Hedge: A group of woodland creatures embarks on a mission to raid a suburban neighborhood for food, leading to humorous encounters with humans.
- Pee Wee Herman’s Big Adventure: Eccentric man-child Pee-wee Herman embarks on a cross-country quest to find his stolen bicycle in this quirky and colorful comedy.
- Penguins of Madagascar: A team of elite penguins embarks on a globe-trotting adventure to stop a nefarious octopus from taking over the world.
- Puss in Boots: The swashbuckling feline hero from the Shrek series embarks on his own adventure to clear his name and find his elusive childhood friend.
- Robots: A young robot embarks on a journey to fulfill his dreams of becoming an inventor, encountering quirky characters and learning valuable lessons along the way.
- Shark Tale: A small fish with big dreams gets caught up in a case of mistaken identity in this underwater animated comedy.
- Shrek: An ogre reluctantly embarks on a quest to rescue a princess, accompanied by a talkative donkey, leading to a hilarious and heartwarming journey.
- Sing: A koala impresario organizes a singing competition to save his failing theater, attracting a diverse cast of animal contestants with their own dreams and aspirations.
- Storks: Storks, once the deliverers of babies, now deliver packages for an online retail giant, but when a baby appears, chaos ensues as they try to deliver it to its rightful family.
- The Wild: A group of zoo animals escape and find themselves in the wilds of Africa, embarking on a journey of self-discovery and adventure.
- Wreck-It Ralph: A video game villain wants to be a hero and sets out on a journey through different arcade games, encountering a variety of characters along the way.
- Zootopia: In a city where animals live together, a rookie bunny cop teams up with a cynical fox to solve a mysterious case, challenging stereotypes and uncovering a conspiracy.
Recommended comedies for younger children, 10-12 years old:
You are looking for:
Humor: Engaging and relatable funnies for preteens, which may include clever wordplay, situational comedy, and age-appropriate wit.
Themes: Great themes would convey positive messages such as self-discovery, friendship, acceptance, and empathy.
Reflection of self: Your preteen really needs to see themself in the hero/heroine they admire from time to time.
Also be conscious of positive messages like body image.
The biggest dilemma with preteens are they are really conscious of not being “babies.”
They often times do not want to watch an animated movie, only because of what it says about them, not because they aren’t positively dying to see it.
This is the tough age, it seems the teens have relaxed a little and can enjoy the “kids” movies, but these kiddos are often really touchy about.
So, I chose movies that I feel are good “in betweeners.”
- Back to the Future: A teenage boy, a quirky inventor, and a time machine embark on a thrilling adventure through the past, present, and future.
- Beetlejuice: A deceased couple enlists the help of a mischievous ghost to rid their home of its new living occupants, leading to chaotic and hilarious supernatural antics.
- Big: After making a wish to be “big,” a 13-year-old boy wakes up in the body of an adult, navigating the challenges and joys of adulthood with childlike wonder.
- Big Daddy: A carefree bachelor unexpectedly becomes the guardian of a young boy, leading to heartwarming and comedic escapades as they navigate parenthood together.
- Big Fat Liar: When a teenager’s story is stolen by a deceitful Hollywood producer, he teams up with his friend to seek revenge in a series of outrageous pranks.
- Cheaper by the Dozen 2003: A large family faces comedic chaos when their efficiency expert father tries to manage his career and household simultaneously.
- Daddy Day Care: Two fathers start a daycare center after losing their jobs, leading to hilarity and heartwarming moments as they navigate the challenges of childcare.
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2010: A middle schooler documents his hilarious misadventures and attempts to survive the ups and downs of adolescence in this charming comedy.
- Dr. Dolittle: A doctor discovers he can talk to animals and embarks on a whimsical journey to help his furry and feathered friends.
- Elf: A man raised by elves at the North Pole ventures to New York City in search of his true identity, spreading Christmas cheer and hilarity along the way.
- Flubber: A brilliant but absent-minded scientist creates a bouncy, flying substance called “flubber,” leading to a series of wacky and entertaining experiments.
- Freaky Friday 2003: A mother and daughter magically switch bodies, gaining newfound perspective and appreciation for each other’s lives in this heartwarming comedy.
- Guardians of the Galaxy: A group of intergalactic misfits must band together to protect the universe from a powerful cosmic threat.
- Ghostbusters: A team of eccentric scientists becomes the unlikely heroes as they battle supernatural forces plaguing New York City.
- Home Alone: A young boy accidentally left behind by his family must defend his home from bumbling burglars using ingenious traps.
- Hook: A grown-up Peter Pan returns to Neverland to rescue his children from the villainous Captain Hook.
- Jumanji: A magical board game unleashes wild jungle creatures into the real world, challenging players to finish the game to restore order.
- Kicking and Screaming: A man coaches his son’s soccer team, leading to hilarious antics and unexpected life lessons.
- The Kid: A successful image consultant encounters his 8-year-old self, forcing him to confront his past and rethink his priorities.
- Kindergarten Cop: An undercover cop posing as a kindergarten teacher must navigate the challenges of childcare while hunting down a dangerous criminal.
- Liar Liar: A dishonest lawyer is cursed to only speak the truth for an entire day, leading to comedic and heartfelt revelations.
- Mousehunt: Two brothers inherit a rundown house and must battle a clever and persistent mouse to claim their fortune.
- Mr. Mom: A man finds himself unemployed and takes on the role of a stay-at-home father, facing humorous challenges along the way.
- Mrs. Doubtfire: A divorced father disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children, leading to chaotic and heartwarming situations.
- Night at the Museum: A night guard at a museum discovers that its exhibits come to life, leading to adventurous chaos.
- The Pacifier: A tough Navy SEAL is assigned to protect a family, leading to unexpected challenges in childcare.
- The Princess Bride: A classic fairy tale adventure featuring true love, swashbuckling pirates, and daring escapes.
- RV: A dysfunctional family embarks on a cross-country road trip in an RV, encountering comedic mishaps along the way.
- The Sandlot: A group of young boys bonds over baseball during a memorable summer in the 1960s.
- The School of Rock: A failed musician poses as a substitute teacher and transforms his class into a rock band, teaching them about music and life.
- Sister Act: A lounge singer hiding from the mob finds refuge in a convent, where she revitalizes the choir and brings joy to the community.
- Space Jam: Basketball legend Michael Jordan teams up with the Looney Tunes characters to win a high-stakes basketball game against alien invaders.
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012): Four mutant turtles trained in martial arts fight crime in New York City alongside their skilled rat sensei.
- The Tooth Fairy: A tough hockey player is sentenced to become the tooth fairy, learning valuable lessons about responsibility and belief.
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit: A noir-style mystery set in a world where animated characters and humans coexist, following a detective investigating a murder conspiracy.
- Yes Day: Parents agree to a “Yes Day” where their kids make the rules, leading to a day filled with unpredictable adventures and bonding.
Are you looking for something really fun to do with your family this summer? You are looking for: I am well aware that many teens may think these movies are “beneath” them. So curl up together, sit back, and enjoy! Authors note: all of the movie descriptions were written courtesy of Chatgpt.
Something that will also make a lasting impression?
Look no further!Recommended comedies for your teens:
Humor: Your teens love witty dialogue, sarcasm, satire, and clever observational humor.
Themes: Great themes for your teen would be independence, self-discovery, responsibility, and empathy.
Realistic: The characters should be relatable and explore themes such as high school experiences, coming-of-age challenges, friendship dynamics, and the complexity of the teenage experience.
Remember, I go based on content and rating.
For example, Austin Powers is PG13 and a comedy, however, it rated as not appropriate on my scale.
Usually, the kids enjoy these films, whether they would rather be watching something else or not.
In a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming, the last thing you want to do is face the challenge of finding appropriate family movies.
These fun comedies for kids, divided by age, remind us of the simple pleasure of laughing together. “Just smile and wave boys, smile and wave.” Penguins of Madagascar.