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100+ Best Christmas Movies For Kids By Age & Rating

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Looking for the best Christmas movies for kids?

I know that finding Christmas movies that everyone in the family can enjoy isn’t always easy. A movie that’s perfect for your elementary-aged child may be too scary for your preschooler, while your toddler probably isn’t ready for a two-hour Christmas adventure.

That’s why I’ve put together this huge list of 100+ Christmas movies for kids, organized by age.

In this post you’ll find Christmas movies for toddlers and preschoolers, young kids, and elementary-aged kids, along with the MPAA rating for every movie.

I’ve included beloved Christmas classics, animated Christmas movies, Santa movies, funny family Christmas movies, and newer holiday favorites.

So pop some popcorn, make some hot chocolate, and get ready for a cozy Christmas movie marathon!

Quick reminder: MPAA ratings are a helpful starting point, but they don’t tell you everything about a movie. Some G-rated movies can still contain scenes that scare sensitive children, while PG movies can vary quite a bit in content. Consider your child’s age, personality, and sensitivity when choosing a movie.

Related posts:

Christmas Movies for Toddlers and Preschoolers

For toddlers and preschoolers, I tend to look for Christmas movies and specials with colorful animation, simple stories, familiar characters, and less intense conflict.

Some younger children may prefer shorter Christmas specials rather than full-length movies.

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Rating: G

Charlie Brown wonders what Christmas is really about in this beloved Peanuts holiday classic.

2. Frosty the Snowman (1969)

Rating: G

A magical snowman comes to life after a group of children discover an enchanted hat.

3. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Rating: G

Rudolph discovers that being different can turn out to be his greatest strength.

4. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)

Rating: G

This classic stop-motion movie tells the story of how Santa Claus came to be.

5. The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

Rating: G

Mrs. Claus and two elves try to convince Santa that people still believe in Christmas.

6. Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)

Rating: G

Mickey Mouse and his friends put a fun, kid-friendly spin on the classic Charles Dickens story.

7. Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas (1999)

Rating: G

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and their friends celebrate Christmas in three festive stories.

8. Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)

Rating: G

Winnie the Pooh and his friends celebrate Christmas and the New Year in the Hundred Acre Wood.

9. Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas (2009)

Rating: G

Curious George tries to find the perfect Christmas present for the Man with the Yellow Hat.

10. Prep & Landing (2009)

Rating: G

A team of highly trained elves prepares homes around the world for Santa’s Christmas Eve visit.

11. Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice (2011)

Rating: G

Wayne and Lanny return for another North Pole adventure.

12. The Snowman (1982)

Rating: G

A young boy’s snowman magically comes to life in this beautiful, dialogue-free animated classic.

13. The Snowman and the Snowdog (2012)

Rating: G

A young boy builds a snowman and a snowdog who take him on a magical adventure.

14. Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (2017)

Rating: G

Olaf sets out to find the perfect Christmas tradition for Anna and Elsa.

15. The Snowy Day (2016)

Rating: G

This gentle animated story follows a young boy enjoying a snowy winter day.

16. Angela’s Christmas (2017)

Rating: G

A little girl named Angela has a big idea after visiting church with her family on Christmas Eve.

17. Angela’s Christmas Wish (2020)

Rating: G

Angela goes on a Christmas mission to reunite her family.

18. Robin Robin (2021)

Rating: G

A tiny bird raised by a family of mice begins searching for where she belongs.

19. The Small One (1978)

Rating: G

A young boy searches for a new home for his beloved donkey.

20. Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)

Rating: G

Nestor is a special donkey who discovers his important place in the Christmas story.

21. The Little Drummer Boy (1968)

Rating: G

A young orphan’s life changes when he encounters the Christmas story.

22. Annabelle’s Wish (1997)

Rating: G

A sweet Christmas story about a cow who dreams of becoming one of Santa’s reindeer.

23. Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (1977)

Rating: G

Emmet Otter and his mother try to find special Christmas gifts for each other.

24. The Christmas Toy (1986)

Rating: G

The toys come to life when the children aren’t around in this Jim Henson holiday favorite.

25. Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001)

Rating: G

Mickey and his friends celebrate Christmas together after getting snowed in.

26. Barbie in the Nutcracker (2001)

Rating: G

Barbie enters a magical world inspired by the classic Nutcracker story.

27. Barbie: A Perfect Christmas (2011)

Rating: G

Barbie and her sisters discover that their Christmas plans don’t always go exactly as expected.

28. Barbie in A Christmas Carol (2008)

Rating: G

Barbie gives the classic Christmas story a kid-friendly makeover.

29. Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)

Rating: G

Belle tries to bring Christmas cheer to the Beast’s castle.

30. The Nutcracker Prince (1990)

Rating: G

A young girl enters a magical world inspired by the classic Nutcracker ballet.

Christmas Movies for Young Kids

These Christmas movies are generally better suited to young kids around kindergarten and early elementary school, although individual children will vary.

31. The Polar Express (2004)

Rating: G

A mysterious train takes a young boy on an unforgettable journey to the North Pole. Some younger or sensitive children may find a few scenes intense despite the G rating.

32. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Rating: G

The Muppets bring humor and heart to Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas story.

33. The Santa Clause (1994)

Rating: PG

After an unexpected Christmas Eve accident, an ordinary dad discovers that he has become the new Santa Claus.

34. The Santa Clause 2 (2002)

Rating: G

Santa discovers that he needs to find a Mrs. Claus before Christmas.

35. The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)

Rating: G

Santa faces off against the mischievous Jack Frost.

36. The Grinch (2018)

Rating: PG

This colorful animated adaptation brings Dr. Seuss’ famous Christmas grouch to life.

37. Arthur Christmas (2011)

Rating: PG

Santa’s youngest son Arthur races to deliver one forgotten present before Christmas morning. The film is officially rated PG for mild rude humor.

38. The Star (2017)

Rating: PG

A group of animals becomes part of the Christmas story in this animated retelling of the Nativity.

39. The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

Rating: PG

Two siblings accidentally crash Santa’s sleigh and have to help save Christmas.

40. The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020)

Rating: PG

Kate returns to the North Pole for another Christmas adventure.

41. Klaus (2019)

Rating: PG

A postman and a mysterious toymaker help transform a cold, divided town and create a Christmas tradition.

42. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)

Rating: PG

A colorful musical adventure about an inventor, his granddaughter, and a magical invention.

43. A Boy Called Christmas (2021)

Rating: PG

A young boy travels to a magical land and discovers the beginnings of a Christmas legend.

44. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024)

Rating: PG

Six mischievous siblings unexpectedly take over a local Christmas pageant and completely change the way everyone sees the Christmas story. Common Sense Media recommends it for ages 8+, so I’d place this toward the older end of the young-kid range.

45. Rise of the Guardians (2012)

Rating: PG

Santa, Jack Frost, the Easter Bunny, and other magical characters team up to protect children’s dreams.

46. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Rating: PG

Jack Skellington discovers Christmas Town and decides to celebrate the holiday in his own unusual way.

47. A Christmas Story (1983)

Rating: PG

Ralphie desperately wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

48. The Ultimate Christmas Present (2000)

Rating: G

Two kids discover a machine that can control the weather and accidentally create a huge snowstorm.

49. The Search for Santa Paws (2010)

Rating: G

An adorable dog becomes part of an important mission to help save Christmas.

50. Santa Buddies (2009)

Rating: G

A group of adorable puppies heads to the North Pole for a Christmas adventure.

51. The Santa Paws Movie (2009)

Rating: G

Santa and his canine companion embark on a magical Christmas adventure.

52. An All Dogs Christmas Carol (1998)

Rating: G

The beloved All Dogs characters put their own spin on Charles Dickens’ classic.

53. Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)

Rating: G

Belle tries to convince the Beast to celebrate Christmas.

54. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)

Rating: PG

A young girl enters a magical world filled with kingdoms, soldiers and a mysterious Nutcracker.

55. Noelle (2019)

Rating: G

Santa’s daughter sets out to find her missing brother and save Christmas.

56. Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (2021)

Rating: G

Shaun causes plenty of Christmas chaos while trying to get a bigger stocking.

57. All I Want for Christmas Is You (2017)

Rating: G

A young girl dreams of getting a puppy for Christmas in this animated holiday adventure.

58. The 12 Dogs of Christmas (2005)

Rating: PG

A young girl discovers a community of dogs and works to save them during the Christmas season.

59. Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

Rating: PG

A family tries to skip Christmas and quickly discovers that their neighbors have other plans.

60. Deck the Halls (2006)

Rating: PG

Two neighbors compete to create the biggest and brightest Christmas light display.

Christmas Movies for Elementary Kids

Elementary-aged children have a huge selection of Christmas movies to choose from. This is where you can start adding longer adventures, more suspenseful stories, bigger laughs, and some of the classic Christmas movies parents grew up watching.

61. Home Alone (1990)

Rating: PG

Kevin McCallister is accidentally left home alone and has to defend his house from two burglars.

62. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

Rating: PG

Kevin ends up in New York City and runs into the same two burglars.

63. Elf (2003)

Rating: PG

Buddy the Elf leaves the North Pole and heads to New York City to find his biological father.

64. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024)

Rating: PG

The Herdman siblings unexpectedly take over a Christmas pageant and teach their community a lesson about acceptance and the meaning of Christmas. Common Sense Media recommends the movie for ages 8+.

65. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Rating: PG

Jim Carrey stars as the Grinch in this colorful live-action version of the Dr. Seuss classic.

66. A Christmas Carol (2009)

Rating: PG

Jim Carrey stars in this darker animated adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic.

67. The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

Rating: PG

Two siblings become part of Santa’s Christmas Eve adventure.

68. Jingle All the Way (1996)

Rating: PG

Two dads compete to find the hottest Christmas toy on Christmas Eve.

69. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Rating: PG

A young girl begins questioning whether Santa Claus might actually be real.

70. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Rating: G

The classic original version follows a little girl who begins to believe in Santa Claus.

71. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Rating: PG

A Christmas Eve encounter helps George Bailey see how much his life has meant to the people around him.

72. White Christmas (1954)

Rating: G

This classic musical combines romance, dancing, singing, and plenty of Christmas charm.

73. Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976)

Rating: G

Rudolph goes on a New Year’s adventure to find Baby New Year.

74. Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (1979)

Rating: G

Rudolph and Frosty team up in a Christmas adventure filled with stop-motion holiday fun.

75. Jack Frost (1979)

Rating: G

A magical stop-motion story featuring Jack Frost and a Christmas kingdom.

76. The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

Rating: G

Santa wonders whether anyone still cares about Christmas.

77. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)

Rating: G

A stop-motion origin story about how Kris Kringle became Santa Claus.

78. The Little Drummer Boy (1968)

Rating: G

A young boy encounters the Nativity story and finds a new purpose.

79. The Polar Express (2004)

Rating: G

A magical Christmas Eve train ride takes children to the North Pole.

80. The Grinch (2018)

Rating: PG

The animated Grinch discovers that Christmas means more than presents.

81. Klaus (2019)

Rating: PG

A postman and a mysterious toymaker help create a Christmas tradition in a frozen town.

82. Arthur Christmas (2011)

Rating: PG

Arthur races against the clock to make sure every child receives a present.

83. A Boy Called Christmas (2021)

Rating: PG

A young boy embarks on a magical adventure that becomes part of the Santa Claus legend.

84. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)

Rating: PG

A magical inventor and his granddaughter embark on an unforgettable Christmas adventure.

85. The Star (2017)

Rating: PG

Animals become unlikely heroes in this animated retelling of the Nativity.

86. Rise of the Guardians (2012)

Rating: PG

Jack Frost and Santa join forces with other magical guardians to protect children.

87. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Rating: PG

Jack Skellington tries to take over Christmas after discovering Christmas Town.

88. Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

Rating: PG

A family tries to avoid Christmas until their daughter unexpectedly comes home.

89. Deck the Halls (2006)

Rating: PG

Two neighbors turn Christmas decorating into an all-out competition.

90. Fred Claus (2007)

Rating: PG

Santa’s troublemaking older brother Fred heads to the North Pole.

91. The Family Stone (2005)

Rating: PG-13

A family gathers for Christmas and navigates complicated relationships. This is better suited to older elementary kids, tweens, and families previewing it first because of mature themes.

92. The Nativity Story (2006)

Rating: PG

A more serious retelling of the story of Mary, Joseph, and the birth of Jesus.

93. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (2007)

Rating: G

A lonely woodcarver finds friendship and hope during the Christmas season.

94. The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)

Rating: NR

An old-fashioned holiday comedy about an eccentric radio personality who becomes stuck in a family’s home.

95. The Bishop’s Wife (1947)

Rating: NR

An angel arrives to help a bishop and his family during the Christmas season.

96. The Christmas Shoes (2002)

Rating: TV-PG

A sentimental Christmas story about family, love, and a young boy trying to find a special gift.

97. ‘Twas the Night (2001)

Rating: TV-G

A mischievous young man gets caught up in a Christmas Eve adventure involving Santa’s sleigh.

98. Snow Buddies (2008)

Rating: G

Five adorable puppies head north for a snowy adventure.

99. The 12 Dogs of Christmas (2005)

Rating: PG

A young girl works to save a group of dogs in a town where they aren’t welcome.

100. An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991)

Rating: G

While not strictly a Christmas movie, this family-friendly animated adventure works well for a winter movie marathon.

101. Frozen (2013)

Rating: PG

Although not technically a Christmas movie, the snowy setting, winter atmosphere, and holiday-season popularity make it a natural December movie-night choice.

102. Frozen II (2019)

Rating: PG

Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven head into an enchanted forest in this snowy fantasy adventure.

103. Paddington (2014)

Rating: PG

Paddington’s warm family story makes a cozy winter movie choice.

104. Paddington 2 (2017)

Rating: PG

Paddington gets caught up in a mystery involving a special pop-up book.

105. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

Rating: PG

Four siblings enter the magical world of Narnia, where they encounter a snowy winter and a magical Christmas celebration.

106. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)

Rating: PG

The Pevensie siblings return to Narnia for another fantasy adventure.

107. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

Rating: PG

Another magical Narnia adventure involving the Pevensie children.

108. The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t (1966)

Rating: G

Santa needs help when he faces a problem that could threaten Christmas.

109. The Christmas Star (1986)

Rating: PG

A group of children gets caught up in a Christmas adventure involving a mysterious treasure.

110. The Secret of Santa Claus (2014)

Rating: G

A festive animated story centered around Santa and the magic of Christmas.

Christmas Movies for Kids by Age: Quick Guide

If you don’t want to read through the entire list, here’s a quick way to find a movie based on your child’s age.

Christmas Movies for Toddlers

For toddlers, try:

Christmas Movies for Preschoolers

Preschool favorites include:

Christmas Movies for Young Kids

For kindergarten and early elementary-aged children, consider:

Christmas Movies for Elementary Kids

Older elementary kids can explore:

Best G-Rated Christmas Movies for Kids

Looking specifically for G-rated Christmas movies for kids? These are some of the most recognizable choices:

Keep in mind that a G rating doesn’t necessarily mean that every child will find a movie completely non-scary. The MPA rating is only one part of deciding whether a movie is right for your child.

Best Christmas Movies for a Family Movie Night

Sometimes you don’t need to search by age—you just want a really fun Christmas movie everyone can watch together.

Try:

  1. The Muppet Christmas Carol
  2. Arthur Christmas
  3. Klaus
  4. The Grinch
  5. The Polar Express
  6. Home Alone
  7. Elf
  8. The Santa Clause
  9. A Charlie Brown Christmas
  10. Frosty the Snowman
  11. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
  12. The Christmas Chronicles
  13. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
  14. A Boy Called Christmas
  15. Miracle on 34th Street

Final Thoughts on Christmas Movies for Kids

There are so many wonderful Christmas movies for kids that you could have a different holiday movie night almost every night in December.

For toddlers and preschoolers, start with sweet classics like Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Mickey’s Christmas Carol.

As your kids get older, you can introduce bigger adventures like Arthur Christmas, Klaus, The Grinch, The Christmas Chronicles, and The Santa Clause.

And once your kids are in elementary school, it’s time for some of the classics many parents grew up watching themselves, including Home Alone, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, and A Christmas Carol.

Whether you’re planning a Christmas movie marathon for kids, looking for a movie for a cozy family night, or trying to find something your toddler won’t be terrified of, I hope this list gives you plenty of ideas.

So turn on the Christmas tree lights, grab the blankets and snuggle up on the couch to make holiday memories together with a magical Christmas movie.

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