Top 20 Underrated Kids Movies

Some kids movies quietly find their audience years after release. They might have opened against a bigger franchise or landed on a smaller platform, yet they deliver strong stories, memorable characters, and themes that families can discuss together. This list gathers films that slipped under many radars while offering plenty for young viewers and parents to enjoy on movie night.

You will find a mix of animation and live action from different studios and countries. Each entry includes practical details like who made it, who stars in it, and what it covers, along with notes on awards or special production touches that help you pick the right film for your crew.

‘The Iron Giant’ (1999)

‘The Iron Giant’ is a PG animated feature directed by Brad Bird and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. The voice cast includes Eli Marienthal, Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., Christopher McDonald, and Vin Diesel as the Giant. The film adapts the novel by Ted Hughes and runs about an hour and a half.

Families get a science fiction story set in the late fifties that introduces ideas about friendship, responsibility, and fear during a Cold War backdrop. It earned multiple Annie Awards and later received a signature edition with restored scenes, which makes it easy to find in high quality for home viewing.

‘The Secret of NIMH’ (1982)

‘The Secret of NIMH’ is an animated adventure from director Don Bluth that adapts the book by Robert C. O’Brien. The voice cast features Elizabeth Hartman, Derek Jacobi, and Dom DeLuise. It carries a G rating and a compact runtime that suits younger viewers.

The plot follows a field mouse who seeks help from lab enhanced rats to save her family. Hand drawn animation and a fantasy setting introduce topics like courage, problem solving, and ethics in research. The film became a touchstone for eighties animation and remains a frequent pick in library collections.

‘The Brave Little Toaster’ (1987)

‘The Brave Little Toaster’ is a G rated animated film directed by Jerry Rees with voices from Jon Lovitz, Tim Stack, and Deanna Oliver. It premiered at a festival before reaching home video, which helped it build an audience over time.

The story follows household appliances on a trip to find their owner, which gives kids a clear quest structure and gentle peril that is easy to follow. It introduced a generation to the idea of objects with feelings years before other toy based hits and led to follow up entries that are also family friendly.

‘The Rescuers Down Under’ (1990)

‘The Rescuers Down Under’ is a G rated Disney sequel directed by Hendel Butoy and Mike Gabriel with voices from Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, John Candy, and George C. Scott. It was the first Disney animated feature created using the CAPS digital production system.

The film moves the action to Australia where the Rescue Aid Society teams up with a local boy to protect a golden eagle from a poacher. It keeps the pace brisk with aerial sequences and highlights teamwork and wildlife conservation. The lean runtime works well for younger kids who like adventure without long stretches of dialogue.

‘Atlantis: The Lost Empire’ (2001)

‘Atlantis: The Lost Empire’ comes from directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise with voices from Michael J. Fox, Cree Summer, James Garner, and Leonard Nimoy. It is rated PG and blends steampunk inspired vehicles with hand drawn and computer assisted visuals.

The expedition format introduces maps, languages, and archaeology as the crew searches for a hidden civilization. Families will find a story that touches on translation, leadership, and respect for other cultures. The production design brings a new look for its studio that stands apart from fairy tale musicals.

‘Treasure Planet’ (2002)

‘Treasure Planet’ is a PG animated feature directed by Ron Clements and John Musker that reimagines the classic adventure with solar sailing ships and space ports. The voice cast includes Joseph Gordon Levitt, Emma Thompson, Brian Murray, and Martin Short.

Kids get a coming of age story with mentorship at its core and a mix of hand drawn characters over digital backdrops. The film received an Academy Award nomination for animated feature and features a distinctive art style called seventy thirty that blends old world and sci fi design choices.

‘Akeelah and the Bee’ (2006)

‘Akeelah and the Bee’ is a PG live action drama written and directed by Doug Atchison and produced by Lionsgate. Keke Palmer stars alongside Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett in a story centered on a middle school spelling journey.

Families can watch a clear path from local contests to a national stage with an emphasis on study habits, mentorship, and community support. The film offers accurate depictions of spelling bee rules and provides vocabulary learning moments that teachers and parents often use for classroom tie ins.

‘Meet the Robinsons’ (2007)

‘Meet the Robinsons’ is a PG animated film from Walt Disney Animation Studios directed by Stephen Anderson. It adapts ideas from the book by William Joyce and features voices from Daniel Hansen, Jordan Fry, Wesley Singerman, and Tom Selleck.

Time travel drives the plot as an inventor visits a future family and learns about perseverance. The movie includes a strong emphasis on invention, adoption, and the value of learning from mistakes. Its end credit message connects to the history of its studio, which adds a nice bit of context for curious kids.

‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ (2008)

‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ is a PG fantasy adventure directed by Mark Waters and based on the book series by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. Freddie Highmore plays twin brothers with support from Mary Louise Parker, Nick Nolte, and Seth Rogen in a voice role.

The story centers on a field guide that reveals a hidden world of faeries near an old house, which lets kids see clear rules for magical creatures and how to outsmart them. Practical effects mix with digital work to create creatures that still look solid on modern screens.

‘City of Ember’ (2008)

‘City of Ember’ is a PG adaptation of the novel by Jeanne DuPrau directed by Gil Kenan. The cast includes Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway, Bill Murray, and Tim Robbins. The production builds a full underground city with detailed sets.

The plot follows two teens who decode clues left by the founders to restore power and escape before the lights fail. Families will find themes of civic duty, energy use, and critical thinking presented through puzzles and maps that invite discussion after the credits.

‘The Secret of Kells’ (2009)

‘The Secret of Kells’ is an Irish animated feature codirected by Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey. It is rated PG and features voice work from Evan McGuire and Brendan Gleeson. The visual style draws from illuminated manuscripts and Celtic art.

The story follows a young apprentice who helps finish a famous book while defending a monastery. The film received an Academy Award nomination for animated feature and works well for kids who enjoy art and history since it shows how inks, patterns, and symbols come together on the page.

‘Arthur Christmas’ (2011)

‘Arthur Christmas’ is a PG animated holiday film from Aardman and Sony Pictures Animation directed by Sarah Smith with Barry Cook as codirector. Voices include James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, and Imelda Staunton.

The film explains how gift delivery might work with high tech systems while focusing on a family handoff between generations. It covers topics like logistics, tradition, and empathy, and it has become a reliable seasonal watch with a runtime under two hours that suits school night schedules.

‘The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!’ (2012)

‘The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ is a PG stop motion feature from Aardman directed by Peter Lord with Jeff Newitt as codirector. The voice cast includes Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, David Tennant, and Imelda Staunton.

The plot sends a pirate crew into a science fair and across London, which gives families a fun way to see how stop motion animation uses real sets and models. The film earned an Academy Award nomination for animated feature and pairs well with behind the scenes clips that show the miniature craftsmanship.

‘Song of the Sea’ (2014)

‘Song of the Sea’ is a PG Irish animated film directed by Tomm Moore and produced by Cartoon Saloon with GKIDS handling distribution in many regions. Voices include David Rawle, Brendan Gleeson, and Fionnula Flanagan.

It draws on folklore about selkies and uses hand drawn imagery with watercolor textures. The film earned an Academy Award nomination for animated feature and includes music that families sometimes explore afterward, which can lead to conversations about myth and culture.

‘The Little Prince’ (2015)

‘The Little Prince’ is a PG animated feature directed by Mark Osborne that blends stop motion with computer animation. The voice cast includes Jeff Bridges, Mackenzie Foy, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, and Paul Rudd.

The film frames the classic novella within a new story about a student and an aviator neighbor, which helps younger viewers access the original chapters. It won the top animation prize at the César Awards and offers a gentle way to introduce literature and themes of imagination and responsibility.

‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ (2016)

‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ is a PG stop motion adventure from Laika directed by Travis Knight. Voices include Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara, and Ralph Fiennes.

The film incorporates Japanese folklore and features sequences built from thousands of hand crafted components. It received Academy Award nominations for animated feature and visual effects, which makes it a strong choice for kids interested in how movies are made through practical craftsmanship.

‘The BFG’ (2016)

‘The BFG’ is a PG live action and performance capture adaptation of the Roald Dahl book directed by Steven Spielberg. Ruby Barnhill stars with Mark Rylance as the gentle giant, supported by Penelope Wilton and Jemaine Clement.

Families can expect a fantasy tale about dreams, friendship, and food that leans on scale and imaginative sets. The film earned an Academy Award nomination for visual effects and works well for kids who enjoy bedtime stories brought to life with careful motion capture.

‘The Kid Who Would Be King’ (2019)

‘The Kid Who Would Be King’ is a PG modern take on Arthurian legend written and directed by Joe Cornish. The cast features Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Dean Chaumoo, Tom Taylor, Angus Imrie, Patrick Stewart, and Rebecca Ferguson.

The story moves the sword in the stone to a present day school setting and lays out clear rules for quests, knightly codes, and teamwork. It runs about two hours and provides a full hero journey with classroom and family scenes that mirror the training and challenges.

‘Wolfwalkers’ (2020)

‘Wolfwalkers’ is a PG animated feature from Cartoon Saloon directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart. Voices include Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean Bean, and Maria Doyle Kennedy.

The film uses hand drawn techniques with layered pencil textures to tell a story set in seventeenth century Ireland. It received an Academy Award nomination for animated feature and pairs well with history lessons about forests and folklore that teachers often build into activities.

‘The Adventures of Tintin’ (2011)

‘The Adventures of Tintin’ is a PG motion capture animated film directed by Steven Spielberg with Peter Jackson as producer. The cast includes Jamie Bell as Tintin with Andy Serkis and Daniel Craig in key roles.

It adapts several albums from the long running comic and features action set pieces built with digital camera moves that mimic live action style. The film won the Golden Globe for animated feature and remains a popular entry point for kids who want to move from screen to the original books.

Share your favorite hidden gem kids movies in the comments so other families can discover their next watch.