Looking for the best animal movies for kids? From loyal dogs and brave sea turtles to endangered owls, penguins, lions, and baby elephants, animal films are a natural fit for family movie nights, classroom viewing, and summer library programs. While classics like Babe, Homeward Bound, and Finding Nemo are always popular, there are plenty of lesser-known family films about animals that deserve a spot on your watchlist. These ten kid-friendly animal movies offer adventure, humor, heart, and memorable creatures for young viewers who cannot get enough of the animal kingdom.
Oddball and the Penguins
Based on a real conservation story from Australia, Oddball and the Penguins follows a scruffy Maremma sheepdog who is recruited to protect a colony of little penguins from foxes. Oddball is not exactly the picture of discipline, which is part of the charm, but his unruly energy may be exactly what the endangered penguins need.
The film has a sunny, slightly offbeat personality that helps it stand apart from the usual heroic-dog fare. There is a family story here too, with a grandfather and granddaughter trying to do right by both Oddball and the penguins, but the animal-rescue plot keeps things moving in a way that younger viewers can easily follow.
▶ Click here to buy your copy of Oddball and the Penguins on DVD.
Hoot
Carl Hiaasen’s kid-friendly eco-comedy gets a breezy screen adaptation in Hoot, a Florida-set story about a group of kids trying to protect a colony of burrowing owls from a construction project. The owls are small, the adults are mostly useless, and the kids are just rebellious enough to make the whole thing work.
This one has a nice summer-programming feel: bikes, sunshine, mystery, and a little environmental outrage. It is not a heavy film, but it does have enough bite to appeal to kids who like stories about standing up to clueless authority figures. The book connection makes this a useful pick for libraries, and for kids who like animal stories with pranks and a touch of mischief, it is an easy fit.
▶ Click here to buy your copy of Hoot on DVD.
Duma
Duma is a more serious animal adventure, following a boy named Xan and an orphaned cheetah he raises after the cub is found near a road. As Duma grows, Xan is forced to confront something many animal stories avoid: loving a wild creature does not mean keeping it forever.
The film is beautifully shot, with wide landscapes and a real sense of journey. It is not as jokey or fast-moving as some family animal movies, but that is part of what makes it feel special. The bond between Xan and Duma is tender without turning the cheetah into a pet with human emotions. The movie understands that the animal is magnificent partly because he belongs to the wild.
This is probably best for older children or tweens who can handle a quieter, more emotional story. For kids fascinated by big cats, wilderness adventures, or animal friendships with real stakes, Duma offers something richer than the usual cute-animal formula.
▶ Click here to buy your copy of Duma on DVD.
Mia and the White Lion
Mia and the White Lion follows a young girl whose family moves from London to South Africa to operate a lion farm. At first, Mia is lonely and resentful, but her connection with a white lion cub named Charlie gradually becomes the center of her life. As Charlie grows, so does Mia’s understanding of the danger he may face.
This is the kind of movie that understands the instant appeal of a child bonding with a beautiful animal, but it also lets that bond become more complicated. Charlie is adorable as a cub, then increasingly powerful and vulnerable as an adult lion. Mia’s love for him is not just about closeness, but about learning what it means to protect him.
The film has a big, old-fashioned emotional sweep that will work well for kids who like dramatic animal stories. It also gives families plenty to talk about afterward, especially around captivity, conservation, and the difference between loving an animal and owning it.
▶ Click here to buy your copy of Mia and the White Lion on DVD.
The Eagle Huntress
For families open to documentaries, The Eagle Huntress is a striking and accessible choice. The film follows Aisholpan, a 13-year-old girl in Mongolia who trains to become an eagle hunter, a role traditionally held by men. Her golden eagle is not treated as a cuddly companion, but as a powerful partner in a demanding skill.
The animal appeal here is majestic rather than cutesy. The eagle is extraordinary to watch, especially in flight, and the snowy landscapes give the film a grand adventure quality. At the same time, the story is intimate, focused on Aisholpan’s determination, her relationship with her father, and the quiet confidence it takes to enter a world where many people do not expect her to belong.
This is a particularly good choice for tweens, older kids, and family audiences who are interested in real-life stories. It also broadens the idea of what an animal movie can be, moving beyond pets and rescue stories into something more unique and memorable.
▶ Click here to buy your copy of The Eagle Huntress on DVD.
The Secret of Roan Inish
Gentle, mysterious, and beautifully atmospheric, The Secret of Roan Inish draws on Irish folklore and the legend of selkies, seals who can become human. The story follows young Fiona as she returns to her family’s coastal roots and begins uncovering the mystery of her baby brother, who was lost years earlier near the island of Roan Inish.
This is not an animal adventure in the usual sense. There are no wisecracking creatures, no big chase sequences, and no obvious villain. Instead, the film has the rhythm of a story being told beside the sea, full of misty landscapes, and the feeling that animals may understand more than humans do.
Its slower pace may be better suited to patient viewers, but children who enjoy folklore, ocean stories, and magic may find it enchanting. It is also a lovely change of pace for family movie nights that need something softer and relaxing.
▶ Click here to buy your copy of The Secret of Roan Inish on DVD.
Ernest & Celestine
Ernest & Celestine tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a bear and a mouse, two animals whose societies insist they should fear and avoid each other. Celestine is expected to follow the rules of the mouse world, while Ernest is a hungry, grumpy musician living on the margins of bear society. Their meeting leads to trouble, but also to one of the sweetest animated friendships in recent memory.
The animation is delicate and expressive, with a watercolor softness that makes the whole film feel like a picture book come to life. It is gentle enough for younger viewers, but smart enough not to feel bland. Ernest and Celestine are both outsiders in their own ways, and the film lets their friendship grow out of shared loneliness, mischief, and mutual understanding.
For libraries, this is a particularly easy recommendation. It is charming, funny, and quietly moving without ever becoming too heavy.
▶ Click here to buy your copy of Ernest & Celestine on DVD.
The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales
From the creators of Ernest & Celestine, The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales is a playful collection of farmyard stories involving a fox, a pig, a rabbit, a duck, a stork, and a group of chicks who cause more chaos than their size would suggest. The title fox would very much like to be frightening, but unfortunately for him, he is not especially good at it.
The film’s humor is wonderfully silly without feeling frantic. The animals bicker, panic, scheme, misunderstand each other, and occasionally stumble into tenderness. The fox’s accidental role as caregiver to a batch of chicks is especially funny, mostly because the chicks are completely unbothered by the fact that he is supposed to be dangerous.
This is a great choice for younger kids, especially those who like animal stories with lots of comic personality. The episodic structure also works well for family viewing, since the film feels light on its feet and never gets bogged down in one plot for too long.
▶ Click here to buy your copy of The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales on DVD.
A Turtle’s Tale: Sammy’s Adventures
A Turtle’s Tale: Sammy’s Adventures follows Sammy, a sea turtle whose life begins on a Baja California beach and stretches across decades of ocean travel. Along the way, he faces predators, changing environments, human-made dangers, and the usual complications of trying to survive when one is very small in a very large sea.
The animation is bright and accessible, making this one especially approachable for younger children. Sammy’s journey gives the film a simple built-in structure, with each new stretch of ocean bringing another encounter or obstacle. It is not the most sophisticated film on the list, but it understands the basic appeal of a tiny turtle making his way through the world.
For summer viewing, the ocean setting is a natural draw. The environmental themes are easy to spot, but they are woven into the adventure rather than delivered as a lecture. Kids who love sea turtles, beaches, and underwater creatures will likely be right at home.
▶ Click here to buy your copy of A Turtle’s Tale: Sammy’s Adventures on DVD.
Zoo
Inspired by a true story, Zoo is set during the Belfast air raids of 1941 and follows 12-year-old Tom and his friends as they try to save Buster, a baby elephant at the city zoo. The wartime backdrop gives the story real stakes, but the heart of the film is pure animal-rescue adventure: a group of children, one vulnerable elephant, and a situation that requires more courage than anyone expected.
The film balances historical drama with the approachable shape of a family story. Buster is, unsurprisingly, hard to resist, but the movie also makes good use of its young characters. Their plan is risky, a little improbable, and exactly the kind of thing children in an animal movie would convince themselves they can pull off.
This is a strong pick for kids who like historical fiction as much as animal stories. It has friendship, danger, a memorable elephant, and enough emotional weight to feel substantial without becoming too grim for family audiences.
▶ Click here to buy your copy of Zoo on DVD.
Enjoyed this list? Subscribe to Video Librarian today for access to thousands of film reviews and resources tailored for librarians, educators, and non-theatrical audiences.