It’s not easy being a tween. It’s also difficult being a parent of one. Your sweet little angel is stuck in a kind of purgatory, no longer a kid but not yet a hormone-addled teenager. It’s an awkward time that affects just about everything, including movie nights. In the recent past, all they required out of cinematic entertainment was something bright, fast and loud. Now, they need something with a bit more substance. But that doesn’t mean they’re ready for, say, a Victorian comedy of manners or a John Grisham adaptation. How do you make the right choice to satisfy the whole brood when you’ve got this suddenly picky pre-teen sitting on the couch?
Just breathe. We’re offering you some help. These 36 movies almost seem designed in a lab specifically to appeal to the demographic that sits between the ages of ten and 12. What’s great is that a lot of it is the same stuff you loved at the age, from ’80s blockbusters to silly comedies to adventure flicks to movies about young love. No matter the generation, growing up is hard – but family movie night doesn’t have to be.
Recommended:
🎒 The 100 best teen movies of all-time
👪 The 50 best family films to stream on movie night
🤣 The 35 best family comedy movies