outdoor movie projectors

Summer Family Movie List!

June 10, 2021

We started family movie nights on Fridays a few years ago, and in the summer we watch a lot of old flicks. It’s something they all look forward to, and now they don’t let us skip a week! It’s getting harder to find something the kids all agree on, so often times we let them take turns choosing. I have been meaning to share a family movie list for a while now to reference if you need some new ideas! I crowd sourced some of these recs as well, so there are some new to me movies I can’t wait to try.

Classics:
Swiss Family Robinson
Apple Dumpling Gang
Newsies
Summer Magic
Boystown
The Absent Minded Professor
The Parent Trap
Man From Snowy River
Mary Poppins
Pollyanna
The Biscuit Eater
Goonies
Yours, Mine, and Ours
So Dear to My Heart
National Velvet
It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World
Freaky Friday (1976)
Herbie the Lovebug
The Shaggy Dog
The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes
That Darn Cat
Candleshoe Inn
Treasure Island
Blackbeard’s Ghost
Million Dollar Duck
Princess Bride
Black Beauty


Musicals:
Annie
My Fair Lady
Sound of Music
Singing in the Rain

Meet Me in St. Louis
Most Roger’s and Hammerstein movies!

1980s – Present:
Chronicles of Narnia Series
Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken
Pele
Cinderella (2015)
Dr. DoLittle
Secretariat
Secondhand Lions
Enchanted
Homeward Bound
Anne of Green Gables (1986)
Paddington 2
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
The Greatest Showman
Honey I Shrunk the Kids
Miracle
Nanny McPhee
The Rookie
A Little Princess
Togo
National Treasure Series
Night at the Museum Series
A Little Princess
Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium
Rudy

I didn’t include the animated and pixar categories as those are already widely known! Any favorites you would add to the list?

As the kids are getting older we find ways to have movie time with just them too so they can pick ones that are more at their age level. I have been surprised at how many of these older ones they have watched together though!

*These are all pretty clean, but use your best judgement of course based on your child’s ages! There are some that are probably still best for older ages due to content themes. We try to pre-screen!

P.S. I get asked a lot about movie projectors, and this is the projector we usually use to hook up outdoors to a laptop and our wireless JBL speaker for sound!

Leave a Comment

  • Hi! I have 4 and 6 year olds. They loved Hugo and Secret Garden

  • If you are up for some oldies, my kids love Come to the Stable, Bells of St. Mary’s, Going My Way, The Happy Years, the original Cheaper by the Dozen.

  • War of the buttons…not the French version…

  • April Sullivan

    Thank you for this amazing list!!

  • Jennifer Wagner

    Add to the list:
    Meet Me in St Louis
    Seven Brides For Seven Brothers
    The Errand Boy

  • Sandlot – should definitely be on this list!

  • I recommend Follow Me Boys I believe it is based on a true story. It is a Disney movie from the 60’s starring a very young Kurt Russell.

  • Rob Van Norden

    For football fans, I would recommend” My All American”. Same screenwriter as Rudy and every bit as good. And also a true story.

    • Thank you for this list. I am surprised about your including My Fair Lady and Second Hand Lions since they have quite a bit of swearing. Two fun classics are Mr. Limpet and The Ugly Dachsund. These are not well known but lots of fun. Little House on the Prairie is always good. Perhaps Parent Trap? Plugged In at focusonthefamily.com is an excellent resource.

      • Hi Cathy – We usually look up movies ahead of time to see if there is any parts that may need skipping, so with My Fair Lady I knew where to jump ahead when watching with my oldest daughter:)

    • Great to know thank you Rob!

  • Christopher DeCock

    I also would recommend the Ugly Dachshund.

  • How do you get these movies. We would love to see them.

    • Hi Sheila! Many of the old Disney movies can be watched on Disney+
      We have also rented a few on amazon prime or borrowed at our local library!

  • How do you get these movies. We would love to see them.
    Please advise

  • Family favorites for our grandkids, just watched on vacation:
    The Court Jester with Danny Kaye
    The Gods Must Be Crazy
    Also…
    Kubo and the 2 strings – anime, fairly recent
    The Secret of Nihm – animated, too scary for very young but good!
    Babe – the pig adopted by border collies, hilarious and sweet.
    Charlotte’s Web, both animated and movie.
    ALL Wallace and Gromit shorts, movies too.

  • STEVEN THOMAS

    I have a large collection of family movies (in Excel) I can share with you. We used to have a company, Faith and Family Flix…email me and I will share with you…it has everything categorized.

  • Mary Mariska

    The link to the projector no longer works. Would you mind posting again?

    Thanks for this great list of movies!!

Copyright © 2024 In Honor Of Design powered by chloédigital