Seasonal Guide
Thanksgiving Movies for Kids, by Scare Level and Streaming Service
Thanksgiving weekend means a full house, a long afternoon and a kitchen that needs the kids out of it. Here are six family-friendly movies for that window, sorted by how scary and sad they get, with where each one streams right now.
Ages 3 and up: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (G, 25 minutes). Ages 6 and up: Paddington 2, Encanto or Free Birds. Ages 7 and up: Fantastic Mr. Fox or The Mitchells vs. the Machines. Age notes are our own judgment, so go by your child's temperament over the number.
One honest note first: there are not many true Thanksgiving movies for kids. Only two of these are actually about the holiday. The rest are warm family-gathering movies that fit the weekend, and we say which is which.
Scary and sad meter for all six
These are our editorial ratings. Tap any title below to see its age-by-age guide on the title lookup. Our meters are cautious, so the age on a title page can run a year or two above Common Sense Media's.
| Film | Scary | Sad | Rated | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving | Low | Low | G | 25 min |
| Paddington 2 | Medium | Low | PG | 104 min |
| Encanto | Medium | Medium | PG | 102 min |
| Free Birds | Medium | Medium | PG | 91 min |
| Fantastic Mr. Fox | Medium | Low | PG | 87 min |
| The Mitchells vs. the Machines | Low | Low | PG | 113 min |
Cozy pick (ages 3+)
The classic, and the only G-rated pick on this page. Charlie Brown has to host Thanksgiving dinner on short notice, and with Snoopy and Woodstock he serves toast, popcorn and jelly beans. It is short and gentle, and nothing frightening happens. Ages 3 and up.
A little peril (ages 6+)
Each of these has a few intense moments and some sad ones. Common Sense Media rates all three 6 and up.
Mostly gentle and funny, but it has a fast train chase, a villain with a sword and prison inmates who act threatening before they warm to Paddington. The saddest moment is Paddington crying alone, thinking the Browns have stopped loving him. Common Sense Media says 6 and up.
Music, magic and a large family, but also real emotional weight. A flashback shows the grandfather being killed by armed men (the death is not shown), a house crumbles, and Mirabel feels overlooked by her family. Common Sense Media says 6 and up.
Two turkeys time-travel to the first Thanksgiving to take turkey off the menu. It is silly, with some rude humor, but it also has guns, a turkey habitat that gets destroyed and an important character who dies, and Common Sense Media flags how the turkeys are portrayed. Common Sense Media says 6 and up. It is worth a quick talk about the real history afterward.
Some peril (ages 7+)
Both of these are funny, and both have more danger than the others.
Wes Anderson's stop-motion caper. Farmers chase the animals with guns and machinery, Mr. Fox loses his tail, and there is a tense scene with a rabid dog. It is not graphic, and the humor is dry, so younger kids may get less out of it. Ages 7 and up.
A family road trip while robots take over. The danger is constant but played for laughs, and the heart of it is a very recognizable family. Fine for most kids from about 7, though a few robot scenes can feel intense for the very sensitive.
Where to stream them
Streaming catalogs change often. These are what we found listed on October 19, 2026, so check the service before you plan the afternoon.
- NetflixThe Mitchells vs. the Machines.
- Disney+Fantastic Mr. Fox and Encanto.
- HBO MaxPaddington 2.
- Apple TVA Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Apple made it free to stream (with an Apple Account, no subscription) on November 15 and 16 in 2025, so watch for the same thing this year.
- Free with adsFree Birds is listed as free on YouTube. It is also on Paramount+ and Starz.
- Prime VideoNone of these six are included with a Prime membership right now, but all but A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving can be rented there for a few dollars.
Use the free WatchWithKids finder with your kids' ages and the services you pay for, or look up any single title on the title lookup to see its scary and sad meters and where it streams.
Tips for a good Thanksgiving movie day
- Pick a short one first. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving fits in the gap before dinner.
- Choose for the youngest child in the room. Our guide to what to watch when your kids are different ages can help.
- Preview the sad parts. Free Birds and Encanto have emotional moments that surprise some kids.
- Check the streaming service first. Catalogs change, and titles can leave a service with little notice.
FAQ
Are there Thanksgiving movies rated G for young kids?
Very few. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is rated G and runs about 25 minutes, which makes it the easiest pick for ages 3 and up. Most full-length Thanksgiving movies, like Free Birds, are rated PG.
What are the best free Thanksgiving movies for kids?
Free Birds (PG) is listed as free with ads on YouTube as of October 19, 2026. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving was free on Apple TV on November 15 and 16 in 2025 with an Apple Account, so check Apple TV the week before Thanksgiving.
Which Thanksgiving movies for kids are on Netflix?
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (PG) is on Netflix as of October 19, 2026. It's a family road-trip comedy rather than a Thanksgiving story, and it has frequent robot peril played for laughs, so it suits ages 7 and up.
Which Thanksgiving movies for kids are on Disney+?
Fantastic Mr. Fox (PG, ages 7 and up) and Encanto (PG, ages 6 and up) are both on Disney+ as of October 19, 2026. Fantastic Mr. Fox has a big feast scene, and Encanto is about a big family gathering.
Is Free Birds scary for young kids?
It is rated PG and Common Sense Media suggests 6 and up. There are guns, a turkey habitat is destroyed, and an important character dies, so we'd wait until about 6 and preview it for sensitive kids.
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