25 Funny Kids Movies That Will Get Everyone Laughing
Updated: Feb. 01, 2024
Looking for a hilarious flick for movie night? Try these films guaranteed to put a smile on your kiddos' faces.
Need a good laugh?
Life can be tough these days, and everyone needs a chance to relax and unwind at the end of a long week—kids, too! What better way to do that than by curling up on the couch and watching a funny kids movie with the family on a Friday night or rainy Saturday afternoon? Whether they’re silly and slapstick or sweet and heartfelt, all of our picks offer some comfort viewing, with laughter as the best medicine. Of course, we looked to the best animated movies when compiling this list, but we also included some funny family movies that parents or grandparents can enjoy along with the little ones. And even though they’re for kids, some of these flicks deserve to be on the list of the funniest movies of all time. You might even find yourself settling in for a second viewing when the kids are asleep!
The Lego Movie
“Everything is awesome” about this 2014 animated movie in which your kids’ favorite building blocks come to hilarious life. Colorful characters, including many familiar faces like Batman and Wonder Woman, plus the film’s self-aware and riotous sense of humor, will have kids howling. The surprise ending also reveals an emotional message about family. A sequel, as well as two more movies in the franchise, The Lego Batman Movie and The Lego Ninjago Movie, followed. Add to the fun by having a VIP viewing outside with your brood. Here’s what you’ll need to set up a DIY backyard movie theater.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Ratatouille
Rats in the kitchen?! You won’t believe how much you love the idea when watching this funny 2007 flick that infuses a manic romp with a heartwarming message. Remy the rat (the voice of Patton Oswalt) has always wanted to be a chef, so he concocts a plan with a boy who works at a Paris restaurant but has no talent for cooking: The rat will direct the human from under his chef’s hat. What could possibly go wrong? A new ride based on the movie, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, opened at Disney World’s Epcot in October 2021. But beware: As with all the best cooking movies, this film is bound to make you hungry!
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Chicken Run
Classic claymation and a wily British sense of humor keep this 2000 film fresh. From the creators of the similarly funny Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run tells the story of chickens who live on an egg farm and are constantly looking for an escape. They seem to have found it when a rooster who can apparently fly lands on their farm. More than 20 years later, a sequel set to air on Netflix will began production in 2021. To keep the laughs going, share these eggs-traordinarily funny chicken puns with your kids.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
The Princess and the Frog
Disney’s first Black princess, Tiana (the voice of Anika Noni Rose), wants to open her own restaurant in 1920s New Orleans. But when she kisses an enchanted frog, she becomes one herself. Now, she and her frog prince must figure out how to become human again, with many funny moments and toe-tapping jazz music along the way. The 2009 film will be getting the series treatment with a new show, Tiana, on Disney+ in 2022, and Disney World and Disneyland’s Splash Mountain rides are also being updated with a new Princess and the Frog theme, a makeover that’s long overdue.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Night at the Museum
What if everything in the Museum of Natural History came to life at night? We’re talking animals, real-life figures from history, and even a fossilized T. Rex skeleton. That’s the hilarious dilemma facing the museum’s night watchman (Ben Stiller) as he tries to figure out how to control the crazy creatures. This 2006 flick is one of those funny kids movies that’s actually enjoyable for the whole family.
Best for: Ages 7 and up
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
When a young man (the voice of Bill Hader) invents a machine that turns water into food, it literally starts raining meatballs. It seems very zany—and it is—but the silly exterior of this 2009 film masks a genuine beating heart within that young viewers will recognize. Based on the 1978 book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, so you can always follow up your Friday-night viewing with some Saturday-morning reading.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Coco
Kids will be entertained by this visually stunning 2017 movie with a sweet sense of humor as they also learn about Mexico’s Day of the Dead (DÃa de los Muertos). When a music-loving boy named Miguel (the voice of Anthony Gonzalez) mistakenly ends up in the Land of the Dead, he must seek out his great-great-grandfather to solve a family mystery. Even though it’s about the afterlife, those who have departed aren’t scary but loved and celebrated—just as they are in the real-life holiday.
Best for: Ages 7 and up
Nanny McPhee
This 2005 film is a delightful entry into the subgenre of funny kids movies about British nannies. Here, Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) uses a bit of magic to keep her prank-pulling young charges in check—but the odd-looking caregiver is no Mary Poppins. The movie goes overboard on the silly humor and even culminates in a food fight—which, let’s face it, might be why kids love it. If you’re looking for more films to add to the list, check out these Irish movies you can stream now.
Best for: Ages 7 and up
The Boss Baby
Adults may find the premise of this 2017 movie a little strange: A suit-wearing baby who has the voice of Alec Baldwin is a secret agent trying to stop parents from loving puppies more than babies. But somehow, kids find the somewhat convoluted plot hilariously funny. A sequel, The Boss Baby: Family Business, will be released in September. It’s one of the new comedy movies we can’t wait to watch in 2022.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Moana
Moana (the voice of AuliÊ»i Cravalho) is not your typical Disney princess: There’s no love interest or dream of getting married in this 2016 Disney movie. When she teams up with demigod Maui (the voice of Dwayne Johnson) to save her island in the Pacific Ocean, the unlikely duo faces adventure with lots of witty banter, silly animal sidekicks, and clever songs co-written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Like Tiana, Moana will be getting her own series on Disney+ in 2023. A new Moana-themed attraction, Journey of Water, is also one of the major changes coming to Disney’s Epcot.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Ramona and Beezus
Based on the beloved children’s book series by Beverly Cleary, this 2010 movie follows young troublemaker Ramona (Joey King) as she gets into scrapes both at school and at home with her big sister, Beatrice, who she called Beezus (Selena Gomez). As young viewers laugh along with Ramona’s antics, they’ll also recognize the universal struggle of trying to fit in and the perils of dealing with an older sibling who may not always want them around. The Ramona books, by the way, are some of the best children’s books ever written.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Ferdinand
The bulls of Casa del Toro in Spain are supposed to be snorting, angry beasts who go up against bullfighters—but Ferdinand (the voice of John Cena) is a pacifist who’d rather sniff flowers than fight. He and his animal friends try to escape, but is it his destiny to battle a bullfighter? Among all the outlandish escapades typical of funny kids movies that Ferdinand and his friends find themselves in, you’ll find a sweet message of peace, love, and acceptance.
Bonus fun fact: John Cena has set a record for the most Make-A-Wish wishes granted in history.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Trolls World Tour
As if the 2016 original wasn’t enough fun, the 2020 sequel brings even more music and laughter to life, making it an instant classic. In this fun outing guaranteed to get the kids up and dancing, Queen Poppy (the voice of Anna Kendrick) learns that there are other troll tribes based on different genres of music. The leader of a rival tribe wants to dominate all the others—but can they learn that like music, they all work better together in harmony? We’ll have to add this one to the list of movies with the best soundtracks ever.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Home
An alien invasion of Earth provides the setting for a sweet and charmingly funny story of a girl (the voice of Rihanna) trying to reunite with her mom (Jennifer Lopez) with the help of a runaway alien (Jim Parsons). It might be a bit predictable for grown-ups, but kids are sure to laugh at the silly jokes and love the unlikely friendship; plus, the 2015 film features diversity not often seen in animated flicks.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Yes, there’s a bit of potty humor, but that just makes this 2010 movie all the more appealing to kids. Tweens may also relate to the sometimes anxiety-provoking world of middle school—but the film handles it with enough laughs to deliver an uplifting ending message about friendship. The original film, based on the 2007 book, was followed by three sequels. You can pick up the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book in stores now.
Best for: Ages 9 and up
Cars
The original 2006 Pixar movie in the Cars franchise will appeal to vehicle-loving tykes, as it features a hilarious lineup of talking cars. Lightning McQueen (the voice of Owen Wilson) wants to win the big Piston Cup race but is sidetracked, literally, when he ends up in the rundown town of Radiator Springs, where he makes new friends and learns that winning isn’t everything. Do you know the three things never allowed in Disney movies?
Best for: Ages 5 and up
The Croods
This 2013 movie plays on the idea of humans constantly evolving into something better, smarter, and more advanced. When a Neanderthal-like cave family meets an early modern human boy with new ideas, they don’t trust him at first—but then must work together to survive. A 2020 sequel, The Croods: A New Age, ups the fun ante when they meet an even more evolved family, the Bettermans.
Best for: Ages 8 and up
Annie
This cute 2014 update of the beloved 1980s movie (itself an adaptation of the Broadway musical based on a comic that began in the 1920s) gives a more modern, inclusive feel to the timeless tale of little orphan Annie (Quvenzhané Wallis). While the movie may seem a little cheesy to adults, kids will love the bubbly script and the pop and hip-hop-inspired adaptations of the musical’s tunes. Jamie Foxx co-stars as the Daddy Warbucks figure. Your kids may put it on their list of the best-ever movie musicals they’ll want to watch again and again.
Best for: Ages 7 and up
Monsters, Inc.
The 2001 Pixar blockbuster takes a kid’s fear of monsters and turns it on its hilarious head. The scares of children are what keeps the power company Monsters, Inc. chugging along, but when a child mistakenly ends up in the monster world of Monstropolis, monsters Sully (the voice of John Goodman) and Mike (the voice of Billy Crystal) learn laughter is even more powerful. Kids will also enjoy the funny 2013 prequel, Monsters University, and a new series, Monsters at Work, which is heading to Disney+ on July 2. Did you know that Sully has 2.3 million individual hairs that all needed to be animated? That’s one of the surprising facts about Disney’s most famous characters.
Best for: Ages 5 and up
The Secret Life of Pets
Imagining the secret life of pretty much anything (toys, dino skeletons, monsters) is endlessly entertaining for kids, so this funny 2016 film will be right up their alley. Speaking of alleys, when a couple of pets get into an altercation with a group of alley cats, they end up headed to the animal shelter and then get mixed up with a gang of feral animals who want revenge on humans. A sequel, The Secret Life of Pets 2, followed in 2019. This fun family flick just might get you thinking about the secrets your pet isn’t telling you.
Best for: Ages 7 and up
Big Hero 6
No, this isn’t the sixth movie in a franchise—the title refers to the name of a superhero-ish team based on Marvel Comics characters. In addition to a totally amusing story about a kind robot named Baymax and his whiz kid pal Hiro Hamada (the voice of Ryan Potter), the 2014 film was lauded for presenting the most diverse animated cast of a Disney movie yet. One thing to note: This film also deals with heavy topics like death and grief (that’s what spurs Hiro into action), and it’s an unexpected tearjerker. Keep up with your kids’ Marvel knowledge by reading these surprising facts about your favorite superheroes.
Best for: Ages 7 and up
Despicable Me
This creepily funny 2010 film actually features an anti-hero as the main character: a despicable villain named Gru (the voice of Steve Carell) who wants to capture the moon using a stolen shrink ray. He adopts three orphaned girls to help him get access to the shrink ray…but will he actually learn to love them instead? Full of out-there humor, the film created a huge franchise, with two sequels and a prequel, plus another, Minions: The Rise of Gru, on the way in 2022.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Frozen
This 2013 animated Disney blockbuster might be best known for Queen Elsa’s anthem “Let It Go,” but it actually has tons of wry humor as well—namely in the form of the summer-obsessed snowman Olaf (the voice of Josh Gad), who doesn’t quite realize warm weather will turn him into a puddle. Spunky Princess Anna (the voice of Kristen Bell) also offers her own share of quirky laughs as she bucks the princess stereotype and saves the day. Also check out the sequel, Frozen II. One of Olaf’s lines made our list of the 50 best Disney quotes. Can you guess which one? (No peeking!)
Best for: Ages 5 and up
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl
This cult favorite is one of those funny kids movies that is so cheesy, so campy, so (according to some grown-up critics) terrible that of course kids are going to love it. The 2005 film, directed by Robert Rodriguez, is un-ironically serious about its wacky and weird plot, in which a boy’s imaginary superheroes from Planet Drool come to life and need his help. A sort of sequel, We Can Be Heroes with Priyanka Chopra and Pedro Pascal, premiered on Netflix in December 2020, and another is on the way.
Best for: Ages 7 and up
Ice Age
A gang of prehistoric animals tries to figure out what to do with a human baby they encounter as an Ice Age begins in this clever 2002 movie. Although there is quite a bit of peril for the characters, the movie isn’t on thin ice (pun intended) as far as the humor is concerned—instead, the laughs lift the film out of the too-serious-for-kids territory. A huge franchise including four sequels followed.
Best for: Ages 6 and up
Source:
- Common Sense Media (Recommended ages)
Originally Published: July 27, 2021
