Family Movie Night: Movies that Get Tweens Talking

Summer movie nights can be more than just a way to beat the heat or pop-up storm; they can spark meaningful conversations, friendly debates, and plenty of laughs. Whether your tween is curious about friendship, courage, technology, history or growing up, the right movie can naturally open the door to discussions.

We’ve rounded up a selection of tween-appropriate streamable films that are entertaining and offer memorable themes, big questions, and relatable moments that your family can talk about long after the credits roll.

Friendship

It often feels like tween friendships change as often as the days of the week. As children build support systems outside of family, it’s important to feel a sense of belonging. Movies can help your tween explore the power of friendship and how to navigate different personalities. Our top picks are “The Goonies,” “School of Rock,” “The Sandlot,” “Toy Story” and “City of Ember.”

Growing Up

Puberty is a fundamental part of being a tween and can often be a difficult subject to approach. Using a character’s experience to ask questions around can help you and your tween feel more comfortable discussing emotions, social expectations, body changes, and more. Try one of these: “Inside Out,” “Turning Red,” “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”

Learning from the Past

Historical fiction is a great way to introduce tweens to big events in history and keep them engaged. It’s important for kids to understand how the world around them was shaped. Choose a theme or time period that interests your tween and for from there. Some of our favorites are “Hidden Figures,” “Hoosiers,” “Apollo 13,” “Remember the Titans” and “Newsies.”

Human Connection

Tweens are in the stage of life when relationships help shape their identity, confidence, emotional skills, and sense of belonging. That’s why it’s so important to keep face-to-face interactions and conversations top of mind. These movies dive deep into relationships, why they matter and how the impact they have: “Big Hero 6,” “The Wild Robot,” “Big Fish” and “Tuck Everlasting.”

Tech vs. Humans

Between phones, computers and video games, technology is king for tweens. Watching movies that show the negative sides of technology or how it can be used to harm the world around us can provide much-needed perspective. A few to check out are “Wall E,” “Project Hail Mary,” “The Lorax,” “Hoot” and “The Martian.”

Perseverance

Being a tween is hard; it’s a time of frequent setbacks and increased expectations. Movies about characters who must overcome a big hurdle can help kids with strategies for dealing with their own challenges, while putting them into perspective. It can also help them understand consequences, both positive and negative, of decisions they may make in the future. Courage abounds in these movies: “Moana,” “Wonder,” “The Blind Side,” “Soul Surfer,” and “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.”

12 Conversation Starters for After the Movie

Parent tip: Remember, there’s no right or wrong answers. It’s just about listening to your tween’s perspective and having a memorable discussion.

Did any character make a choice you agreed or disagreed with? What would you have done differently?
What was the biggest challenge in the movie? How would you have handled it?
Did the movie change your mind about anything?
Which friendship or relationship in the movie felt the most realistic?
Was there a moment that surprised you? Why?
Did the movie remind you of anything happening in your own life or at school?
Which character showed the most courage? What does courage mean to you?
How did technology, social media, or communication affect the story?
If you could be friends with one character, who would it be?
What scene do you think you’ll remember a month from now?
Did the movie raise any questions that you’d like to learn more about?
Would you recommend this movie to a friend? Why or why not?