List RulesOnly children's films that feature live animals. No movies that are only animated.
What are the best animal movies for kids? This list of great live animal movies for children includes some of the most classic, iconic movies in cinema history. Many of them, not surprisingly, rank among the best children's movies and films of all time, and several are Disney live action movies, as well. Which ones are your favorites, and which ones do you believe are the most appropriate for youngsters? Time to vote! And, by all means, if you know of an outstanding (live action) animal movie that's great for the kiddos and isn't on the list right now, add it!
Many of the greatest animal movies ever made are geared, at least in part, towards children. From the loveable, wonderful, Academy Award-winning 'Babe' to the adventures of one of the cinema's greatest pooches, Benji, live action animal movies have entertained generations of children over the decades.
Obviously, any list of the best animal movies for children must include the animals (perhaps the greatest dog movies?) From 'Beethoven' to 'Air Bud' and Disney's 'The Shaggy Dog,' these pooches gave their all with their outstanding performances, all of our entertainment.
But it isn't just the dogs who should get all the credit: Several films on this list are among the best cat movies and cat movies for kids, including 'That Darn Cat!' and the campy classic 'The Cat From Outer Space.' Cats and dogs share the screen too, in excellent kids animal movies like 'Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey,' 'The Adventures of Milo & Otis' and the aptly titled 'Cats & Dogs.' You might also like our list of dog movies for kids and Disney animal movies.
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332102Actors: Sally Field, Michael J. Fox, Frank Welker, Don Ameche, Jean Smart
Directed by: Duwayne Dunham
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is a 1993 American remake of the 1963 film The... more2
29381Babe
1995Actors: Hugo Weaving, James Cromwell, Miriam Margolyes, Roscoe Lee Browne, Magda Szubanski
Directed by: Chris Noonan
Babe is a 1995 comedy-drama film, co-written and directed by Chris Noonan. It is an adaptation... more3
27379101 Dalmatians
1996Actors: Hugh Laurie, Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Joely Richardson, Frank Welker
101 Dalmatians is a 1996 family comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed... more4
24869A Dog's Way Home
2019Actors: Ashley Judd, Edward James Olmos, Alexandra Shipp, Wes Studi, Chris Bauer
Directed by: Charles Martin Smith
A Dog's Way Home is a 2019 American family drama film directed by Charles Martin Smith, based... more5
20994Stuart Little
1999Actors: Hugh Laurie, Geena Davis, Michael J. Fox, Jennifer Tilly, Jeffrey Jones
Directed by: Rob Minkoff
Stuart Little is a 1999 American family comedy film directed by Rob Minkoff. It is loosely... more6
14740The Jungle Book
2016Actors: Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong'o, Scarlett Johansson
Directed by: Jon Favreau
The Jungle Book is a 2016 fantasy adventure film directed and co-produced by Jon Favreau.... more7
19990Actors: Dudley Moore, Shigeru Tsuyugushi
Directed by: Masanori Hata
The Adventures of Milo and Otis is an Japanese adventure comedy-drama film about two animals,... more8
19281Free Willy
1993Actors: Danielle Harris, Michael Madsen, Michael Ironside, Mykelti Williamson, Richard Riehle
Directed by: Simon Wincer
Free Willy is a 1993 American family drama film that was released by Warner Bros. under its... more9
19180Beethoven
1992Actors: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Duchovny, Patricia Heaton, Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt
Directed by: Brian Levant
Beethoven is a 1992 family comedy film, directed by Brian Levant and starring Charles Grodin... more10
16768Old Yeller
1957Actors: Chuck Connors, Fess Parker, Dorothy McGuire, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran
Directed by: Robert Stevenson
Old Yeller is a 1957 American family tragedy film produced by Walt Disney. It stars Tommy... more11
17670Dolphin Tale
2011Actors: Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson, Harry Connick, Jr.
Directed by: Charles Martin Smith
Dolphin Tale is a 2011 family drama film directed by Charles Martin Smith from a screenplay by... more12
Actors: Sally Field, Michael J. Fox, Carla Gugino, Tommy Lasorda, Sinbad
Directed by: David R. Ellis
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco is the 1996 sequel to the 1993 film Homeward Bound:... more13
12145102 Dalmatians
2000Actors: Glenn Close, Ioan Gruffudd, Gérard Depardieu, Eric Idle, Ian Richardson
Directed by: Kevin Lima
102 Dalmatians is a 2000 family comedy film directed by Kevin Lima in his live action... more14
146181Lassie
1994Actors: Michelle Williams, Helen Slater, Richard Farnsworth, Frederic Forrest, Jon Tenney
Directed by: Daniel Petrie
Lassie is a 1994 adventure family film directed by Daniel Petrie and featuring the fictional... more15
142170Benji
1974Actors: Edgar Buchanan, Frances Bavier, Peter Breck, Herb Vigran, Deborah Walley
Directed by: Joe Camp
This tail-wagging tale begins as Benji visits his pals Cindy and Paul, whose father Paul... more16
128150Actors: Annette Funicello, Fred MacMurray, Jack Albertson, Strother Martin, Paul Frees
Directed by: Charles Barton
The Shaggy Dog is a black-and-white 1959 Walt Disney film about Wilby Daniels, a teenage boy... more17
16081Air Bud
1997Actors: Mark Jackson, Kevin Zegers, Michael Jeter, Wendy Makkena, Bill Cobbs
Directed by: Charles Martin Smith
Air Bud is a 1997 American family comedy film that sparked the franchise centered on the... more18
402The Lion King
2019Actors: Donald Glover, Beyoncé, James Earl Jones, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Billy Eichner
Directed by: Jon Favreau
The Lion King is a 2019 American live-action epic musical drama film directed by Jon Favreau,... more19
9568Actors: Rex Allen, Jan Rubeš, John Drainie, Émile Genest, Eric Clavering
Directed by: Fletcher Markle
The Incredible Journey is a 1963 live-action Walt Disney film based on the novel, The... more20
187108Cats & Dogs
2001Actors: Alec Baldwin, Susan Sarandon, Jeff Goldblum, Charlton Heston, Tobey Maguire
Directed by: Lawrence Guterman
Cats & Dogs is a 2001 American-Australian action-comedy film, directed by Lawrence Guterman.... more21
12148Actors: Elle Fanning, AnnaSophia Robb, Jeff Daniels, Dave Matthews, Eva Marie Saint
Directed by: Wayne Wang
Because of Winn-Dixie is a 2005 American family comedy-drama film adapted from the book of the... more22
12360Eight Below
2006Actors: Paul Walker, Moon Bloodgood, Jason Biggs, Bruce Greenwood, Wendy Crewson
Directed by: Frank Marshall
Eight Below is a 2006 American family drama adventure film directed by Frank Marshall and... more23
11352That Darn Cat!
1965Actors: Roddy McDowall, Hayley Mills, Elsa Lanchester, Dean Jones, Ed Wynn
Directed by: Robert Stevenson
That Darn Cat! is a 1965 American Walt Disney Productions thriller comedy film starring Hayley... more24
11867Actors: Naomi Watts, Mickey Rooney, Hugo Weaving, James Cromwell, Steven Wright
Directed by: George Miller
Babe: Pig in the City is a 1998 Australian-American comedy-drama film and the sequel to the... more25
7960Doctor Dolittle
1967Actors: Richard Attenborough, Norm Macdonald, Rex Harrison, Samantha Eggar, Geoffrey Holder
Directed by: Richard Fleischer
Doctor Dolittle is a 1967 American musical film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Rex... more