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Whatever your plans are for Thanksgiving this year, whether you choose to celebrate or not, you can't help but want to take advantage of having the whole family gathered in one place. Spend some family time together playing board games or just hanging out and hosting a family movie night. If you do go the movie route, we've compiled a list of what we think are the best kids' Thanksgiving movie options to watch this year.
For many, Thanksgiving marks the start of family festivities that last well into the new year. Mom of two Raki Wright enjoys family movie nights with her extended family each Thanksgiving.
"I have such fond childhood memories of Thanksgiving with my family. My grandma would prepare a big feast that she began in the early hours of the morning for us to enjoy in the early afternoon,” Wright told Mom.com. "We’d have the football game on in the living room, where most of the guys would eat. I continued the tradition with my family."
Best Thanksgiving children's movies
Trying to find the best Thanksgiving family movie can be a challenge, especially when there are a variety of ages to please. These Thanksgiving movies include a mix of films for younger viewers that older family members will still enjoy, and movies for discerning tweens and teens — and even their grown-ups.
1. A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving
Disney's A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving, which was released in 1998, is available on Disney+ and brings Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Rabbit together to learn the true meaning of friends who become family.
2. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
If you've been paying attention for the last few years, you'll know that the only place you'll be able to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is on AppleTV+, as the conglomerate bought exclusive rights to the beloved classic. So if you don't have AppleTV+, make sure you've got the DVD because it won't be on network television this year.
3. Free Birds
Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson lend their voices to this turkey-themed animated film, perfect for a family-friendly Thanksgiving movie night. Reggie is the pardoned presidential turkey who, along with his friend Jake, travel back in time to try to take turkey off the Thanksgiving menu.
4. Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Kevin James portrays a single dad and mall security guard just trying to live his life and get the respect he deserves. His skills are put to the test when he finds himself the only one able to rescue hostages in a mall heist situation on Black Friday. Tweens, teens, and adults will find this one funny and entertaining.
5. We're Back: A Dinosaur's Story
Based on the eponymous book from the '80s, We're Back: A Dinosaur's Story follows four dinosaur friends as they're transported to the future — all the way to New York City on Thanksgiving. You'll hear a few familiar voices — John Goodman, Rhea Pearlman, and Jay Leno — in this 1993 Thanksgiving animated movie.
Must-watch historically accurate Thanksgiving movies
It may be a challenge if you're looking to find the best Thanksgiving movie, one that is both historically accurate and tells the true history of the holiday. But there are some movies that do a fairly good job of dispelling myths or uncovering the often-whitewashed history.
6. Saints and Strangers
This docudrama streaming on Amazon Prime premiered on network television in 2015. Critics agree that the way Native Americans are portrayed in the series can be exploitative at times, but it does provide insight into problematic colonialism.
7. Desperate Crossing: The Untold Story of the Mayflower
Given the actual history, this may be another movie that's better for ages 14 and up as it delves into the harsh realities of life in the colonies in the 1600s. What is particularly different and interesting about this docuseries is that it is filmed in Europe and at Plymouth Plantation. Royal Shakespeare Company actors and the Massachusetts Wampanoag tribe re-create what occurred during the first year of the colonists' arrival in Massachusetts.
For those looking for more, Apache-Lipan educator Kelly Tudor offered some suggestions in a video posted to the History Unboxed Facebook page. "There are a lot of great Native American films and documentaries out there — Native-made documentaries. On PBS and Amazon Prime as well, things like Rumble: Indians Who Rocked the World, that one's incredible," Tudor offered.
Additional movies and documentaries Tudor suggested in the Facebook post include:
- Gather
- We Shall Remain (PBS docuseries)
- Warrior Women
Tudor also suggests families visit cultural centers or Native American museums in their area to learn about and acknowledge the contributions of Native Americans throughout history.
