When it comes time to watch movies with kids, there are tons of Christmas movies. Halloween films abound. But Valentine's Day? There are far fewer of those, and it's harder to come up with a list of Valentine's Day movies for kids that you can make a tradition of watching together year after year.
But if you have the type of family that loves gathering on the couch together, all is not lost. There are still plenty of family-friendly movies that celebrate love, romance and the bonds that connect us. On this list, you'll find our picks for the best movies to watch with kids on Valentine's Day. Gather together with a box of heart-shaped chocolates and make it a movie night!
Full disclosure: Only a couple of them are Valentine's Day-specific, mostly in the form of a half-hour special. There are some entries filled with hearts and flowers that are appropriate for your toddlers and preschoolers. As they get older, you can venture into fairy tales and fantasies that peddle in stories of true love. And then there are the YA rom-coms you can watch with the teens and tweens. (There's even a super hero movie or two in case they don't like dealing with all that mushy stuff.)
DISNEY/PIXAR
Elemental (2023)
There's forbidden love, and there's ... impossible love? In Pixar's Elemental, the world is divided into four groups: Fire, Water, Air and Earth. When two people find a connection across groups, they have to figure out if they can make it work without destroying each other — or their families. It's not specifically about Valentine's Day, but it is about how love may or may not conquer all.
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APPLE TV+
Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975)
No matter the holiday, there's always a Charlie Brown special ready to stir up the (mixed emotions), In tis one, Charlie hopes for a full mailbox of cards at his school V-Day party, while Linus wants to give a present to his teacher. But, in true Peanuts fashion, not everyone gets what they want.
SONY PICTURES
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
How can you have a love triangle between Spider-Man, Spider-Man and Spider-Man? When you start messing with multiverses, anything is possible. Miles Morales (Spider-Man) pines for Gwen Stacy (Ghost Spider), but she's lost in a different dimension. Meanwhile, she's getting close to Hobie (Spider Punk) — and they're dealing with a threat to the whole multiverse. Does it work out for them? Keep in mind, this is only Part I, and there's no date yet for Part II.
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DISNEY
Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You (1999)
This one is as gentle as they come, so you might be able to watch with the littlest movie fans in your life. This 22-minute short finds the gang at the 100 Acre Wood jealous that Christopher Robin is using his time to make a Valentine's Day card for a girl. Owl helps them deduce that Christopher Robin is lovesick, and only a "lovebug" called a "smitten" can cure him — so they head on a hunt through the forest to find one.
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NETFLIX
Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie (2023)
Superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir, when they're not saving France, spend most of their time pining for each other. The problem? They have no idea that, out of costume, they're really Marinette and Adrien, two high school students in the same class. This musical Netflix movie re-tells their origin story and explains how they got into such a complicated tangle.
NETFLIX
True: Happy Hearts Day (2019)
In this 23-minute preschool special, True and her cat Bartleby come across the Rainbow Kingdom's loneliest citizen. Can she harness the power of happy hearts to keep him from spreading his gloom?
BUENA VISTA
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)
If The Princess Diaries was all about Mia coming into her own as royalty, the sequel is about her search for a suitor. You see, Mia can only become queen if she marries. Chris Pine plays the dashing Nicholas, one of her potential fiancés.
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DREAMWORKS PICTURES
Trolls (2016)
Candy-colored and cheerful, the Trolls are all about spreading love and happiness. Their joyful world is turned upside down when gloomy, mean Bergens threaten to pull the plug on all the fun. With catchy music by Justin Timberlake, the animated film will keep everyone singing and dancing. It's a good one to re-visit in the wake of the third Trolls movie, Trolls Band Together, which was recently released in theaters and is not yet streaming.
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PARAMOUNT PICTURES
Addams Family Values (1993)
For families who binge-watched Wednesday on Netflix, follow it up with another round of Addams family exploits. In this film, the sequel to the 1991 film adaptation, there's a lot of wooing going on: Not only are Gomez and Morticia still over the moon for each other (and also their new baby, Pubert), Uncle Fester becomes enamored of Pubert's nanny, Debbie. The only problem is that Debbie is a serial killer who marries and murders rich men. It's a good choice for kids who can't abide all the mushy stuff that goes with Valentine's Day.
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DISNEY
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S (2018)
In a sci-fi twist on forbidden romance, this musical takes place in a town that suffered an accident at a power plant, turning half the population into zombies. The zombies and humans were walled off from each other until the government invented Z-bands, which keeps the zombies from craving human brains and allows the humans and zombies to mingle once more. Amidst this rocky reintegration, a zombie football player and a human cheerleader fall in love, and have to keep their romance a secret from their family and friends. Z-O-M-B-I-E-S is now a three-movie franchise, and its most recent installment, 2022's Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3, introduces aliens into the mix.
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TOUCHSTONE PICTURES
Gnomeo and Juliet (2011)
Loosely based on William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, this 3D computer-animated movie puts a family-friendly spin on the timeless tale of forbidden love. Kids who enjoy it can move onto the sequel, Sherlock Gnomes, though it's less of a love story.
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TOHO
Belle (2022)
For older ones, this anime is sort of a sci-fi, futuristic retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It follows Suzu, a shy girl who lives in a small town. When she enters a metaverse known as the U, though, she's a famous singer with thousands of fans. But also lurking in the U is a beast known as "The Dragon," who forms a connection with Belle. Can they get past their differences — and possibly meet up in the real world?
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DISNEY
Lady and the Tramp (2019)
When a pampered pup’s posh, comfortable home life becomes strained, she befriends a charming stray mutt who wins her heart in this classic tale, complete with an iconic, romantic spaghetti-eating scene. You can go for the remake, which stars Tessa Thompson, Justin Theroux and Janelle Monáe, or watch the 1955 animated classic.
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SONY PICTURES RELEASING
Little Women (2019)
Older ones might be enamored with the March family — and their neighbor Laurie, who falls in love with multiple March sisters. This adaptation was directed by Greta Gerwig, who made this year's Barbie movie, though you can always opt for the 1994 version with Christian Bale as Laurie instead of Timothée Chalamet.
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20TH CENTURY FOX
The Peanuts Movie (2015)
For something longer than Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, this full-length, computer-animated comedy finds Charlie enamored with the Little Red-Haired Girl who moves into his neighborhood. He and his beloved beagle, Snoopy, encounter misadventures in his quest to get to know her better.
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20TH CENTURY FOX
The Princess Bride (1987)
This classic fairy tale puts a refreshing twist on the age-old damsel-in-distress story. Based on William Goldman’s fantasy novel of the same title, it’s teeming with comedy, adventure and, of course, romance. Starring Robin Wright and Cary Elwes, this 1987 release is lauded as a pop culture masterpiece.
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AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
Cinderella (2021)
Pitch Perfect's Kay Cannon directs a new Cinderella adaptation, which mixes in various pop songs as part of the musical soundtrack. The plot is a twist on the typical prince-gets-girl story, too.
DISNEY/PIXAR
Luca (2021)
There's romantic love, and then there's the love that kids feel when they experience the freedom of riding a Vespa. Guess which is stronger? In Luca, three kids on the Italian Riviera develop a friendship over trying to build, win or ride a scooter — all while keeping a big secret — but they end up with much more.
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DISNEY
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
Set in New Orleans, this animated musical follows Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), a phenomenal cook and aspiring restaurateur, who is mistakenly turned into a frog by Prince Naveen. And Prince Naveen has also been turned into an amphibian by an evil force! Together the pair must work together to break their spells.
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UNIVERSAL PICTURES
The Little Rascals (1994)
This 1994 feature follows a group of mischievous kids who set out to lead a no girls allowed organization. When Spanky and Buckwheat catch wind that their buddy Alfalfa is canoodling with a girl named Darla, they desperately try to thwart their budding romance in this sweet-but-funny adventure.
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PARAMOUNT PICTURES
Charlotte's Web (1973)
One of the world’s most beloved children’s books is brought to life in this 1973 animated adaptation. When a spider named Charlotte learns of her friend Wilbur the Pig’s planned fate, she does her best to keep him safe while teaching him and other barnyard animals lessons on love and friendship.
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NETFLIX
The Little Prince (2015)
Based on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s timeless tale, this reimagined animation expands on the classic. Universal themes of love, adventure and friendship remain at the core of this 2015 adaptation.
DREAMWORKS PICTURES
Shrek (2001)
Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy star in this Academy Award-winning animated feature. The film tells the story of Shrek, an ogre who is on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) with the assistance of his wisecracking, yet endearing donkey who provides nonstop laughter. And yet at the end there's a poignant message about loving yourself the way you are.
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PIXAR//DISNEY
Wall-E (2008)
Wall-E is many things. It's a sci-fi adventure in space. It's an environmental parable. But it's also the story of an adorable robot, and the lovely friendship he finds after working all alone for many years.
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SONY PICTURES
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
Break this out at Halloween or Valentine's Day: It follows what happens when a human accidentally stumbles upon a hotel for monsters, attracting the attention of Dracula's daughter, Mavis. If your kids love Drac and Mavis, there's a whole series of Hotel Transylvania films that follow.
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COLUMBIA PICTURES
My Girl (1991)
First love is often the most intense — and it never lasts. This one is for older kids, who can handle a tragic love story.
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NETFLIX
Tall Girl (2019)
Once insecure about her extraordinary height, high schooler Jodi comes to terms with her stature and learns to stand tall in this teen romantic comedy. If the kids like it, they can move on to the sequel, Tall Girl 2.
DISNEY
Frozen (2013)
An instant classic, this Oscar-winning animated musical tells the story of the unbreakable bond between sisters Anna and Elsa in the icy land of Arendelle, showing that familial love is just as important as romantic love.
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NETFLIX
Wish Dragon (2021)
In this Aladdin-like tale, Din is given a teapot that reveals a dragon, who is ready to grant three wishes. Din uses them to try and impress Li Na, his childhood best friend who went on to live the life of a celebrity. Will his scheme work?
NETFLIX
Free Rein: Valentine's Day (2019)
Gorgeous, galloping horses abound in this 50-minute Netflix special. It centers around the series’ main character, Zoe Phillips, and her friends as they go on a mission to find a precious stone. There is, of course, mild sprinkles of teen romance throughout.
