Go green on your next family film night! Climate change and other environmental issues can be heavy for young children. That’s why these powerful themes are sometimes hidden in films full of beautiful imagery, interesting characters and exciting plot lines.
We must look closely at humans' impact on the world in both positive and negative ways such as the impact on our natural environment and wildlife. These films make difficult topics digestible for young children, whilst also getting them excited and motivated to make a difference.
Prepare for those rainy days in the six-week holidays and find your kids a film that will teach them about the importance of protecting the planet with one of these picks (that big kids like us love).
Finding Dory (2016)
Ages 6-12 years old
4 stars
Finding Dory tackles the importance of caring for our oceans and minimising the rising temperatures. Nemo, a clownfish, and Dory a blue tang both go on adventures across the Great Barrier Reef, on an adventure. Both Finding Nemo and Finding Dory address the serious issue affecting all life on our planet, littering, and how it can create danger and cause the death of animals. In Finding Dory, viewers see Dory get tangled in a ring of plastic. This film encourages viewers to appreciate the beauty and importance of marine ecosystems while also addressing the devastating effects of pollution and overfishing (3).
Wall E (2008)
Ages 5-14 years old
5 stars
Known as Disney’s ‘anti-consumption eco dystopian gem’, Wall E is set 700 years in the future. Wall E is a robot with a big job. He is responsible for cleaning a waste-covered planet after humans have fled Earth and gone to live on a spaceship in the sky. Humans were relying on an army of Wall-E’s to clean the mess they left, but only one lone Wall-E remained to tidy the planet. The world appears scary, with rubbish everywhere, abandoned and dangerous. This film shows what may lie ahead for the human race if littering, recycling and other environmental concerns aren’t addressed. This gentle, futuristic cautionary tale shows Earth as a barren landscape with no human life left inhabiting it. (1) All is not lost, and hope is found in the form of a plant by EVE, the robot's love interest. Wall E follows EVE back to space, and his adventures there eventually convince the humans they must return to Earth. This film allows viewers to see the effects humans have on the planet, and the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling!
Over the Hedge (2006)
Ages 6-13 years old
3 stars
The adventure begins for a group of wild animals when they wake up from hibernation and realise half their forest has been destroyed and replayed with a suburban neighbourhood hidden behind a giant hedge. Throughout the movie, the animals witness the destruction of trees and forms of pollution caused by human consumption. The film also touches on over-consumption in the human world, a leading cause of not only the destruction of habitats but also climate change. This film is a good example of how urban development impacts animals a little closer to home.
The Lorax (2012)
Ages 5-11 years old
3 stars
This lively adaptation of the Dr Seuss book has a strong environmental message amongst the fun riddles, nonsense and riddles (1). Deforestation, respect for all types of creatures and respect for ourselves all run throughout this much-loved story. The colour and vibrancy that runs throughout this film only amplify our need to preserve the amazing things we have on our incredible planet. (1) Based on Dr Seuss's classic children's book, this animated feature tells the tale of a young boy who seeks to restore the devastated environment of his town by planting a single seed. Along the way, he learns the tragic story of the Lorax, a creature who fought to protect his forest from the destruction caused by unchecked industrialization. The movie serves as a powerful reminder that positive change can come from small actions and that it is never too late to make amends for past mistakes (3).
Rio 2 (2014)
Ages 6-12 years old
2 stars
Rio 2 the movie also tackles the issue of illegal logging and deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest (8). The evil Human Corporation threatens to destroy their home with steam shovels and deforestation. In the end, after many awkward attempts to become one of them, the outsider is the one who leads the indigenous creatures to fight against the evil humans, ultimately triumphing against their wanton eco-destructiveness in an epic battle. The ingenious birds swarm the loggers Hitchcock-style, jam stones into the engines of their noisy trucks, and untie dynamite from trees in the nick of time. The good guys and the forest win. Rio 2 will spark a conversation about climate change and inspire children to save our environment.
Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)
Age 8-13 years old
4 stars
In another much-loved children’s film, we follow our friendly prehistoric friends as they tackle the threatening issue of global warming causing the Ice Age to come to an end (5). With global warming threatening their once-icy domain with widespread flooding (4), these animals are on the move to find safety on higher ground. There’s a threat of extinction for some of our much-loved characters, and all of them are discovering food isn’t as readily available everywhere else. Demonstrating courage and teamwork, this zany film follows the group who must get to safety. This is a great film, that tackles very relevant issues even today such as population displacement, food security and the effects of global warming. This is an easy entry point to understanding the shifting patterns in the climate and how they can affect creatures great and small (1).
Bee Movie (2007)
Ages 6-13 years old
5 stars
The Bee Movie is a family favourite! Barry B. Benson gives an alternative view to a huge environmental issue that is still prevalent today. Barry is a pollinator bee, whose job it is to collect honey. After discovering he can talk to a human, he discovers the exploitation of bees for their honey (6). In a valiant effort to save his fellow bees, Barry wins a lawsuit against the humans regarding the honey industry. He frees all of his fellow bees and they never have to work again. On the human side, Barry’s human girlfriend, a flower shop owner, soberly accepts her fate: possible homelessness, as all of the plants in the world start dying. Only then does Barry realize the results of what he has done. Barry takes the initiative to save the world. He inspires the bees to pollinate again (6). This is an exciting journey through environmentalism, highlighting the importance of our bees and the importance of looking after our environment.
The Muppets (2011)
Ages 6-14 PG
2 stars
The Muppet Theatre is under threat. A Muppet fanatic with some help from his 2 human compatriots must regroup the Muppet gang to stop an avaricious oil mogul from taking down one of their precious life-longing treasures (7). This film teaches the importance of standing up for what you love and believe in.
Happy Feet (2006)
Ages 3-11
4 stars
While the main premise of the movie focuses on a tap-dancing penguin named Mumble learning it’s okay to be different, we get a glimpse of human impact on the natural habitat, particularly the ocean (2). Mumble is blamed for the scarcity of fish in the ocean, which is a nod to overfishing caused by humans. Overfishing leaves the penguins in turmoil while one of Mumble’s friends finds himself choked by plastic rings from ocean waste. It’s not an ‘in your face’ exhibition but highlights some of the issues facing the natural world today (2).
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Ages 8-13 years old
4 stars
After Homer pollutes the already toxic Lake Springfield beyond repair, the whole town is forced into quarantine under a giant dome. The movie spreads awareness of the dangers of pollution and its detrimental effects on the environment and human and animal life (9).
References:
1. https://www.intofilm.org/films/filmlist/12
2. https://eco-age.com/resources/childrens-movies-green-theme/
3. https://www.ranker.com/list/best-eco-friendly-kids-movies/ranker-film
4. https://scienceonscreen.org/films/ice-age-the-meltdown
5. https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/reviews/view/15379/ice-age-the-meltdown
7. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1204342/
9. https://impactnottingham.com/2021/04/10-best-animated-films-with-a-green-theme/