A good childrens film is one that can keep a child of any age engrossed, but also has something for grown-ups. It is lovely to be able to sit down as a family and watch something which is not to childish and also not too much aimed at either boys or girls. These principles are what have formed the basis of this top 5 list.

Toy Story

Toy story is about Andy and his toys who come to life when he is not in the room. It is an animated tale and there are now two sequels to the original film. They all provide some sort of excitement which keeps viewers interested as well as having a lot of comedy. The animation is realistic and the stories are believable which makes them a great series of films, especially for younger children.

Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins is an old film and the combination of animation and real actors, was very new at the time it was made. It is about a nanny who comes to a family and provides all sorts fun activities at the same time as discipline. It is also a musical which adds another dimension and allows all the family to sing along with the well known songs. The film is based on a series of books and it could even encourage the children to read them.

The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music is an English classic about a nun who becomes a nanny in a family home where the children have no mother. Te romantic storyline, between the nun and the Father of the household, keeps the adults interested and the lovely songs and children’s activities keep the children watching interested. It is probably a film for older children, especially when the Nazi’s arrive towards the end as this could be a bit scary, but there is a happy ending, which is of course a must for a good children’s film.

The Cat in the Hat

The Cat in the Hat is based on the well-known Dr Seuss book. It is a zany and wacky film, like the book and is very funny for children and adults alike. If parents were brought up with Dr Seuss then they will; enjoy reliving the book through the film. It is a fun film and the children are home alone and bored until The Cat in the Hat arrives and causes all sorts of fun which turns to chaos which the children must put right before their parents return.

Mrs Doubtfire

This is a film where Robin Williams plays the father who is divorced and does not get to see his children enough. He therefore dresses up as a woman and applies to be their housekeeper, a role which he gets and there are all sorts of fun adventures before he accidentally reveals his true identity. It looks like it will be a disaster before the expected happy ending is revealed where he earns back the rights to see his children. A film for older children, which has a happy ending and will also keep the grown ups amused.