As we finalize preparations for our annual Tumbleweeds Film Festival For Kids (taking place on April 20th at the Viridian Events Center in West Jordan, with field trips being held from April 17th-19th), our staff has seized the opportunity to reflect on our favorite movies made for kids! Spanning generations of films, from 1951 all the way to 2023, our picks include animated and live action endeavors that are guaranteed to please even the pickiest of kiddos. And, we couldn’t help but notice crossovers between some of our favorite movies and our 2024 Tumbleweeds selections!
Read on to discover classics made for kids, and bring a pencil to plan out your Tumbleweeds movie-watching schedule based on our recommended viewing!
Sophie Caligiuri | Development Manager
The Sandlot (Check out Coco Farm at Tumbleweeds!)
Corpse Bride
It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
School of Rock (Beware! PG-13…check out a 100% kid appropriate alternative, Bertie the Brilliant at Tumbleweeds!)
All pre-2010 Scooby Doo
All Jim Henson
Julie Gale | Education & Family Programs Director
Labyrinth (Check out the student made film, Sister Sister Jinx at Tumbleweeds!)
The Goonies (You’ll love Giants of La Mancha)
The Muppet Movie
Disney’s Robin Hood (Rosa and the Stone Troll will be your family’s jam!)
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)
Meagan Benensohn | Marketing Manager
Up
The Karate Kid (Don’t miss Dancing Queen at Tumbleweeds!)
Holes
The Parent Trap (1998) (Check out Cupids!)
Home Alone (Make sure and see the student-made film Late at Tumbleweeds!)The Sound of Music (You’ll love A Boy’s Ballet Story)
Russell Roots | Director of Film Exhibition
Tron
The Dark Crystal (Check out Giants of La Mancha!)
Jaws (Not actually for kids, but Russell liked it as a kid. There will be no Jaws equivalent at Tumbleweeds, thank goodness!)
Destroy All Monsters
Forbidden Planet (If you like Destroy All Monsters and Forbidden Planet, we think you’ll love All is Not Lost at Tumbleweeds!)
Logan Meyers | Education Manager
Where The Wild Things Are
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (Check out An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It)
How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (We think you’ll like All is Not Lost)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Secret of the Ooze
Meghan Horner | Development Director
My Neighbor Totoro (You’ll love Kintsugi)
Labyrinth
Wolfwalkers (Rosa and the Stone Troll will be your jam!)
Alice in Wonderland
Stand By Me (We love these kid protagonists, but since this film is Rated R (for swears!), we think you should check out a 100% kid friendly alternative, Dancing Queen, at Tumbleweeds!)
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)
Kate Sensenig | Film Exhibition Manager
Shrek
Ratatouille
Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers (Don’t miss An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It!)
Kiki’s Delivery Service (Check out Coco Farm!)Muppets Treasure Island (You’ll love the student made film, Dinohorse!)
Jenn Blum | Marketing Director
Into the Spiderverse
Paddington 2
Tron
Song of the Sea
The Secret of Nimh (You’ll love Rosa and the Stone Troll!)Most Studio Ghibli (If you like Ghibli, you’ll like all of our Shorts Celebration Program!)
Isaac Fairley | Corporate Underwriting Coordinator
The Little Rascals (1994)
Problem Child (Check out Sister Sister Jinx, made by a local student!)
The Rugrats Movie (Check out Blueberry!)
The Pagemaster
Space Jam (1996)
Mariah Mellus | Executive Director
Goonies (You won’t wanna miss Coco Farm at Tumbleweeds!)
Nimona
Tangled
Star Wars: A New Hope
Encanto
Kate McKellar | Executive Assistant to the Founder
Mulan
The Princess Bride
Singin’ In The Rain (Dancing Queen will be your jam!)
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (You’ll love Blueberry!)Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (2005) (Check out Bertie the Brilliant at Tumbleweeds!)
Frank Bennett | Fiscal Sponsorship Manager and Artist Liaison
The Iron Giant (Giants of La Mancha…obviously!)
