10 Greatest ’90s Kids Movies Ever Made

The 1990s were a fantastic time for family movies, creating films that people of all ages still enjoy today. These movies were designed to be broadly appealing, capturing kids’ attention with fun stories and also offering enough depth and strong acting to keep adults entertained.

Movies from the 1990s remain popular today, and people often rewatch them. This is partly because adults enjoy the nostalgia they evoke. But these films also succeeded because they were genuinely good – well-made and heartwarming for audiences of all ages, whether they were animated or live-action.

Jumanji (1995)

Jumanji successfully blends family-friendly humor with exciting, suspenseful moments. Like many children’s films from the 1990s, it doesn’t shy away from tackling serious themes.

This movie is like a dark and thrilling fairy tale, using the classic formula of a survival horror story. It’s based on the book Jumanji and tells the story of a magical board game that pulls people into a perilous jungle. The jungle feels incredibly real, thanks to amazing sets and special effects. While the story is suspenseful, Robin Williams’ performance adds moments of warmth and humor.

Back in 1995, a review in Variety predicted that Jumanji wouldn’t stay popular for very long. But that prediction turned out to be wrong! The series was successfully revived in 2017 with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

Muppet Treasure Island (1996)

As a big Muppet fan, I always put Muppet Treasure Island right up there with the best of their 90s films. It’s special to me because it was one of the first Muppet movies directed by Brian Henson, Jim Henson’s son. He’d already proven himself with The Muppet Christmas Carol a couple of years earlier, which I absolutely love – taking the classic Dickens story and filling it with Muppet mayhem!

Like many Muppet movies, Muppet Treasure Island retells a classic story – this time, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. It’s a fun, silly movie that’s perfect for children, but enjoyable for viewers of all ages.

Like all Muppet films, Muppet Treasure Island stars human actors alongside the Muppet characters. Tim Curry delivers a memorable performance as the pirate Long John Silver. Though it doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves, the movie has a dedicated fanbase and strong ratings – 80% from critics and 77% from audiences – on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Prince of Egypt (1998)

With beautiful animation and a powerful soundtrack, The Prince of Egypt brings the classic story of Moses and his brother Rameses to life in an epic adventure.

This DreamWorks movie brought together some of Hollywood’s most talented people. It stars well-known actors like Ralph Fiennes and Helen Mirren. While not officially credited, Steven Spielberg helped shape the film’s story. The music, composed by Stephen Schwartz and Hans Zimmer, included the award-winning song “When You Believe,” which won the Best Original Song Oscar in 1999.

With a highly-rated 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, The Prince of Egypt remains a beloved film for many, enjoyed by people of all backgrounds. It’s widely considered a beautifully made animated classic.

Cool Runnings (1993)

The movie Cool Runnings is based on the story of Jamaica’s first bobsleigh team at the Winter Olympics. However, the actual 1988 team has said the film isn’t very accurate.

As a fictional story, Cool Runnings is a heartwarming film that celebrates sportsmanship and finding your identity. It successfully blends humor with touching moments, and features a memorable performance by John Candy. The movie remains popular today and continues to be a part of pop culture—it was even referenced in the 2018 series Derry Girls, where a character questions the trustworthiness of people who hadn’t seen it.

Since it came out, the movie Cool Runnings has been criticized for using exaggerated and stereotypical portrayals of Jamaican people and their culture. The characters’ exaggerated accents, in particular, have been a source of controversy, even among those who made the film.

The Sandlot (1993)

The Sandlot is a heartwarming comedy that explores themes of friendship and belonging. The movie tells the story of a lonely young boy who discovers a sense of community when he’s welcomed into a local baseball team.

There’s a strong sense of childhood memories woven throughout The Sandlot, making it feel like a classic story of growing up. It’s often compared to Stand By Me, but for a 1990s audience. Though it wasn’t a huge hit in theaters when it first came out, the movie eventually found a loyal following on home video.

Director David Mickey Evans told the LA Times that the film came out during the peak of the VHS and Blockbuster era. It then gained even more fans when it became available on cable, DVD, and later, streaming services. The movie is known for being enjoyable, and it currently has an 89% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Parent Trap (1998)

The 1998 version of The Parent Trap is one of the few remakes that many people actually prefer over the original. Both films, starting with the 1961 release, tell the story of identical twins who cleverly switch places in an attempt to get their divorced parents back together.

In retrospect, the parents’ choice to each raise one of their identical twins seems strange. However, the movie that follows is a fun mix of romantic comedy and a story about growing up. The 1998 version stars a young Lindsay Lohan in a dual role as both twins, and it remains a popular, nostalgic favorite for those who grew up in the ’90s. Lohan still gets questions about the film today.

In 2024, Lindsay Lohan brought a smile to fans’ faces when she revisited the famous Oreo and peanut butter moment on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Home Alone (1990)

Even more than 35 years after it first came out, Home Alone remains a beloved and enduring Christmas favorite. It’s had a big impact on popular culture and is the second-highest-grossing Christmas movie ever, according to Forbes.

Directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes, Home Alone tells the story of Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old boy played by Macaulay Culkin, who is accidentally left home alone on Christmas Eve. He then has to protect his house from thieves.

This movie is a heartwarming story about family and learning to forgive, and it’s also really funny! It features the classic slapstick comedy of Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci – it’s a fun change of pace to see Pesci, known for the serious crime film Goodfellas, embrace the silliness of a Christmas adventure. The late Catherine O’Hara also gives a wonderful performance, as always.

Toy Story (1995)

Toy Story revolutionized animation by being the first feature-length film created entirely with computers. It received a special Oscar in 1996 for its groundbreaking 3D animation, which has since become the industry standard.

When Toy Story first came out, people were amazed by its computer animation. But it wasn’t just the technology that made the movie a hit – its heartwarming story about friendship and growing up kept audiences coming back. The film centers on a cowboy doll and a space ranger action figure who start as rivals, competing for a boy’s affection, but they have to team up and find their way back home after an unexpected adventure.

While the original computer animation in Toy Story might look a little old-fashioned now, the story is still meaningful today. It has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the popular series continues with new movies being released even now, decades after the first one.

The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King is a beloved classic that has influenced countless filmmakers and writers. Its popularity quickly led to a successful Broadway musical just three years after the original animated film came out. The story continues to be retold, including a recent live-action remake released in 2019.

The Lion King is a beloved retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, reimagined with lions as characters and widely considered one of the best adaptations. In 1994, it was the year’s biggest box office hit, even earning more than the Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Forrest Gump (according to Box Office Mojo).

Despite mixed reviews, The Lion King was recognized by the Academy Awards, especially for its music. At the 1995 Oscars, the film received three nominations out of five for Best Original Score, and ultimately won for the song “The Love Tonight,” created by Elton John and Tim Rice.

2026-03-22 01:31