Bring on the nostalgia.

5 free kids’ movies on YouTube that parents will love watching too

Bring on the nostalgia.

By Chris Snellgrove

March 24, 2026 6:00 p.m. ET

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Angelic dogs, pet robots, and goblin kings can all be found (for free!) on YouTube. Credit:

United Artists/courtesy Everett Collection; Warner Bros; TriStar/courtesy Everett Collection

When it comes to keeping children entertained, we have good news and we have bad news. The good news is that YouTube is home to plenty of films that you can watch for free. The bad news is that the selection is limited, and it can be particularly hard to find kid-friendly movies that children and adults can enjoy together.

Fortunately, you don’t have to go find these diamonds in the rough on your own. We went into the dreaded content mines and came back with the best free kids’ movies on the world’s most popular streaming platform.

Whether you need to keep some kiddos entertained or just want to let your inner child out to play, keep reading to discover **’s picks for the best free children’s movies on YouTube.

All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

Itchy and Charlie make it to the other side in 'All Dogs Go to Heaven'. United Artists/courtesy Everett Collection

*All Dogs Go to Heaven* is a bit notorious among children’s movies. In fact, EW’s critic dubbed this “the most disturbing kids’ movie ever” for many reasons, including the central premise: A dog (Burt Reynolds) gets murdered — run over by a car and drowned, specifically — then escapes heaven to gallivant around on Earth with a young girl who talks to animals.

For kids ready for such a story, *All Dogs *is truly captivating. That’s especially true if they’re dog lovers; the film fleshes out the “man’s best friend” idea like no other. This Don Bluth classic is for children and adults hungry for something with a little edge and a whole lot of heart.

Where to watch *All Dogs Go to Heaven*: YouTube

**Director: **Don Bluth

**Cast: **Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Judith Barsi, Vic Tayback, Loni Anderson

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FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)

Pips and Crysta in 'FernGully: The Last Rainforest'.

20th Century Fox/courtesy Everett Collection

*FernGully *sees innocent fairies fight against the rainforest destruction caused by humans they once lived with in harmony. When one man is shrunken to fairy size, he becomes part of their community and falls in love with our heroine Crysta, helping to fight the good fight against his former cohorts. (Yes, it’s a lot like *Avatar, *but *FernGully *was first!)

With singing, dancing, and colorful characters brought to life by the likes of Robin Williams and Tim Curry, *FernGully *has pleasing notes plus the bite of a real message. EW’s writer noted that the film "makes a good eco-lesson for kids and for parents who often can’t see the rainforest for the trees.”

Where to watch *FernGully: The Last Rainforest*: YouTube

**Director: **Bill Kroyer

**Cast: **Samantha Mathis, Christian Slater, Robin Williams, Tim Curry

The Iron Giant (1999)

Hogarth gets a lift from his new buddy. He is not Groot, he is 'The Iron Giant'.

Before Brad Bird directed Pixar classics like *The Incredibles *(2004), he made this Cold War-era tale of a young boy who befriends a robot (Vin Diesel). But a twitchy federal agent on a robot hunt is a sobering reminder that humans are usually the real danger. Fortunately, this lesson is wrapped in a story that will make you *and* your kids laugh, cry, and cheer.

In today’s retro-loving age, *The Iron Giant* is echos a simpler time. As EW’s writer notes, the film “transports you back to that moment in the Atomic Age when a simple nuts-and-bolts robot could seem as magical to a kid as anything in science fiction.”

Where to watch *The Iron Giant*: YouTube

**Director: **Brad Bird

**Cast: **Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., Eli Marienthal, Vin Diesel, James Gammon

Labyrinth (1986)

Let's make a deal: The Goblin King (David Bowie) hashes it out with Jennifer Connelly in 'Labyrinth'.

TriStar/courtesy Everett Collection

*Labyrinth* is Millennial nostalgia at its finest. Jennifer Connelly stars as a young girl trying to rescue her brother from the Goblin King (David Bowie). Oh, and he resides over a kingdom of creepy puppets brought to life by director Jim Henson. Despite the catchy songs and colorful characters, *Labyrinth *can be unexpectedly scary, too — which means this '80s cult favorite might not be suitable for every kid.

As EW’s writer put it, “If David Bowie's awesomely bad ’80s hair wasn’t scary enough, *Labyrinth* petrifies children lured in by the Jim Henson directing credit to see muppets... who remove their own heads.” That said, adults who fell in love with this movie as children will likely still be eager to introduce it to their own kids.

Where to watch *Labyrinth*: YouTube

**Director: **Jim Henson

**Cast: **Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie

The Secret of NIMH (1982)

Mrs. Brisby meets Nicodemus in 'The Secret of NIMH'. Everett Collection

A terrific voice cast energizes this Don Bluth tale of a courageous, widowed mouse, Mrs. Brisby, trying to help her sick child get healthy enough for the family’s upcoming move. Pursuing this simple goal leads her on a sprawling quest across an unfamiliar world filled with hidden dangers and surprise allies.

Then there’s the all-important secret from which the film gets its name: a community of rats with human-level intelligence thanks to a government experiment years earlier. The rats agree to help our heroine, but a nasty power struggle threatens to derail those good intentions.

Not surprisingly for Bluth, an ex-Disney animator with far more edge, *The* *Secret of NIMH* features some genuine frights. One EW writer admitted the film “terrified and enthralled me in equal measure.”

Where to watch *The Secret of NIMH*: YouTube

**Director: **Don Bluth

**Cast: **Elizabeth Hartman, Dom DeLuise, Derek Jacobi, Peter Strauss, Shannen Doherty

- Children & Family Movies

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Children”