As the year draws to a close, our thoughts eagerly turn to the holiday season. After all, it should be a time for rest, cherished moments with family, enjoying all things Christmas-themed! What’s better than snuggling up on the couch, next to a brightly lit tree, watching a Christmas movie together? We know parents are busy, so we had a look at the best Christmas movies for children, for the entire family, and where you can find them!
We’ve included run times and recommended ages, as well as where to find these movies to make things easier and quicker for families!
For parents who want a little extra comfort that they’re showing their children age-appropriate content, we suggest heading over to commonsensemedia.org and looking up movies there. Common Sense has been the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families and schools, and they champion high-quality media, ‘support closing of the digital divide, ensure that students and educators think critically about technology use, and more.’ Its mission is to create a safe, healthy, and equitable digital world for children and families.
The Polar Express is a newer Christmas classic. In this heartwarming story, a young boy’s belief in the magic of Christmas is rekindled when he journeys to the North Pole aboard the Polar Express on Christmas Eve, where he meets Santa Claus himself. This year, you can find The Polar Express on Netflix. Ages 8+. Run time: 1 hr 30 min.
Based on the beloved book by Dr. Seuss, The Grinch tells the story of a grumpy character who becomes fed up with the endless festive cheer in Whoville. With his loyal dog by his side, he sets out to dampen the holiday spirit. While there is a live-action version of this classic, we recommend the animated version as a perfect choice for little ones! This can be watched or rented on Binge, Apple TV and Amazon Prime! Ages 6+. Run time: 1hr 30 min.
Another newer Christmas classic, fan favourite Will Farrell plays Buddy, a fun-loving man raised by Santa’s elves, who makes his way to New York for a holiday adventure. Elf can be found on Binge, Stan, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and more! Ages 8+. Run time: 1hr 30 min.
Based on the Broadway musical inspired by the popular Christmas movie, Elf tells the story of Buddy the elf and his journey to find his long-lost father. While Buddy’s cheerful spirit fits right in at the North Pole, it clashes with the tough crowd in New York City. But with song, dance, and endless holiday cheer, Buddy brings the Christmas spirit back to the whole city. Watch on Amazon Prime and Apple TV, Ages 6+. Run time: 45 minutes
These cheeky talking animals had a holiday heist all planned out, but their scheme is turned upside down when Christmas is cancelled. Join the Bad Guys on a gift-giving adventure as they work to bring back the festive spirit for everyone. There are some instances of cartoon violence, mild insults, but Common Sense Media gave it four out of five stars, so we trust their judgement! Find it on Netflix! Ages 6+. Run time: 25 minutes
When Shaun’s hunt for a bigger stocking hits a snag, the whole farm sets out on a wild holiday adventure — complete with a sleigh! You can find this cute tale on Netflix. Ages 5+. Run time: 52 minutes.
This delightful story follows a young boy and his trusty rubbish truck as they spring into action to save Christmas when Santa crash-lands in their junkyard on Christmas Eve. Expect plenty of laughs, adventure, and holiday cheer! You can find this one on Netflix. Age 3 and up. Run time: 28 minutes.
Christmas is all about nostalgia, so we wanted to share some movies our families may have loved growing up and are keen to share with a next generation, so parents and grandparents, we’ve got you covered!
Of course, there will be movies such as Home Alone and A Christmas Story that many of our parents remember fondly, but with their violent or weapon themes, we thought it was best to leave them off the list! These movies can be found on some of the streaming sites we mentioned, but maybe wait until after little ones bed times before viewing again!
A spin on the Dickens’ classic by the legend Jim Henson. Many parents will have grown up watching and adoring this one, we just warn the ghosts or Mr Scrooge might be scary to young children. Ages 6+. Run time 2 hours.
You can find this on Disney +, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime.
Parents and grandparents, bring your childhood nostalgia to the next generation with 1960s classic Charlie Brown’s Christmas! With Christmas approaching, Charlie Brown is unhappy as everyone associates the holiday with presents. He tries to understand the true meaning of the festival and his friends decide to help him. This can be found on Apple TV. Ages 3+ Run time: 25 minutes.
An oldie but a goodie! This one can be watched on Apple TV. (pssst, you get seven days trial to use Apple TV if you don’t already subscribe)
Fun fact about this feature: Rudolph was created using stop-motion. The animation technique was called Animagic, a painstaking process where jointed, wood-and-felt puppets were moved ever-so-slightly for each new frame. It took about 18 months to shoot a half-hour special! More fun facts including this one can be found here! Ages 3+. Run time: 53 minutes.
This 1980s classic will be a fun return to parents’ childhood with everyone’s favourite lasagna-eating cat Garfield. In A Garfield Christmas Special, our favourite surly cat heads to the family farm for an old-fashioned holiday with Jon’s mum and dad, his brother Doc-Boy, and their feisty grandma, who’s truly the cat’s meow. You can stream for free on YouTube, and it also can be found on Apple TV. Ages 3+. Run time: 24 minutes
We’ve put together this list to make it easier for your family to enjoy a little extra Christmas joy and share in the magic of the season. Whether it’s a cozy movie night, a fun family activity, or finding some rare moments together, we hope this guide adds a touch of festive cheer to your holidays.
If you’d like to nurture curiosity, joy, and lifelong skills in your child, book a tour at one of our 15 Little Scholars campuses. See how our team is dedicated to helping incredible children grow into incredible people, building bonds and confidence that will last a lifetime.
As the year draws to a close, our thoughts eagerly turn to the holiday season—a time for rest, cherished moments with family, and often, travel adventures with our little ones in tow.
Travelling with young children, whether by car or plane, can sometimes be a challenge for parents. But fear not, we’ve curated a list of our top activities to keep your little scholars engaged and happy on the journey! To keep the excitement alive, we’ve taken a leaf out of seasoned parents’ books: consider keeping these activities hidden and, for an added touch of magic, wrap them up like gifts to be unveiled en route.
At Little Scholars, we emphasise the importance of parental supervision for these activities. While we champion supporting local businesses, we must note that we cannot vouch for the compliance of their products with Australian safety standards. So while some of our suggestions may include links to Amazon, a third-party retailer, we also include reputable brands known for their strict adherence to safety regulations.
We’re putting this at the top of the list, because they can fit on children of most ages. And, many parents might consider children’s headphones a necessity after a few hours of Cocomelon or The Wiggles on repeat. For children, specially designed ones for their small heads can help block out a bit of outside noise and help them enjoy their music, or children’s audiobooks or podcasts. Parents should look for ones that limit volume to no more than 85 decibels, and there are plenty of wireless or wired options and colours.
This fun and challenging game is perfect for ages 3 and up. The set includes two launch pads and targets, six mini bean bags, two pegs to keep score, and all of the fun that comes with it. Get ready for some friendly competition!
You can find versions of this at Kmart, and Target for $10-$15.
Connect 4 on the go with this compact version of the classic Connect 4 game! You and your opponent get 21 checkers apiece and the chance to get 4 in a row. But you both get the chance to block the other’s attempts to connect with your own checkers.
You can find this online at Amazon, Catch.com.au,
Bring your childhood nostalgia to the next generation with Polly Pocket. Though heavily marketed at a girl’s toy, we think this is a great sized travel toy for any imaginative child, and the range of options are nearly endless, though the same can be said for the price point, which can start around $20 and go up.
Found in stores such as Kmart, Big W, Toymate and online at Amazon
Children can play with these bendable sticks anywhere — on airplane tray tables, in the car, at restaurants, and more.
The individual packs come with a puzzle or shape for the little ones to make with the Wikki Stix. You can also buy kits, like the Wikki Stix Traveler playset that comes with even more activities.
Found in a variety of packs online on Amazon
Also known by other names by various brands, such as ‘Model Magic’, essentially it’s a children’s modelling clay, a slightly different texture to playdough, but its non-crumbling texture makes it less messy than playdough, perfect for driving or flying and keeping mess to a minimum.
Wooden threading toys are a great way to practice fine motor skills, problem solving, creativity, mindfulness and more!
You can find them for less than $10 at Kmart or Officeworks.
The tangram is a challenging puzzle consisting of seven magnet flat shapes, called tans, which are put together to form shapes. The objective of the puzzle is to form a specific shape (given only an outline or silhouette) using all seven pieces, which may not overlap.
You can find a lot of options of these at online stores such as Amazon, Temu, for about $12 and up
Colouring is always a great activity for children, and these triangular crayons are perfect for flights! You can put them on the tray table with confidence, knowing they won’t fall off and go rolling down the aisle.
They’re also great for helping young ones practice their writing grip!
Find them on catch.com.au, Officeworks, and triangular coloured pencils at Kmart
A classic child’s activity!
Some great ones include puffy sticker activity books, but children will love any of them, and the variety is endless. You can find them in your child’s favourite characters, including Bluey, Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol.
These are easily found in Target, Big W, Kmart and online stores.
Another idea! Sometimes, the frustrating thing about stickers generally is that once they’re stuck the first time, they’re not likely to stick again. And children love to peel them off and try to stick them again. In the car or on a plane, reusable stickers are great so children can create new play while buckled in.
You can find them at Amazon, Officeworks
Gel window clings are a great activity for babies or young toddlers. Those who are deep in their repetitive schema phase will love to peel these off and replace them again and again. They can be found in a massive variety of styles, and a variety of places in shops and online, Big W, Dymocks, Amazon and more!
These are great for toddlers, as they enhance fine motor skills in toddlers. As little ones engage with the various features of the board, they develop their hand-eye coordination, fine-tune their dexterity, and build finger strength. These skills are crucial for everyday activities such as fastening buttons and handling cutlery. And, these generally have enough to keep them busy for a while!
Find them on Amazon, Kmart, Temple & Webster, Target
These come in a variety of options, from invisible ‘ink’ markers to water brushes, these mess-free colouring books are great for little ones!
For the water brush colouring books, by using the refillable water brush you can watch bright images and activities appear right before your eyes using nothing but water! After bringing these scenes to life you can let them dry and enjoy the mess-free magic again.
Found at Target, Amazon, Big W, Kmart, Officeworks and more!
Ok, we know this is a pretty broad spectrum, even for babies, but it’s worth sharing a few ideas.
These toys can bring a lot of interest to babies, exposing them to various textures, colours and patterns, and sounds. We’d suggest bringing out one they haven’t seen before to really draw their interest.
We love this one from Baby Bunting, which is a truly physical toy by promoting pulling and pushing, it also would be nice for aching chompers.
These Playgro animals, which can be found at a number of retailers from Big W to Target to Baby Bunting, are a hit with babies, are generally compact enough to be stored in a nappy bag or carry-on, and can often be hung from other objects, like car head rests.
These toys are great for any age, but they probably work as a slightly longer pass time for younger children.
These pop-its can go from simple design to ones that have games built in, such as ones that light up telling you where to touch next. They can be found in most department stores, online stores and often shopping centre kiosks.
Babies love things that spin, so getting a few different fidget spinners that you can stick to windows or table trays are sure to be a winner!
Find them at Kmart, catch.com.au, Baby Bunting and more!
Fear not parents, we are also including some creative, budget-friendly travel activities:
At Little Scholars School of Early Learning, we’re dedicated to shaping bright futures and instilling a lifelong passion for learning. With our strategically located childcare centres in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, we provide tailored educational experiences designed to foster your child’s holistic development.
Let us hold your hand and help looking for a child care centre. Leave your details with us and we’ll be in contact to arrange a time for a ‘Campus Tour’ and we will answer any questions you might have!
Let us hold your hand and help looking for a child care centre. Leave your details with us and we’ll be in contact to arrange a time for a ‘Campus Tour’ and we will answer any questions you might have!
