Calm, Non-Scary Movie Picks For Sensitive or Autistic Children
Does your child completely lose their $#&* when something mildly scary comes on the screen? Do they cry so hard in the movie theater that you’re afraid the cops are going to usher you to “bad parent prison?”
I feel you.
It’s a real gamble in our house to turn on a film, and even more terrifying to spend a fortune on a new movie in the theater. Which is unfortunate, because I love movies. In fact, I studied screenwriting in grad school. I want to introduce my children to the beauty and art of cinema.
The catch is, one of my children has Level 1 autism and is highly sensitive to scary or sad moments in film.
I find that “rated G” is never a guarantee that it will be appropriate for my kids. At the age of 5, my son was terrorized by a scene in “Ratatouille” where a woman in a gas mask attacks a bunch of rats. By age 8, he was beside himself at the sad ending of “Elemental” (which I won’t spoil for you.) At age 10, he was so overwhelmed by “Wicked” and how mean the characters were to Elfeba, that he ran away from home for 30 minutes. Thus, the typical kid movie is a non-starter in our house most of the time.
So what is a film-loving mom to do?
Check out these calm, gentle films for autistic or young children who get scared or sad easily!
Movie Recommendations for Highly Sensitive Kids
Obviously, every child is different. But, all of these movies worked well for my son when he was six and under. I have added links to each movie on Amazon prime. (I am an affiliate of Amazon and will receive a small commission at no cost to you.)
Mary Poppins (1964, Rated G)
This was the first movie my son ever watched, and it’s fantastic! The Common Sense Media review say it has “no peril,” and it’s true. Just a bunch of songs, whimsy, and English accents.
Cars (2006, Rated G)
This Pixar film seems to be especially popular with little boys. The action is fun, Tow-Mater is a funny sidekick, and the stakes are relatively low.
Planes (2013, Rated PG)
Another fun and funny Pixar film that keeps little ones engaged and isn’t too scary.
The Sound of Music (1965, Rated G)
This is my favorite movie of all time! Some will find the pace of this film a bit slow, but I find it enchanting. The songs are so wonderful, and I get swept up in the love story every time. You will be confronted with the concepts of Nazis, so decide beforehand if you want to explain who the “bad guys” are. The scene near the end where they are hiding in a cemetery can be anxiety provoking, so you could choose to either fast forward or explain that “everything is going to be ok.” But overall it’s a classic.
Ramona and Beezus (2010, Rated G)
We watched this after having read all of the “Ramona” books by Beverly Cleary. That made it fun to identify which scenes came straight from the the books and which were new. This is a cute, benign film, with some fun hijinx.
PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021, Rated G)
This is a more recent film that is good, clean fun. There is limited peril, and messages of believing in yourself and teamwork.
The Great Muppet Caper (1981, Rated G)
This is a classic of my childhood! The Muppets are hilarious in this film, and I found myself laughing at almost all the jokes. The songs are great, and the peril is played for laughs. But don’t be fooled – not all Muppet movies are so chillax. “Muppets Take Manhattan” has a distressing part (for some kids) when Kermit gets hit by a car, and “A Muppet Christmas Carol” had my son crying within the first ten minutes. Stick with “The Great Muppet Caper” until your sensitive child gets older.
Bambi (1942, Rated G – with a huge caveat)
I know what you’re thinking! And you’re right. The part of Bambi where his mom dies is one of the most heart-wrenching scenes on film, and I have NO idea why Walt Disney thought it was appropriate for a kids’ movie. However, IF YOU FAST FORWARD through the part where Bambi’s mom is shot, and you also fast forward through the fire, it is an adorable film. My kids loved Thumper, and all of the cute animals.
Any of the “Thomas The Tank Engine” Movies
Most of these are “direct to DVD” and are very gentle. I will admit that the trains can be a little rude to each other, but there’s nothing scary or thrilling that happens. Whatever you do, don’t watch “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” movie starring Alec Baldwin, or you will want to scratch your eyes out. Seriously, it’s a terrible use of 2 hours!
Movies for Older Kids Who Get Scared or Sad Easily
When I say older, I am meaning 7-10. At least that’s when we showed the following movies to our sensitive, autistic son. These movies have a little more peril than the aforementioned list, but that’s why they’re better for a more developed child. “Paddington” for example, was WAY to scary for my son at the age of 5, but the recent “Paddington 3” was enjoyable at age 10.
Minions (2015, Rated PG)
This is definitely my favorite kids’ movie from the past 20 years. It is hilarious!!! However, I would not show it to a super young child because the action at the end could be stressful. My son saw it around age 8 and thought it was fantastic. No tears.
Wonka (2023, Rated PG)
This is my second favorite kids movie after Minions. The story was heartwarming, the visuals were stunning, and the music was beautiful. There is a moment of peril at the end, but you can remind your sensitive kiddos that it all works out ok. Highly recommend.
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022, Rated PG)
My kids could not stop singing the songs from this musical for weeks! It’s a sweet movie about friendship and loyalty. There are a couple moments of peril, but nothing that bothered my 9 year-old.
DC League of Super-Pets (2022, Rated PG)
I laughed my head off at this movie! I honestly wasn’t expecting it to be as fun as it was. Lots of action and plenty of jokes.
Harold and the Purple Crayon (2024, Rated PG)
A sweet, goofy film, loosely based on the children’s book from 1955. I suggest it for “older” sensitive kids because there’s some fantasy action in the climax, but nothing too upsetting. Mostly a lot of fun with a purple crayon and a big imagination.
The Sandlot (1993, Rated PG)
The story follows a bunch of young boys playing neighborhood baseball in the summer of 1962. It’s not very diverse in it’s portrayal of childhood – mostly white, middle-class boys. However, it has wholesome themes of teamwork, friendship, and the power of PLAY! My boys found it quite funny.
The Bad Guys (2022, Rated PG)
Based on the Bad Guys graphic novels by Aaron Blabey, this was a fun ride with some great celebrity voices. The peril is not serious, and there are plenty of silly moments and potty humor.
Sing (2016, PG)
The audition portion of this film is definitely the most entertaining. But the movie as a whole has great music, and a good theme of friendship and responsibility.
Holiday Movies For Sensitive Kids (Younger)
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (1964, Not Rated)
This is the one from your childhood that they used to show on TV every year. The claymation and songs are fantastic. You may need to warn your child that everything turns out ok and that the abominable snowman isn’t really a threat.
The Elf On The Shelf: An Elf’s Story (Netflix, Not Rated)
This was shown to my son in his kindergarten class at school (uggggg) and subsequently forced my hand to invite an elf into our household. That aside, the movie is sweet and innocent, with nothing scary happening at all.
The Snowy Day (2016, Not Rated)
This animated film is based on the beloved children’s book by Ezra Jack Keats. It’s a wholesome adventure as Peter braves the snow to get to his grandmother’s house for Christmas. I loved how Peter met many friendly, diverse neighbors on the journey- which is sprinkled with acapella BoysIIMen holiday songs.
Holiday Movies for Sensitive Kids (Older)
Home Alone (1990, Rated PG)
I’m assuming that every adult on Earth has seen this classic, but if not, do yourself a favor. This John Hughes classic still holds up. It’s not for little kiddos because they may be frightened by the concept of burglars breaking-in, and there are a couple of mild cuss words like “jerk,” “hell,” “damn,” and “shit.” But it’s such a funny and heartwarming film. My sons saw it around age 7, and they were laughing so hard that I recorded the sound for posterity.
Elf (2003, Rated PG)
Will Ferrell is at his best playing a human raised among elves, who goes to New York in search of his real father. As Common Sense Media states, “the few action sequences (galloping rangers chasing Santa in Central Park, a brief confrontation with a scary raccoon, and some scuffles in a department store) aren’t really threatening, and no one is injured. Though the movie is 100% on board with the magic of Christmas, some characters are less-than believers in Santa. Some kids talk about the possibility of parents being the ones behind the presents. But the movie’s messages about honesty, acceptance, and affection for all humanity are clear and positive.”
*** NOTE: There is a scene where the Bob Newhart character mentions that some people doubt Santa’s existence and think that parents are the ones providing the gifts. If you’d like to skip this scene, note that it is in the “sleigh room” scene. You can skip or mute for approximately 30 seconds starting at the 7:40 minute mark. Start skipping when Papa Elf says “as silly as it sounds…” You can resume at the 8:10 mark.
Happy Watching!
Please know that you are not alone if you struggle to find appropriate entertainment for your sensitive kids. Every child is different, and they don’t all have to watch the same stuff! Some will grow out of this phase, and some won’t. I hope that won’t stop you from enjoying the occasional family movie night. I hope you enjoy the magic of movies and the love of family!
~ Your Diverse Brainz friends
