Classic Movies Your 10-Year-Old Is Ready For
Jon Wilkinson · · 4 min read
This list is for kids in the middle of their tween years. These films have more serious tones and more mature humor, though they're still mostly kid-friendly.
Classic movies most 10-year-olds are ready for include Back to the Future, National Treasure, Remember the Titans and The Short Game. These PG films have more serious tones and more mature humor than younger kids' movies, though they're still mostly kid-friendly; the notes below flag what to watch for.
Choose tonight’s movie
Quick Picks
Back to the Future — A must-watch classic about how our decisions affect the future.
National Treasure — A heist-style adventure that shows the value of history.
Remember the Titans — A deeper true story about working together and overcoming prejudice.
The Short Game — A sports film about sportsmanship and not giving up.
Movie Knight guide
The Full List
Back to the Future is a must-watch classic. The film follows Marty McFly, a teen in the fictional 1985 town of Hill Valley, California, who loves rock 'n' roll, and Doc Brown, an older scientist whom Marty helps with projects. Both characters are classics, lots of fun and very unique.
Back to the Future teaches lessons about how our decisions affect the future, sticking up for yourself and believing in yourself. The film's premise will keep kids interested with concepts of time they may not have even considered. Keep in mind this film has depictions of smoking and drinking, as well as mild language, romance and peril.
National Treasure is a cool heist-style adventure. The film follows Ben Gates, a treasure hunter who uses US history to discover lost treasures. National Treasure shows the value of history and encourages learning.
National Treasure teaches about problem solving, the strength of knowledge, and the importance of moving forward even after losing. This film is filled with lots of tension and action throughout to keep everyone engaged. The film has a few moments of smoking, mild language and romance, with some peril mixed in; keep that in mind for younger children.
Remember the Titans is a much deeper film based on a true story. The film follows a high school football team in Virginia in 1971. This film carries deeper messaging about history that shouldn't be repeated.
Remember the Titans teaches about the importance of working together, respecting others and overcoming prejudice. The film has a lot of tension and positive messaging, and shows what the past was like and why it shouldn't be repeated. It has quite a few violent moments as well as intense scenes that young children may not enjoy.
The Short Game is a classic sports film. The film follows Jeremy Avery, a high school golfer fighting to earn a college golf scholarship. The Short Game is a film with quite a few moments of religious messaging and realistic characters.
The Short Game teaches about good sportsmanship, not giving up, and what it means to be a good sibling. The film's realistic characters create a sense of relatability, along with messaging that's important for children to learn. There are a few scenes with slightly intense language and violence, though very few. This film is good for most ages to watch, though parental supervision is recommended.
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A note for parents
These films step up from younger kids' movies with more serious tones and more mature humor. Remember the Titans has the most violent and intense moments on this list, while Back to the Future and National Treasure include smoking, mild language and some romance. For more ideas, see Best Movies for a 10-Year-Old and From PG to PG-13: Movies to Help Your 12-Year-Old Make the Leap. Find parent guides for every movie here at movie-knight.com.
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Jon Wilkinson
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