Being a tween is an intense time. My daughter is about to turn 10 and my son is about to turn 13 so we have been just about surviving the tween years recently. It sure has been a rollercoaster of emotions and change. Movies about tweens are a great way to help tweens/just turned teenagers understand what is going on with themselves as well as helping others in the family to understand their point of view as well.
I’ve ordered the 12 best I could find from most recent to oldest and have included their age rating, length, streaming platforms and IMDb rating for your convenience. Everything is rated as a 12 or under so they are all suitable for tweens.
For older themed films tweens and teens might enjoy, see my guide about the best family movies about teens.
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Movies about tweens
Inside Out 2 (2024), U, 1h 36m, 7.7 IMDb, Disney +
A sequel that features Riley entering puberty and experiencing brand new, more complex emotions as a result. As Riley tries to adapt to her teenage years, her old emotions try to adapt to the possibility of being replaced.
We recently watched Inside Out 2 as a family and all thought it was fantastic. Not only was it a very enjoyable thing but it was such a great way for us all to understand what my almost 13 year old is going through emotionally right now. I think it helped him be less hard on himself and feel more understood too.
The first Inside Out is also well worth a watch too from the perspective of understanding mental health.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (2023), PG, 1h 46m, IMDb 7.3, Prime Video
Eleven-year-old Margaret moves from the city to the suburbs and starts to contemplate everything about life, friendship and adolescence. Starring Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates.
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Turning Red (2022), PG, 1h 40m, 7 IMDb, Disney +
This one is particularly great for girls going through puberty.
A thirteen-year-old girl named Mei Lee is torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the changes of adolescence. And as if the challenges were not enough, whenever she gets overly excited she transforms into a giant red panda.
Moxie (2021), 12, 1h 51m, IMDb 6.7, Netflix
A great movie about tween/teen girls in particular. Moxie is a feminist film directed by (and starring) Amy Poehler. Inspired by her mom’s rebellious past and a confident new friend, a shy 16-year-old publishes an anonymous zine calling out sexism at her school.
Although this is about a 16 year old I think younger tween girls who have started secondary school will already recognise a lot of these issues.
The Babysitters Club (2020-2021), PG, IMDb 7.5, Netflix
Whilst not a movie about tweens, an honourable mention has to go out to the Babysitter’s Club Netflix series. Based on the classic book series of the same name focusing on a group of young girls who start their own babysitting service.
Breezy fun coming of age adventure about navigating middle school. Good modern day humour with the tagline ‘everyone has to grow up, but no one has to do it alone’.
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Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014), PG 1h 21m, IMDb 6.2, Disney +
Alexander’s day begins with gum stuck in his hair, followed by more calamities. However, he finds little sympathy from his family and begins to wonder if bad things only happen to him, his mom, dad, brother and sister – who all find themselves living through their own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
A good one if your tween is feeling like everything keeps going wrong for them.
The Way Way Back (2013), 12, 1h 43m, IMDb 7.4, Prime Video
Shy 14-year-old Duncan goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of the Water Wizz water park.
Stars some big names like Toni Collette, Maya Rudolph, Steve Carrell, Sam Rockwell. As you’ll see in the trailer, there’s some inappropriate scenes where men ogle girls so be prepared to pause to discuss why that is no longer acceptable (and why it never was in the first place!).
You can watch many great films and TV shows on Amazon prime video with a FREE 30 day trial here (affiliate link).
Bridge to Terabithia (2007), PG, 1h 36m, IMDb 7.2, Prime Video
Leslie and Jess create the secret kingdom of Terabithia, a land of monsters, trolls, ogres and giants where they spend their free time ruling as king and queen and fighting evil creatures.
Warning for this one – it is incredibly sad and features death and grief (if you know, you know) so consider carefully whether your kids can handle it. Covers tween issues of being bullied, being loved, having a true friend and loss.
Freaky Friday (2003), PG, 1h 37m, IMDb 6.3, Disney +
The wide generation gap between Tess Coleman and her teenage daughter Anna is more than evident. They simply cannot understand each other’s preferences. On a Thursday night they have a big argument in a Chinese restaurant. Both receive a fortune cookie each from the restaurant owner’s mother which causes them to switch bodies next day. As they adjust with their new personalities, they begin to understand each other more…
Perhaps a good one if you and your tween are feeling disconnected!
The Harry Potter films (2001-2011), 12, IMDB 7.4-8.1, Netflix
Every year we rewatch all the Harry Potter films in order and they do a great job of showing some of the issues the kids face as they go from from starting to finishing secondary school at Hogwarts from being little kids dealing with school work to older teens dealing with issues of romance and loss.
My Girl (1991), PG, 1h 42m, IMDb 6.9, Prime Video
Vada Sultenfuss is an intelligent, bubbly, hypochondriacal 11-year-old girl. Her father, Harry (Dan Aykroyd), is a mortician and widower. Her best friend is Thomas J. Sennett. Then Harry hires a new receptionist named Shelly DeVoto, and life will never be the same again.
Although a PG this is another one to be wary of for sensitive kids as it features death and grief. I remember bawling my eyes out to this as a kid.
You can watch many great films and TV shows on Amazon prime video with a FREE 30 day trial here (affiliate link).
Big (1988), 12, 1h 44m, IMDb 7.3, Disney +
After wishing to be made big, a teenage boy wakes the next morning to find himself mysteriously in the body of an adult. Warning there is one adult scene. A cult classic that covers issues of wanting to be a grown up but not quite being there yet!
If you liked the best movies about tweens then you might also like:
- Best PG movies for kids
- U rated movies the whole family will enjoy
- Best Christmas films for kids rated U and PG – and what’s new for 2023!
- Halloween TV shows for kids and family Halloween films rated U and PG
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