Gather round, sweeties ⏤ Thanksgiving is officially upon us, which means it’s time to stop pretending that plopping your kids in front of the TV is always a bad thing.
It’s been a year, kittens, and you’ve undoubtedly done your best to motivate your child to get some exercise, explore the great outdoors, open a freaking book, and maybe even practice a musical instrument. (If not, I have questions, Cynthia.) But let’s face it ⏤ sometimes you just need a break from the rigors of keeping your child occupied, especially when you have an elaborate meal to prepare that will take hours to make and seconds for Uncle Frank to gobble up.
Thankfully for you, there are these handy things called the television, laptop, and iPad, and there’s never been an easier time to stream literally anything. Though Christmas offerings are already pouring in everywhere from Netflix to Hallmark, no one would fault you for wanting to educate your children on the joys of being thankful we haven’t reached the apocalypse yet. For anyone seeking to hold onto those plaid cardigans, bowls of Count Chocula, and sips of pumpkin spice just a little longer, here are 12 movies that will allow fall to continue thriving in your household while you prep the stuffing and pour yourself a well-earned glass.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
Is it ever a proper Thanksgiving without Snoopy and the gang? Of course not, which is why you should follow up your yearly viewing of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown with A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. This holiday classic finds Charlie Brown rushing around to prepare for a Thanksgiving dinner he didn’t know he was hosting (sound familiar?) until Peppermint Patty calls him up and invites herself over (rude). Luckily for Charlie Brown ⏤ whose cooking skills are questionable at best ⏤ Snoopy and Woodstock come to the rescue and prepare a feast of toast, popcorn, and jelly beans. Sensible! A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is available to stream on Apple TV Plus.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Fans of Roald Dahl’s children’s book about a remarkably clever fox are in luck, as Wes Anderson finally adapted Fantastic Mr. Fox into a stop-motion spectacle in 2009. The film follows the titular fox as he tries to protect his family and neighbors from three nearby farmers who have no hobbies and are therefore hell-bent on capturing them. The eccentric and visually stunning animation captures the whimsical spirit of Dahl’s book, which your kids should definitely read given that it’s one of his best. Filled with chicken dinners, tunnel-digging, and a cast that screams yaas, fox, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a wonderful reminder of the importance of community this time of year. You can stream it on Disney Plus.
Christopher Robin
In previous years, I have recommended Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving as the perfect journey back to the Hundred Acre Wood for your little ones, but you know what? It’s notoriously difficult to find online, so I’m striking it from the list! (Take that, Disney!) Fortunately, Disney Plus has plenty of other Pooh-themed offerings for your kiddos, including but not limited to Christopher Robin, a heartwarming live-action look at what happens when an adult Christopher Robin needs help remembering how magical his life used to be, and still can be. After you finish laughing while Eeyore does nothing to stop himself from floating down a river of both literal and metaphorical despair, this surprisingly heartfelt flick might even make you and your kids shed a tear or two.
We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story
Look ⏤ if you’ve never seen this movie, I don’t even know what you’re doing. Watch. It. Immediately. We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story is a true ’90s gem, and not just because it features an unforgettable cast of prehistoric protagonists who eat a magic cereal that gives them human-level intelligence and the ability to talk. After discovering that they’re heading to New York City with a time-traveling scientist, they land smack in the middle of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Hello! It’s there that they sing “Roll Back the Rock,” a song you won’t be able to get out of your head for the rest of your life (fair warning). Over the course of their adventure, the dinosaurs learn a thing or two about humanity, especially when they meet a beyond-creepy villain, an upper-class girl with an absent family, and a runaway boy in search of a friend. (I’m already crying. Are you already crying?) This perfect film is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, so just go ahead and buy it, because you and your kids are gonna want to watch it again, I literally promise.
Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow
If you ask your kids to put down their devices this holiday season and they engage in some casual kicking and screaming, odds are they’ll strongly relate to the siblings in Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow. The film follows Tim and Annie as they travel to visit their Aunt Cly on her farm in Turkey Hollow, a town that — gasp! — doesn’t have internet. (The unmitigated gall.) While there, they stumble upon forest monsters, a creepy sheriff, an evil turkey farmer, strange-looking pumpkins, and the legend of the Howling Hoodoo, who Tim and Annie hope to prove does exist despite the townspeople’s insistence that the Hoodoo is just a myth. Ludacris narrates this fuzzy family film (Luda!), which also stars Oscar winner Mary Steenburgen of Elf fame (fun!). Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow is available to stream on Disney Plus, henny.
An Arthur Thanksgiving
It doesn’t get any better than Arthur, and I’m prepared to fight anyone who believes otherwise. PBS Kids has an actual gift for you in the form of An Arthur Thanksgiving, which follows the beloved a-a-r-d-v-a-r-k and his family and friends as they navigate a Turkey Day that does not go as planned. The best thing about Arthur is that you know any and every offering is going to be a gorgeous mix of wholesome, funny, and beautifully animated. Add Thanksgiving shenanigans to the mix and you have a visual feast that you’re probably going to enjoy more than your kids (don’t worry ⏤ your secret is safe with me). The best thing about An Arthur Thanksgiving? It’s available to stream right on YouTube! THANKS, PBS!!!
Ratatouille
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be half as meaningful (or delectable) without the tradition of breaking bread with loved ones, and that’s exactly the spirit Remy the rat imbues in Ratatouille. Remy wants to become a real-life cook and make special dishes for people from all walks of life, because why not? When he meets Linguini ⏤ a human who can’t cook half as well as Remy can ⏤ the duo proves that sometimes the tastiest fusions occur with a little bit of creativity and a lot of hair-pulling. This spirit of togetherness is perfect Thanksgiving fare, and Ratatouille’s many kitchen scenes are enough to make anyone’s mouth water (and maybe even inspire you to cut that celery a little finer, Cynthia). If your kids want to help you stuff the turkey and mash the potatoes this year, Ratatouille is the perfect appetizer to give them a taste of what it takes to create a meal to remember. It’s hella available to stream on Disney Plus.
Garfield’s Thanksgiving
TV’s hungriest kitty is about to face the biggest challenge of his life: going on a diet. (Gasp!) That’s right, there will be no turkey dinner for Garfield this year. After a check-up at the vet’s office the day before Thanksgiving, Garfield is told by Dr. Liz that he needs to start eating healthier. Unlike his owner, Jon, who is smitten with Dr. Liz and thrilled that she’s agreed to come over for Thanksgiving dinner, Garfield is miserable that he won’t be able to indulge in the meal. Will he find a way to convince Dr. Liz to let him enjoy the feast? Will there even be a feast, with Jon being such a terrible cook, or will Grandma have to step in and save the day? You’ll find out when you watch Garfield’s Thanksgiving, available to stream on Peacock.
National Treasure
Nothing says Thanksgiving like a centuries-old treasure hunt illuminating America’s rich history, am I right? National Treasure is an action-packed adventure starring Nicolas Cage as Benjamin Franklin Gates, a treasure hunter in search of a hidden bounty his grandfather told him about when he was a kid. Studying clues the Founding Fathers left behind on dollar bills and the Declaration of Independence’s backside, Benjamin hopes to find the loot before a rival band of hunters does. (I’m already stressed.) Luckily for you, your kids can watch this film and its sequel and its spinoff show (excuse me?!) all in one place ⏤ and learn a bit of American history in the process. You’re welcome for that quadruple win. National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, and National Treasure: Edge of History are all available to stream on Disney Plus.
Free Birds
It’s easy to understand why turkeys aren’t, like, gung-ho about Thanksgiving, and in the animated sci-fi adventure Free Birds, two of them actually go back in time in an effort to alter the first Thanksgiving and take themselves off the menu entirely! BIRD, PLEASE! While most adults likely can’t imagine Turkey Day without the main course, kids will obvi root for these warm-blooded vertebrates voiced by Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson. Even if you and your kids don’t want the birds to succeed in their mission (what else would we eat, though?!), their tale has plenty of goofy jokes and beautiful fall foliage to enjoy along the way. You can watch these fowls try to free themselves on Amazon Prime Video (free with ads) and on Tubi (with no ads!). (We love options.)
Addams Family Values
They’re creepy and they’re kooky and we kind of can’t stop watching them. Following their first eccentric film together, the Addams Family returns in Addams Family Values, which finds Uncle Fester in the spidery clutches of a con artist out to steal his money while Wednesday and Pugsley attend their first summer camp with television’s Christine Baranski. It’s there that the kids perform in a hilarious, if politically incorrect, Thanksgiving play with famously disastrous results, and if you’re worried about your kids getting a few dastardly ideas of their own, hide those matches now, Cynthia. Addams Family Values is available to stream on Pluto TV, and for an extra special treat, your kids can follow it up with the newest Addams Family computer-animated adaptation starring Oscar Isaac and Charlize Theron on Max.
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Look, you’re an amazing parent who can do literally anything, right? Then there’s a 100 percent chance you can put up with three high-pitched squeakmonsters for an hour and a half! Alvin, Simon, and Theodore’s first live-action adaptation stars Jason Lee as Dave, a down-on-his-luck songwriter who meets the musically inclined chipmunks and realizes that they can help him turn his life around. Chaos inevitably ensues (how can it not with Alvin around?), but together Dave and the chipmunks learn the meaning of family, something that will inspire your kids to give you an extra-tight hug before asking if they can watch the sequels (yes, plural) next. Wheee! You can catch Alvin and the Chipmunks on Max.
