I’ve organized these movies based on age order, according to the age recommendations set by Common Sense Media (which you’ll find listed as “CSM age+” below).
However, at times I’ve found I need to add a couple of years to their suggested age range to find the right age for our kiddos to watch something–so just keep that in mind!
For those movies/shows that CSM had not rated, I’ve included the rating below and estimated based on that the age range. As always, preview to decide what works for your family, and please share in the forum if you know of other good ideas! Happy viewing!
North America (including African American, Canada, Native American, and United States)
* Pocahontas (G, CSM 6+, Native American)
* National Parks Adventure (G, CSM 6+, USA, on Netflix)
* Anne of Green Gables – 1987 mini-series (CSM 7+, Canada, available on Amazon/DVD)
* Anne of Green Gables – 2016 PBS version (CSM 7+, Canada, available on Amazon streaming)
* Mee-Shee: The Water Giant (PG, CSM 7+, Canada)
* When Calls the Heart (CSM 7+, Canada; we adore this show, currently on Netflix!)
* The Waltons (CSM 7+, USA)
* Little House on the Prairie (CSM 7+, but some episodes for older ages, USA)
* The Indian in the Cupboard (PG, CSM 7+, Native American)
* Alpha and Omega (PG, CSM 8+, Canada)
* Fly Away Home (PG, CSM 8+, Canada)
* Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog (PG, CSM 9+, Canada)
* A Ballerina’s Tale (CSM 9+, African American)
* Hoosiers (PG, CSM 9+, free on Amazon Prime)
* Little Men (PG, 9+, free on Amazon Prime)
* Little Women – 2018 PBS series (PG, CSM 9+, USA – available free on Amazon Prime)
* Little Women – 2019 movie version (PG, CSM 10+, USA)
* Ruby Bridges (PG, CSM 10+, African American, for rent on Amazon)
* Remember the Titans (PG, CSM 10+, African American, on Disney+)
* Hidden Figures (PG, CSM 10+, African American)
* Basketball or Nothing (TV-PG, CSM 10+, Native American, on Netflix)
* Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale (PG, CSM 10+, Native American)
* Rocky (PG, CSM 11+, USA)
* Sleepless in Seattle (PG, CSM 11+, but I think best for teens, USA, currently on Netflix)
* Crooked Arrows (PG-13, CSM 11+, Native American, free on Amazon Prime)
* To Kill a Mockingbird (CSM 12+, African American, free on Amazon Prime)
* Sounder (G, CSM 12+, African American)
* The Help (PG-13, CSM 12+, African American, currently on Netflix)
* Harriet (PG-13, CSM 12+, African American)
* Field of Dreams (PG, CSM 12+, USA)
* The Grapes of Wrath (CSM 12+, USA)
* Lincoln (PG-13, CSM 13+, USA)
* A Raisin in the Sun (NR, CSM 13+, African American)
* The Banker (PG-13, CSM 13+, African American)
* Just Mercy (PG-13, CSM 13+, African American)
* Selma (PG-13, CSM 13+, African American)
* The Tuskegee Airmen (PG-13, CSM 14+, African American)