Kids' Entertainment
🎶 Sharkbait, ooh ha ha! 🎶
Sharks are some of the most fascinating creatures of the deep blue sea. And while some TV shows and films have portrayed them as scary over the years, which they certainly can be, there are actually many shark movies for kids, old and young, that are fun, educational, and family-friendly.
If you have a tiny marine biologist on your hands or your little one who just wants to know anything about the ocean, they’ll surely like one of the many movies on this list. For example, you’ll find several animated films like Finding Nemo, Shark Tale, and Baby Shark’s Space Adventure, which all have sharks in starring roles in a kid-friendly way. And when it comes to entertaining older kids, educational documentaries like Disneynature: Oceans, Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks, and Sharks of Lost Island can easily entertain inquisitive minds that are yearning to explore more of the ocean.
While the Discovery Channel’s annual Shark Week might be too graphic for little kids to watch, there are thankfully many options to stream instead. So make a tasty treat, relax on the couch, and put on any of these films if you want to pretend like every week is Shark Week.
Finding Nemo
When a young fish, Nemo, is unexpectedly taken from his reef, his worrisome father, Marlin, and forgetful friend, Dory, go on an adventure to find him. This adventure leads Marlin and Dory through the depths of the ocean where they encounter three sharks named Bruce, Chum, and Anchor who live by one motto: “fish are friends, not food.”
Stream Finding Nemo, rated G, on Disney+.
Finding Dory
In this Finding Nemo sequel, Dory is living a happy life in her reef. But when she remembers that she has a family that might be looking for her, she sets off on an adventure to find them. While Finding Dory might not have as many memorable sharks as Finding Nemo, your ocean-obsessed little ones will be just as happy with this film.
Stream Finding Dory, rated PG, on Disney+.
Disneynature: Oceans
Explore the depths of the oceans and see all of the creatures that call it home in this Disneynature documentary, which focuses on a great white shark.
Stream Disneynature: Oceans, rated G, on Disney+.
Shark Tale
Will Smith stars as Oscar — a lowly fish who becomes the hero of his town when he tells a lie that he killed the shark. But, with the help of a friendly vegetarian shark, Oscar is able to stand up to the most feared shark in the waters and find his place in the sea.
Rent Shark Tales, rated PG, on YouTube Movies for $3.99.
Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks
This documentary follows a group of researchers as they learn about female whale sharks. The proof is in the title, these sharks are very big.
Stream Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks, rated All, on Amazon Prime Video.
Shark Bait
Pi is a fish that lives in a part of the ocean controlled by big, powerful sharks. After he suffers a great loss, Pi moves to a new town, where he falls in love with a beautiful fish, which angers a local shark bully.
Stream Shark Bait, rated G, on tubitv.
The Reef 2: High Tide
In this Shark Bait sequel, Pi is now the hero in town. But that can take a toll on a poor fish, especially after a group of sharks declare that the end of the reef is in sight.
Stream The Reef 2: High Tide, rated PG, on YouTube Movies.
The Adventures of Sharkboy & Lavagirl in 3D
After being bullied by his classmates, a young boy dreams up the lives of heroes, Sharkboy and Lavagirl. But when Sharkboy and Lavagirl come to life, Max escapes to their planet where he defeats their villains and fights his bullies in this inventive film from 2005.
Rent The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D, rated PG, on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.
We Can Be Heroes
When aliens invade earth and capture the planet’s superheroes, it’s up to their kids to work together to save their parents and their planet in this Sharkboy and Lavagirl sequel.
Stream We Can Be Heroes, rated PG, on Netflix.
Baby Shark’s Space Adventure
No shark list is complete without Baby Shark, the subject of the very catchy song. In this Baby Shark film, Pink Fong and Baby Shark explore outer space and search for missing star pieces that they can bring home.
Stream Baby Shark’s Space Adventure, rated TV-Y, on Netflix.
The Little Mermaid
Ariel is a mermaid that is obsessed with humans. So she does what any sensible sea creature would do — she makes a bargain with an evil sea witch to trade her beautiful singing voice for a pair of legs. While sharks aren’t the focus of this super fun film, it will make you want to go “under the sea” and will make you want to sing all day long, too.
Stream The Little Mermaid, rated G, on Disney+.
Flipper
A teenager, coping with his parent’s divorce, spends the summer with his uncle living on the coast of Florida. While he’s there, he forms a friendship with a dolphin named Flipper. While the film mostly focuses on the titular dolphin, there is a scene with a shark that is worth watching for.
Stream Flipper, rated PG, on HBO Max.
Shark School
This animated film focuses on two young fish who attend a fish school in the deep blue sea, and learn new things every single day.
Rent Shark School, rated All, on Amazon Prime Video for $2.99.
Soul Surfer
A teenage surfer with a huge career ahead of her loses her arm in a shark attack. With the help of her loving parents and her personal determination, she works to overcome her loss and inspire others. While this might make the younger kiddos a little scared, this film, based on a true story, is so inspirational.
Rent Soul Surfer, rated PG, on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.
Sharks of Lost Island
A team of explorers set out to explore remote islands in the South Pacific and learn more about the sharks that inhabit the waters surrounding them in this National Geographic documentary.
Stream Sharks of Lost Island, rated TV-PG, on Disney+.
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