When warm weather hits, it’s tempting to fill every open block on your calendar with great outdoor activities so that you and your family can soak up the rays. And while nothing beats having some fun in the sun, there are also sure to be some days when everyone in the household will want to sit down and have an equally fun-filled night in — whether it’s through the long winter of hibernation, the fickle weather of spring, rainy days, or summer evenings so muggy you feel like you’d melt if you stayed outside too long. Luckily, there are plenty of funny family movies (new and more nostalgic) to choose from in those instances that will leave every member of your family content, relaxed, and with a belly full of laughs.
However, that’s not to say that securing such a wonderful evening together will be easy. There’s always the challenge of finding the right film that everybody can agree on. (Talk about an impossible mission!) Your kiddo may be in the mood to watch something completely different than what you have in mind. And if you have multiple children to appease, good luck trying to get them to agree to anything together. That being said, a wide selection of family-friendly films at your disposal should make the task a little more possible.
So, if you need a little inspiration and want something guaranteed to make you laugh out loud on multiple occasions, you’ve come to the right place. The following picks should do the trick.
A Few Favorites to Kick Things Off
1. The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
The idea of your electronic devices coming to life and attempting to overtake the planet isn’t a new concept by any means. Yet, this Netflix Original does a great job of making this type of predicament a unique and, quite honestly, hilarious experience. It may also be the only movie that prompts you to step away from your phones for a few hours. (You know… just in case they start to get any ideas.)
2. Yes Day (2021)
What if you had to say yes to anything your kids wanted for a full 24 hours? That’s a concept that Yes Day takes and completely runs with — to some hysterical results. Sure, it may sound like a parent’s worst nightmare IRL, but it can’t come to any harm to watch such antics unfold from the safety of your couch, right? Well, so long as it doesn’t give your kids any ideas.
3. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
Poor Wayne Szalinski. He didn’t mean to shrink his kids (or the neighbors’ kids) and then proceed to throw them out with the trash. And yet, that’s precisely what happens in this classic ‘80s flick. Giant ants, deadly lawn mowers, Rick Moranis. Where can you go wrong?
4. The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
Everyone who has ever owned a pet has wondered what their furry little friends do while they’re away at work. The Secret Life of Pets does a great job of exploring those possibilities and turning them into quite the fun-filled adventure. Though be warned, you may never look at your own pet the same way ever again.
5. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
For a film that has been around for over five decades, this exploration into the inner workings of a magical chocolate factory still proves to be a delightful (nay — delectable) experience throughout every generation. Aside from the weird sleeping arrangement between Charlie’s grandparents (seriously, what’s going on with that?), this is one must-see family film that is simply too sweet to miss.
More Funny Family Movies to Add to Your Queue
- Cheaper by the Dozen (2022)
- The Bad Guys (2022)
- Shrek (2001)
- Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
- Enchanted (2007)
- Sing franchise (2016, 2021)
- Turning Red (2022)
- Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021)
- Space Jam (1996)
- Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021)
- Encanto (2021)
- Are We There Yet? (2005)
- Hotel Transylvania franchise (2012, 2015, 2018, 2022)
- Better Nate Than Ever (2022)
- Ella Enchanted (2004)
- Extinct (2021)
- Hook (1991)
- Spy Kids (2001)
- The Muppets (2011)
- Boss Baby (2017)
- Jumanji (1995)
- Life-Size (2000)
- Freaky Friday (2003)
- Paddington (2014)
- Luca (2021)
- The Lego Movie franchise (2014, 2019)
- The Princess Diaries (2001)
- The Parent Trap (1998)
- It Takes Two (1995)
- The Incredibles (2004)
- Matilda (1996)
- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014)
- Bedtime Stories (2008)
- Onward (2020)
- Night at the Museum (2006)
- Kung Fu Panda franchise (2008, 2011, 2016, 2022)
- Nanny McPhee (2005)
- Zootopia (2016)
- Home Alone (1990)
- Vivo (2021)
- Wreck-It Ralph franchise (2012, 2018)
- Trolls franchise (2016, 2020)
- Despicable Me franchise (2010, 2013, 2017)
- The Game Plan (2007)
- Madagascar (2005)
- Ice Age (2002)
- Holes (2003)
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
- Hocus Pocus (1993)
- Sonic the Hedgehog (2020, 2022)
- Toy Story franchise (1995, 1999, 2010, 2019)
- Monsters, Inc. franchise (2001, 2013)
- The Sandlot (1993)
- Air Bud (1997)
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010)
- Rumble (2021)
- Daddy Day Care (2003)
- Doctor Dolittle (1998)
- The Little Rascals (1994)
- Casper (1995)
- Home (2015)
- Beethoven (1992)
- School of Rock (2003)
- Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- Back to the Future (1985)
- The Croods franchise (2013, 2020)
- Megamind (2010)
- Abominable (2019)
- The Addams Family (2019)
- Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)
