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Best G-Rated Movies on DVD (Safe Picks for Young Kids)

Updated September 2026

Best G-Rated Movies on DVD: The Short List

The best G-rated movies on DVD for young kids include The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, My Neighbor Totoro, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Mary Poppins and Babe. All nineteen below carry an official G rating, checked title by title, with no PG favorites sneaked in. G doesn't mean "nothing scary," so each pick notes the moments a parent should know about.

  1. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
  2. Curious George (2006)
  3. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
  4. The Peanuts Movie (2015)
  5. Toy Story (1995)
  6. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
  7. Finding Nemo (2003)
  8. Cars (2006)
  9. WALL-E (2008)
  10. Cinderella (1950)
  11. Lady and the Tramp (1955)
  12. Robin Hood (1973)
  13. The Lion King (1994)
  14. Mary Poppins (1964)
  15. The Sound of Music (1965)
  16. The Muppet Movie (1979)
  17. Charlotte's Web (1973)
  18. Babe (1995)
  19. Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

They're grouped below from gentlest to most intense. That's the order we'd introduce them to a child who's just starting to watch full-length movies.

In this guide:

Gentlest First: Ages 2 to 4

For a first movie, you want short scenes, slow pacing and no real villain. These four fit.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977, G)

Three original Disney Pooh shorts stitched together, with Sebastian Cabot reading from the book. It's as close to a picture book on screen as film gets. Parent note: the "Heffalumps and Woozles" dream sequence is trippy and can unsettle a toddler, and there's a bee chase.

Curious George (2006, G)

The Man with the Yellow Hat brings George home from Africa, and chaos follows through a museum and an apartment building. The Jack Johnson songs are pleasant for the adults too. Parent note: George floats away holding balloons and gets taken by animal control, which briefly worries little ones.

My Neighbor Totoro (1988, G)

Two sisters move to the countryside while their mother is in the hospital and befriend a giant, sleepy forest spirit. There's no villain at all, which makes it an easy first movie for very young viewers. Parent note: the mother's illness worries the girls, and the younger sister gets lost near the end. There's a brief scene of the family bathing together that's entirely innocent.

The Peanuts Movie (2015, G)

Charlie Brown tries to impress the Little Red-Haired Girl while Snoopy dogfights the Red Baron in his imagination. It's faithful to Schulz and sweet from start to finish. Parent note: the name-calling is mild ("blockhead," "stupid"), and the biplane scenes are loud.

Pixar's G-Rated Films: Ages 4 and Up

Pixar's early run is almost entirely G. Its later films mostly aren't, so it's worth knowing which is which.

Toy Story (1995, G)

Woody and Buzz, jealousy and friendship. It's still one of the best-made family films there is. Parent note: Sid's mutant toys and his dog Scud scare some four-year-olds. Toy Story 2 (1999), Toy Story 3 (2010) and Toy Story 4 (2019) are also rated G. Part 3 has a long, genuinely frightening incinerator scene, so save that one for 6 and up.

Monsters, Inc. (2001, G)

Sulley and Mike work at a factory that powers a city with children's screams, until a toddler named Boo follows them home. It's a great movie for a child who's afraid of the dark. Parent note: the villain straps Boo into a scream-extracting machine.

Finding Nemo (2003, G)

An anxious clownfish crosses the ocean to find his son. Parent note: the opening shows a barracuda killing Nemo's mother and most of her eggs off-screen, and the shark and anglerfish scenes are tense. For a sensitive child, it's easy to start at chapter two. (Finding Dory is rated PG.)

Cars (2006, G)

A hotshot race car gets stranded in a forgotten Route 66 town and learns some humility. It's the biggest hit with car-obsessed preschoolers. Parent note: race crashes and a couple of mild words. Cars 3 (2017) is also G and a good follow-up. Cars 2 (2011) is technically G too, but it's a spy caper with guns and a couple of cars destroyed, so we'd hold it for older kids.

WALL-E (2008, G)

A lonely trash-compacting robot falls for a sleek probe named EVE and follows her into space. The first half hour has almost no dialogue, and small kids are riveted anyway. Parent note: some laser-blaster action on the spaceship.

Classic Disney Animation: Ages 4 to 8

Cinderella (1950, G)

The stepfamily is cruel and the mice are wonderful. It's a gentle first princess film. Parent note: the stepsisters tear Cinderella's dress in a scene that upsets some kids, and there's a cat-and-mouse chase.

Lady and the Tramp (1955, G)

The spaghetti scene alone earns it a spot. Parent note: a rat threatens the baby in the climax. The Siamese cats' song is an ethnic caricature that some families skip or talk through.

Robin Hood (1973, G)

Robin as a fox, Little John as a bear, Prince John as a thumb-sucking lion. It's funny and quick. Parent note: more swordplay and arrows than you remember, plus a planned hanging that Robin foils.

The Lion King (1994, G)

The 1994 animated version is rated G. (The 2019 remake is PG.) Parent note: Mufasa's death in the stampede is the most upsetting scene on this list, and the hyenas are menacing. We'd wait until 5 or 6 and be on the couch for it.

Live-Action Musicals and Animal Stories: Ages 5 and Up

Mary Poppins (1964, G)

Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke and "A Spoonful of Sugar." It's long, but the songs carry it. Parent note: Admiral Boom fires his rooftop cannon, and there's some cigar smoking and sherry.

The Sound of Music (1965, G)

Nearly three hours, so plan on two evenings. It's a great way to introduce a young child to a real piece of history, and our historical movies for homeschool families list picks up from there as they get older. Parent note: the Nazi threat builds through the second half, and the escape through the abbey is tense. There's also teen romance ("Sixteen Going on Seventeen").

The Muppet Movie (1979, G)

Kermit drives to Hollywood and picks up the gang on the way. "Rainbow Connection" alone is reason to own it. Parent note: the villain wants Kermit for a frog-legs restaurant, and there's a bar scene and a couple of guns.

Charlotte's Web (1973, G)

The Hanna-Barbera cartoon of E.B. White's novel is a lovely first "sad" movie. The 2006 live-action version with Dakota Fanning is also rated G. Parent note: Wilbur is meant for slaughter, and Charlotte dies at the end. Read the book first and nobody is ambushed. If it goes over well, our read-aloud chapter books for families list has more to read together.

Babe (1995, G)

A piglet raised by a sheepdog learns to herd sheep. It's funny and kind, and it was a Best Picture nominee. Parent note: wild dogs kill a sheep (with a little blood), and the animals talk openly about being eaten. It's best at 6 and up.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993, G)

Two dogs and a cat cross the Sierra Nevada to get back to their family. Parent note: a mountain lion, a porcupine, a river crossing where the cat seems lost, and a frightening fall for the old dog. It all ends happily.

Four of our picks (Homeward Bound, The Lion King, Toy Story and Babe) come from the 1990s. Our 90s kids movies on DVD list has more from that decade, though not all of them are rated G.

Parents are often surprised by this. Many of the most popular modern animated films are rated PG, not G, usually for "action," "peril" or "mild rude humor":

  • Frozen (2013), PG
  • Moana (2016), PG
  • Up (2009), PG
  • The Incredibles (2004), PG
  • Finding Dory (2016), PG
  • The Lion King (2019 remake), PG

None of these is a problem for most families. But if you're keeping a preschooler to G-only, check the case. The rating is printed on the back of every DVD, usually in the bottom corner. When you're ready to move up, our PG movies for family movie night guide sorts the next step by age with the same kind of content notes.

How We Think About the G Rating

The G rating says a film has nothing most parents would object to for any age. It's a good floor. It isn't a promise that a three-year-old won't be frightened. Disney's classics, in particular, have a habit of killing off a parent. A few rules of thumb:

  • Watch the first one together. You'll learn more about what scares your child in one sitting than from any review.
  • Older G films can feel more intense than newer PG ones, because 1950s and 1970s films didn't soften their villains.
  • Short is better at first. Pooh runs well under 90 minutes. The Sound of Music is close to three hours.

Stocking a G-Rated Shelf

Kids' DVDs get watched until they skip, so used copies are the sensible way to build a shelf. Browse our family and animation DVDs for most of the titles here, or the full DVD collection for the live-action musicals. Orders over $15 ship free.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a G rating mean?

G stands for General Audiences, meaning all ages are admitted. The film contains nothing the rating board thinks most parents would find offensive for young children, though it can still include peril and scary moments.

Is Frozen rated G?

No. Frozen (2013) is rated PG for some action and mild rude humor. The same goes for Moana, Up, The Incredibles and Finding Dory.

What is the best G-rated movie for a 3-year-old?

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) is our first pick. It's calm and episodic and has no real villain. My Neighbor Totoro and Curious George (2006) are close seconds.

Are all the Toy Story movies rated G?

Yes. All four main Toy Story films are rated G. Toy Story 3 is noticeably scarier than the others because of its incinerator scene. The spin-off Lightyear (2022) is PG.

Is The Lion King rated G?

The 1994 animated film is rated G. The 2019 photorealistic remake is rated PG. Both include Mufasa's death, which can upset young children.

Were older movies like Mary Poppins rated when they came out?

The MPAA rating system began in 1968, after Mary Poppins (1964) and The Sound of Music (1965) were released. Both carry a G rating today.

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