14 Movies to Inspire Your Inner Child
Some movies have a way of encapsulating that magical sense of adventure and wondrous view of the world we held as children. These cinematic suggestions will help you reconnect to that wonder and magic still residing deep inside.
The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Bastian ducks into an antique bookstore to avoid the school bullies and uncovers an intriguing leather-bound book. As a storm swells outside, the book’s lines of fantasy and reality blur, and he must choose to intervene as the hero or remain a passive reader.
Cinderella (1997)
This ultimate fairy tale blends Rodgers and Hammerstein’s original lyrics with a modern, mixed-race cast, and the divine duo of Brandy and Whitney Houston bring a special and unique magic to this timeless film.
The Goonies (1985)
A rag-tag group of kids find a treasure map and venture out in search of the riches but find themselves caught up in a web of crime, booby-trapped tunnels and unexpected friends. A sort-of David and Goliath gone rogue, this story will appeal to the adventurer inside us all.
The Land Before Time (1988)
When a baby “longneck” dinosaur loses his mother as the world around him is dying, he sets out with new friends to find their promised land. Humorous, heartbreaking and hopeful, each young dino represents prominent aspects of budding childhood personalities and explores how necessary personal connection is when navigating the world at a young age.
My Girl (1991)
Vada is an 11-year-old who has experienced more morbidity than most adults. This sweet and devastating film explores the crossroads of vulnerability of learning to cope with tragedy at a young age and rushing to grow up.
Mary Poppins (1964) and Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
The original Mary Poppins is a thoughtful and imaginative childhood favorite for many of us. The remake, however, sees a fantastical and cheeky Mary Poppins return to tend to children who are not misbehaving, but in fact, maybe a bit too grown-up. As they learn to embrace their childhood, you might just reawaken yours alongside them.
Pete’s Dragon (2016)
This whimsical and heart-wrenching reimagining of the infamous 1977 film examines an orphan’s life alone in the woods as it butts up against the “real-world” visions of almost all of the adults he encounters. Its breathtaking fantastical realism and innocence will leave you wondering if there really are dragons in the forests.
13 Going on 30 (2004)
When Jenna makes a birthday wish to be grown-up, she never expected it to come true. Now, as she navigates a glamorous adult life with a boyfriend, high-end editorial job and a backstabbing frenemy, she discovers that being an adult and an awkward teenager can be equally absurd.
Meet the Robinsons (2007)
Lewis is an orphaned 12-year-old inventor, desperate to be adopted. When he builds a memory machine to understand why his parents abandoned him, he consorts with time-traveler Wilbur and journeys into the future, only to realize that his own family is closer than he knows.
Hook (1991)
This beloved gem is literally a tale of re-discovering your inner child. Peter is a lawyer-workaholic-dad who must face his past and reawaken the wild child inside to save his own children from the terrible Captain Hook.
Matilda (1996)
The wondrous Roald Dahl tale comes to life as young Matilda masters how to use her gift of telekinesis to overcome pushy and destructive parents and defend her friends against an abusive teacher.
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking (1988)
When the spunky, red-haired and pigtailed Pippi mysteriously appears in a small town, she influences her new friends with her mischievous and courageous manner, much to the adults’ dismay.
Turning Red (2022)
Mei discovers the definitive role of friendship and fights to break generational trauma and identify herself outside of an overbearing and overprotective (though well-intentioned) family while grappling with a physical manifestation of the emotional erraticism that accompanies the teenage years.
Now go make your favorite movie snack, select a couple of these films and check in with that inner child!
Emily Cunningham is a freelance magazine writer with a passion for wildlife conservation, civil and societal issues, and artistic pursuits including dance, creative writing, and handmade art.