28 of the Best Engineering Movies and Kid-Friendly Shows

I grew up with a dad who loved movies. He not only loved watching them, he loved buying them to watch again and again. In fact, I’m pretty sure he had just about as many movies as Blockbuster by the time I left home and got married. 

So when he passed away, my husband and I went through the movies and “inherited” many of his favorites and ours. While not all my kids remember him, they can now watch some of his favorite movies and have that little connection.

Some of his favorites were the engineering shows and movies. He would sit and watch science and engineering shows with my oldest from the time he was about 3 years old. They are still some of his favorite memories and I believe the reason he has a deep love for science and engineering.

While they can be educational, movies can be so much more. They can turn into lifelong memories, inspirations, and dreams. 

If you have engineering-minded children, they will love these movies. Use them to inspire their imaginations, encourage their dreams, and motivate them to keep going.

NOTE: Shows should always be reviewed by a parent first. We do not make any claims to know what is appropriate for your child(ren), that is totally your call. Please review these shows to make sure they align with your family values.

1. How It’s Made – This is literally one of my oldest’s absolute favorite shows. He received the first 5 seasons on DVD for his 10th birthday. I am fairly certain he wore out those DVDs within the first few months. He was thrilled when we got Amazon Prime and has now watched all 23 seasons. If your kids love to know how things work and are made, this is the show for them! It has inspired many projects and inventions in our home.

2. Impossible Engineering – My son recently found this show on Netflix, but it is also on Amazon Prime. When I asked him about the show, he couldn’t quit talking about it. According to him, this show is “AWESOME!” Kids can learn how the tallest bridge was built, about the skyscrapers of the deep or the real iron man suit and much more in the 6 available seasons. Season 7 is being added weekly to Prime, so be on the lookout!

3. Engineering Catastrophes – With all good things, you’re bound to have a few disasters. This show takes a look at the major engineering catastrophes around the world. And then they analyze the issues and find solutions to fix the problem. Kids will love watching this series.

4. Mythbusters – My oldest two boys are positively addicted to this show. I’m pretty sure they have seen every episode at least once, if not twice. This show has taught them a lot about science, but also about building and engineering their own experiments.

5. Modern Marvels – If your kids ever wondered how castles and dragons, how fried food came about or the invention of coffee, they will love this series. They can learn this and so much more through the seasons. This show is rated 13+, so please preview before your children watch.

6. Lemony Snicket’s: A Series of Unfortunate Events – I have not seen the movie version on DVD, but my kids love the books and the series on Netflix. And while this doesn’t show or teach you how to build and engineer things, it does show the Baudelaire children invent things to get themselves out of sticky situations, which can inspire your children to start inventing on their own.

7. Bob the Builder – My two little boys absolutely adore this show. Yes, the title song can get a little annoying, but I have seen it inspire and even encourage them to build their own little houses. I have even caught my 3-year-old singing the song and driving his trucks around to build. So for that, I can live with a little annoyance from the song.

8. Annedroids – I was recently introduced to this series. We haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, but it looks like a fun series for kids of all ages. From what I’ve read though, this should be both entertaining and educational for your kids as the main character builds an android while her friends help her solve scientific problems through real-life solutions.

9. Lost in Space – This is one of our absolutely favorite shows to watch on Netflix. If you haven’t yet seen it, it is definitely binge-worthy. In each episode they have to build and make things to get them out of tight situations. While it is completely sci-fi, kids (and adults) will both love this action-packed adventure.

Movie Response Pack

When you incorporate movies into your homeschool day, you can turn it into school using our Movie Response Template Pack. 

This simple, but fun Movie Response Template Pack is the perfect print-and-go resource for kids of all ages. It offers printables for noting information about the movie, character highlights, illustrations, and more. There is also a book and movie comparison just in case you want to send your kids on a journey of highlighting similarities and differences between the movie and book (if there is a book too!).

Best Engineering Movies for Younger Kids:

NOTE: Movies should always be reviewed by a parent first. We do not make any claims to know what is appropriate for your child(ren), that is totally your call. Please review these movies to make sure they align with your family values.

10. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (G) – This classic is the perfect movie to inspire some engineering and inventions. This is one of my kids’ favorite movies. They love the songs, but they love the crazy, cooky inventions even more.

11. A Bug’s Life (G) – This is an older movie, but one that has a major invention in it. In order to save themselves from the grasshoppers, they have to work together to build a contraption that will scare them off for good. It’s a funny and adorable movie that kids will love.

12. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (PG) and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (PG) – These are two of my kids’ favorite movies. They love the silly, playfulness of them, but also the crazy inventions of Flint Lockwood. We have seen these movies more times than I can count and each time they pick up on something new and use it to fuel their imaginations.

13. Robots (PG)- This is a fun and creative movie that kids will love. Rather than being about inventing robots, it is about the life of a robot. This movie actually inspired my kids to build their own robot out of items we had around the house. Such fun!

14. The LEGO Movie (PG) – This is definitely one of my kids’ favorite movies. The animation is on point, but the message behind it is even better. However, the ingenious buildings throughout the movie are beyond impressive. If you have LEGO fans in your house, you’ll want to add this to your list (if it isn’t already in there).

15. The Iron Giant (PG) – When a young boy finds a giant robot, he does everything he can to protect and save him from government experiments. There are some fun, throwback voices in this one that parents will love.

16. Big Hero 6 (PG) – I have to be honest about this one. When we first saw this movie, no one warned us about the ending. Tears…everywhere. However, now it is one my kids favorites and even the youngest two love it and request it often. This movie inspires kids to invent and think outside the box. After watching it, my kids made their own robots and taught them to fly too. It was so fun to watch their imaginations work.

Best Engineering Movies for Older Kids:

NOTE: Movies should always be reviewed by a parent first. We do not make any claims to know what is appropriate for your child(ren), that is totally your call. Please review these movies to make sure they align with your family values.

17. October Sky (PG) – This is a great movie for science and engineering. Based on a true story, the main characters want to get out of their little town and do more than just work in the coal mines. Their teacher, seeing the potential in them, encourage them to build a rocket and enter it into a contest. Of course, you’ll have to watch the movie to see the outcome. But it really is a great movie. Parents Guide

18. The Rocketeer (PG) – Have you ever wanted to fly? I know my brothers did as kids, and my own kids do too. This movie brings out your child-like wonder and amazement as the main character, a pilot, finds a top-secret jet pack that literally propels him into amazing adventures in the sky. Parents Guide

19. Back to the Future (PG) – This is another oldie, but a goodie. My kids love watching this movie with all the futuristic technology of flying cars, and floating skateboards. Doc Brown has some crazy inventions of his own, which is half the fun and comedy of the movie. Because this is an older movie, the PG rating isn’t the same as the ratings today. So there are some “adult” situations and language, so this isn’t one I would watch with younger kids. Parents Guide

20. Apollo 13 (PG) – This is a fantastic movie based on the true story of the space flight of the same name. I originally saw it in theaters when it was released. It is definitely intense in parts, so I wouldn’t recommend it for younger children. However, once you think they are ready, I think it would definitely be a great movie for older kids to see and understand how to use what you have to create a solution to a problem. Parents Guide

21. Iron Man (PG-13) – My second son is completely obsessed with this movie and character as he moves through the Marvel series. This movie in particular though shows the engineering genius of Tony Stark, which has inspired my son to dream big with his own inventions. Parents Guide

22. I, Robot (PG-13)- This movie is definitely for older kids, however, it does display a great deal of engineering that we are actually now beginning to see come to life, such as self-driven cars, A.I. products and more. Parents Guide

23. Eagle Eye (PG-13) – This movie is similar to the show, Person of Interest, if you ever saw that. The government develops a computer to spy on and manipulate society. Some of these things we see going on today (or at least the evidence of its possibility), but it does give kids an idea of what engineering can do if you have the knowledge and ability. Parents Guide

24. Arrival (PG-13) – While this is definitely a sci-fi movie, the main character has to use not only science, but engineering to figure out how to communicate with this other life form that has landed on earth. I’ll be honest, this movie is a little strange, but I did find it entertaining enough to watch a couple of times. Parents Guide

25. The Abyss (PG-13)- As long as you’re not afraid of “living” underwater, this is a great movie. It is extremely intense at times, so I wouldn’t allow younger children or overly anxious children to watch it. This is definitely an oldie, however, this is a great sci-fi flick with some interesting engineering ideas. Parents Guide

26. Now You See Me? (PG-13) – If you like illusions, then this will be an exciting and fun movie. By learning about their subjects and targets, they engineer illusions to perform a series of elaborate and bold heists. Parents Guide

27. Ever After (PG-13) – You might think of this as a “love story” movie, but it is much more than that. There are all types of imagination and wonder in this movie from the main characters, but also DaVinci as he talks about his inventions and ideas. Parents Guide

28. The Flight of the Phoenix (PG-13) – This is a remake of a classic movie of the same name from 1965. In this movie, the characters crash in their C-119 aircraft and are stranded in the Gobi desert in July, the hottest part of the year. They are 200 miles off course and walking out isn’t an option. They decide await rescue, until one of them suggests a radical idea of rebuilding the crashed plane. Using their engineering skills, they work together to survive and rebuild the plane. 2004 Parents Guide 

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Movie Response Template Pack Download

Grab our movie response template pack to use in your homeschool. It would be a great way to document the educational journey you take as you dive into moves about wars and documentaries about military excursions.