29 Educational Science Movies & Shows for Kids

Published:
November 3, 2019

Annette Breedlove

Contributor:
Annette Breedlove

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I swore I would never be the parent that let my kids watch movies all the time. That was until we decided to travel and homeschool on the road full-time. At first, we would just take “off” on travel days and just let the kids ride and watch a fun movie. It wasn’t until more recently that we decided there was a way to “do school” even on those travel days.

If you also interested in Movies & Shows for Kids Based on History we have a big list you will enjoy

29 Educational Science Movies & Shows For Kids text with image of a bowl of popcorn next to a TV remote

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We found that movies were a great way to easily add school to our travel days. Not just for fun, but also for some education. Over the past couple of years, we have found some wonderful movies that really added to our homeschool lessons. And some that didn’t.

However, my children’s taste in movies couldn’t be more different, which means we have learned a lot about compromise. It also means my kids have been able to watch and even find some fun movies or shows they might not otherwise watch.

I love the freedom that homeschooling allows us. Using movies to teach or get kids interested in science. Allowing my kids to watch a TV or Netflix series that teach about animals, electronics and engineering – and calling it school. It is the best part of homeschooling.

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.

Whether you need to take your homeschool on the road or just need a break from the normal, check out these movies and tv series for Science.

These animated movies are not necessarily scientifically true. However, they inspire kids to learn more about science and engineering. And that’s a great starting point in my opinion.

Robots (PG) – My kids love this movie. It is a funny and entertaining look at the making of robots and how the “new” robots are superior, while those who need fixing and upkeep are discarded. It has a great moral to the story, but it also inspired my kids to start building their own robots.

Meet the Robinsons (G) – Another favorite of my kids. Time travel may not be possible, but it doesn’t stop the fun in this movie. And you won’t see the twist coming at the end of the movie! 

Big Hero 6 (PG) – This one quickly rose to a beloved favorite in our home and continues to be to this day with my littlest ones. Not all the science in this movie is plausible, but it sure is fun to watch. And it really spurred my kids on to start brainstorming and creating their own heroes.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman (PG) – Another fun time-travel movie. This one also has a bit of history sprinkled throughout as the main character makes jumps to different dates. This one inspired my kids to build their own time machine and “travel” to different times and places around the world.

Movie Response Pack

When you incorporate movies into your homeschool day, you can turn it into school using our free 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!). Scroll to the end of this post to get download access. 

Movie Response Template Pack

Classics

And who doesn’t love the classics! These classic movies are cute, funny and full of science inspiration. Most of them not even plausible, but it sure is fun to dream! 

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (PG) – This is a classic movie and one I remember watching over and over when I was younger. While it’s not possible to shrink humans to the size of a pea, it sure was fun to think about and follow them on their adventures! (NOTE: This may have language you might not approve of for younger kids. Please use your own judgment to review for your family.Parents Guide

Absent Minded Professor & Son of Flubber (NR) – This is the original movie that inspired the more recent, “Flubber”. And while not everything in the movie is possible, I think homemade flubber comes pretty close. And it’s fun too!

Flubber (PG) – If you watch the classic, you’ve got to watch the remake with Robin Williams. This is such a fun-loving and exciting movie to see how the flubber actually helps the professor in the end. (NOTE: This may have some actions or language you might not approve of for younger kids. Please use your own judgment to review for your family.) Parents Guide

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (G) – If your kids love inventing things, they will love this movie! I cannot even tell you how many times my kids have watched this movie. They know all the songs and even some of the actions. But it’s the imagination of the possibility of a flying car or a candy that whistles. This movie inspires my kids to build cars and fly them around everywhere!

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (G) – Fun-loving characters, bright colors, a river of chocolate – it doesn’t get much better than that! This movie is another favorite of my children and one they have watched more times than I can count. Of course, this isn’t really how chocolate is made, but it is a fun way to imagine a chocolate factory in motion.

 

Science Television Shows

Over the years we have found several television shows for little ones that include science. My kids love each of these series. (Note: These are not Christian-based shows, which means they talk about the earth being millions of years old. We simply explain to our kids why we do not believe this to be true, but let them enjoy the actual science portions. It is up to you to make the call for your family whether these are appropriate or not.)

ROCK N LEARN Science DVD Collection – We have not seen this set of DVDs, but we have used some of their alphabet and number ones. They have catchy tunes to help kids remember things, which is a fun way to learn. So, I think this would be a solid choice for a fun way to learn and/or review science with your kids.

Sid the Science Kid: Weather Kid Sid – My oldest was obsessed with this show when he was younger. It may be a little annoying in the songs, but the real science they did was completely fascinating to him. It really was the start of his love of science and experiments, which continues to this day.

The Magic School Bus: The Complete Series – We own this entire series and my kids could never get enough of it. The different adventures of Ms. Frizzle and the gang are a fun way to explore the world of science from a child’s perspective. 

Blaze & The Monster Machines: High-Speed Adventure – This is definitely a favorite in our house with the little boys. This show may be a little juvenile, but it teaches kids about velocity, buoyancy, force, friction and more! Find a list of topics by season here

SciGirls (Amazon Prime Video) – My kids have watched a few of these shows. They love that it involves real kids their own age doing science stuff.

Wild Kratts (Amazon Prime Video) – All of my kids have loved this show. They take kids to different parts of the world and on adventures as different creatures. It really is a fun show for kids.

Mythbusters: Big Blasts Collection – This is one of my oldest’s favorite shows. I’m pretty sure he’s seen just about every episode they’ve made. They do some crazy experiments on this show, but they do a good job of explaining the science behind their experiments.

How It’s Made – This is one of my family’s favorite shows. We own several seasons on DVD, which they watch over and over. Some shows are more interesting than others, but watching how things they use every day are made fascinates my kids.

Food Science – I have not watched this series, but from the description, it sounds amazing! Who wouldn’t love to do experiments with food and items you have in their own kitchen. What’s more fun than playing with your food?!

Popular Mechanics for Kids – My oldest loved this show and the magazine too. In fact, it was his choice of reading for a flight we had one year. This show introduces kids to real-life science through adventures in subways, zoos, racetracks and more! (Sadly, this is not available on Amazon right and I couldn’t find it anywhere else. I couldn’t not include it, because it is a great show for kids. But you can bookmark it and check back to watch for its availability. Also watch Netflix.)

 

Documentaries

March of the Penguins – This is a documentary I recommend for older children. It is a very slow-moving movie that my younger kids were bored quickly. However, there was something so fascinating about watching the journey of the emperor penguins as they made their way in the South Pole through the extreme temperature and snowstorms just to mate.

Planet Earth: Complete Series – My kids have seen several of these episodes on Amazon Prime Video. My daughter who loves nature and all things science has watched this on repeat at times. Yes, this series does present a non-christian point of view, but the cinematography under the water, around the world and among the animals is completely breathtaking.

Underwater Dreams – “Underwater Dreams, written and directed by Mary Mazzio, and narrated by Michael Peña, is an epic story of how the sons of undocumented Mexican immigrants learned how to build an underwater robot from Home Depot parts. And defeat engineering powerhouse MIT in the process.” -Amazon site description

Temple Grandin (TV-PG) – What an inspiring story of perseverance and overcoming obstacles based on her differences. Autism is more widely known and understood in part due to her stepping out and pushing boundaries. Parents Guide

 

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. I have included the Parents Guide link for each to help you with your review.

October Sky (PG) – I loved this movie when it came out. What a story of hope and perseverance. And since it is based on a true story, the science is definitely real. After watching this, I remember my youngest brother and Dad gathering supplies to build their own rocket. Such an inspiring movie. Parents Guide

Hidden Figures (PG) – This is one of my oldest’s new favorites. He has watched this movie no less than 10 times. Another movie based on a true story of perseverance and inspiration that crossed both gender and racial lines at that time in history. Parents Guide

Gorillas in the Mist (PG-13) – This is a fantastic movie about a scientist, Dian Fossey, who traveled to Africa to study the gorillas there and later helped fight to protect and save them from poachers. It could be a traumatic movie, but it is a wonderful story of her passion and how she inspired others. Parents Guide

Iron Man (PG-13) – As a die-hard Marvel family, we love most of the movies in this series. Iron Man seems to be one of the favorites though and I believe it is because of the ingenuity and crazy inventions of Tony Stark. I know not all the technology in the Marvel series isn’t possible, but there are flying suits now, so who knows! Parents Guide

Apollo 13 (PG-13) – I vividly remember seeing this movie with my family and having to tell my youngest brother to “breathe” when they were trying to figure out how to make the device to get them home. We finally had to tell him it was based on a true story and they made it back safely. It is such a powerful movie and one that not only covers science but history too. Parents Guide

Free Movie Response Template Pack Download

Grab our free 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. 

Movie Response Template Pack Free Download

To get access to this free template pack, sign into the subscriber library using the password found in all our emails. Not yet a subscriber? No worries – sign up below to get access now!

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