10 Of The Best Movies About Friendship Kids & Parents Will Love

While all the Toy Story movies are pretty awesome and chock-full of wind-up or stuffed friends, only one has a song to seal the deal of the friendship theme: “You’ve Got a Friend In Me.” In the latest installation of this star-studded animated series, faithful fans of the franchise can expect to see more of the celebrated bromance between cowboy and astronaut, Woody and Buzz Lightyear. They’ll also be treated to brand new friendships and backdrops, as Woody embarks on a road trip with new character and recycled toy, Forky. Toy Story 4 is filled with fun times and all The Feels, and even a long-lost friend (no spoilers here). The Pixar movie also features one of the greatest TV friends of all time — the incomparable Betty White, in her last film performance, playing toy tiger, Bitey White.

Watch Toy Story 4, rated G, on Disney+.

Grab your toastiest mittens! When Princess Elsa creates an eternal winter, sister, Anna is on a mission to save her hometown of Arendelle. Although “Feisty Pants” Anna is joined by lovable snowman sidekick, Olaf (and a pretty cute iceman), this is ultimately a story about one of the most special kinds of friendships — the one shared by sisters. Although Anna and Elsa and quite opposite and become estranged, the unconditional love and unwavering support between them are (eventually) enough to make up for lost time and save the kingdom, and each other. Kudos to Frozen for also showing how sisters are the ones who will keep it real and tell you the brutal truth (especially when you don’t want to hear it). Of course, the inescapable consequence of finishing this heart-melting movie will be listening to “Let It Go” belted out 10 billion icy times. Totally worth it, by the way.

Watch Frozen, rated PG, on Disney+.

Let the nostalgia wash over you with this must-see ‘80s movie that has the power to transport you to a simpler and more innocent (pre-social media) time. The Goonies is an action-adventure-comedy that follows two brothers on a mission to save their homes from foreclosure as the construction of an evil new country club looms in the suburban future. With the help of a treasure map and a friend group who named themselves, The Goonies, this crew of lovable oddballs and misfit heroes are sure to steal your heart and tickle your funny bone. With pitch-perfect performances by iconic child stars like Sean Astin and gobs of slapstick, what might appear to be a movie about a lost treasure on a pirate ship, is actually a tribute to treasuring family and adoring your (most favorite weirdo) friends.

Watch The Goonies, rated PG, on Amazon Prime.

The logistics of having six best friends sounds pretty complicated, but bonus points for this crew of super-entrepreneurial 13-year-olds, who open up their own day camp despite the many things going ons in their lives. There’s estranged dad drama and summer school. Older Boy Crushes and diabetes. But through it all, this friend group is strong, and they band together to face the shared challenge of not-so-friendly neighbor, Mrs. Haberman, who is not feeling all the noise that the campers make. Based on the uber-popular books series, The Baby-Sitter’s Club was also rebooted as a Netflix TV show, with Alicia Silverstone cast as the mom of the president of the club. Fans of the original books (or ‘90s fashion) might prefer this version, though.

Watch The Baby-Sitter’s Club, rated PG, on Amazon Prime.

What’s fantastic about Moana is that it ditches those stale romantic storylines to focus on adventure and a teenage girl’s quest to find herself and help her people. It’s a breathtaking, sea-soaked story, filled with fascinating Polynesian myth. Of course, you can’t save the ocean alone and Moana comes face to face with Maui, a lovably-arrogant demigod voiced by proud girl dad, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. While this duo doesn’t start off as great friends, they join forces and get over their differences. It’s a great lesson that first impressions aren’t everything, and you can make a great friend with someone you have major disagreements with. The twosome not only save the day, they make their friendship official when Maui gets some Moana-inspired ink.

Watch Moana, rated PG, on Disney+.

If you’re going to befriend a sea monster, it might as well be on the Italian Riviera. Luca is a visually lush coming-of-age story with The Little Mermaid Vibes and a bellissimo ode to friendship. Titular character, Luca, is a sheltered little sea monster afraid to break the water’s surface, who befriends fellow underwater creature and orphan, Alberto. Together, they assume the shape of humans and galavant through a picture-perfect 1950s fishing village, exploring the wonders of the world (gelato!) and living their Best Vespa Lives. The pair meet streets-mart, Giulia, an actual human girl, who upgrades this friend duo into a trio and takes the boys under her wing to help them compete in the Portorosso Cup (a race that deliciously combines swimming, pasta-eating, and cycling).

Watch Luca, rated PG, on Disney+.

Nothing says BFF like letting someone else borrow your very favorite pair of jeans. Based on the beloved YA novel, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants centers around best friends, spending their first summer apart. As a way to overcome the distance between cool places like Greece and South Carolina, the foursome share these magical pants that inexplicably fit each girl perfectly, despite the fact that they are obviously different sizes. From summer love to family drama, these besties are there for each other when it really counts. Starring America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, Blake Lively, and Alexis Bledel, it’s also pretty cool that all four starlets have continued to see big-time success in Hollywood and their personal lives. They’ve stayed friends in real life, as they’ve matured into moms, authors, and even activists — nearly 17 years after filming!

Watch The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, rated PG, on HBO Max.

While it might not necessarily land on your kid’s list of best movies of all time, Home stars J.Lo and Rihanna, so this out-of-this-world casting make it worth the stream. Home is set in the future of planet Earth when aliens have invaded the planet. It tells the story of the unlikely friendship between a 14-year-old Barbadian-American girl named Gratuity (aka Tip), voiced by Rihanna, and Oh, a rogue alien on the run, who isn’t really keen on capturing humans. Together, this fugitive duo take a trip around the world (with a cat named, Pig, in tow) to find Tip’s mother and escape the evil aliens. Home is a sweet and silly sci-fi movie that tugs on your heartstrings with the galactic lesson, applicable even if you aren’t facing alien invasion: friends can help you survive almost anything.

Watch Home, rated PG, on Netflix.

Based on the title alone, this probably isn’t the first movie that comes to mind when thinking about friendship, but trust Tina Fey to come through on one of the most spot-on movies about high school, girl friendships, and fitting in — featuring, the good, the bad, and truly toxic cliques you’ve banished from your teenage memory. Definitely a flick for older kids, as the film contains edgy jokes and alcohol-fueled parties, Mean Girls stars Lindsay Lohan as Cady, a new student, totally clueless of the brutal and complicated dynamics between teen girls. Rachel McAdems is amazing as always, playing notorious Queen Bee, Regina George. With iconic scenes on beyond-bad parenting, Amy Poehler is hilarious, clad in her hot pink tracksuit, showing you everything not to do while raising daughters. Mean Girls is a pretty fetch reminder that maybe mom isn’t actually meant to be your “friend.” It will also give you the chance to prove to any side-eye-ing kid that, considering the alternatives, you’re really not that embarrassing after all.

Watch Mean Girls, rated PG-13, on Amazon Prime.

The OG friendship flick that posits: there’s no sense skipping down the yellow brick road, unless you have someone to loop arms with. Sure, Dorothy has her trusty dog, Toto, comfy in a wicker basket, but The Wizard of Oz is all about the new pals who help you when you’re on an unfamiliar path. This classic film isn’t just a masterpiece touting great sparkly shoes, it’s a heartfelt reminder that a journey isn’t about the destination, but the people you meet along the way. Dorothy, of course, finds kindred spirits in the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion, who support each other every step of the way. But it’s this wisdom given to the Tin Man by The Wizard, that might say the most about friendship: “Remember my sentimental friend: a heart is not judged by how much you love, but how much you are loved by others.”

Watch The Wizard of Oz, rated G, on HBO Max.