The best '90s kids movies to stream

By Megan Riedlinger 8:38am PDT, May 7, 2020

Need a family-friendly film for movie night? Wonderwall.com has rounded up some of the best '90s kids movies currently streaming on services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video. First up? "A Little Princess," which celebrates the 25th anniversary of its release on May 10, 2020. You can catch this enduring family drama on Netflix and follow the saga of Sara Crewe (played by young Liesel Matthews), a boarding school student whose father dies during World War I. Keep reading for some more '90s kids' classics…

RELATED: Best '80s kids movies

Disney+ is packed with some of the best '90s kids movies of all time — including "Aladdin"! The beloved cartoon first hit theaters in 1992 and became the highest grossing film that year. It also went on to win two Academy Awards and a song of the year Grammy for "A Whole New World." Want to take a trip to Agrabah? You're in luck — the whole family can settle in and enjoy the tale of Aladdin charming Princess Jasmine and stream it on Disney+ tonight.

Looking for an uplifting tale with a killer soundtrack? 1993's "Free Willy" tells the story of a foster child who befriends a killer whale and helps him escape captivity. The film had an awesome theme song to accompany it — Michael Jackson's "Will You Be There"! Stream it now on Hulu.

If you're missing basketball and looking for some fun, it's time to re-watch "Space Jam"! The 1996 family flick stars Michael Jordan in a fake take on his 1993 NBA retirement and his subsequent 1995 comeback. The biggest difference? Looney Tunes characters are the ones asking him to return to basketball! The sports comedy was a major hit in theaters at the time of its release — it even became the highest grossing basketball movie of all time. Stream it tonight on Netflix.

1994's "The Lion King" became the highest grossing animated film of all time after it came out! The Disney cartoon, which follows the life of young lion Simba in the wake of father Mufasa's death, included a wonderful soundtrack with songs penned by Elton John and Tim Rice. Upon its video release, it became the bestselling film on home video. It also picked up two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe for best motion picture musical or comedy. Watch the legendary Disney cartoon today on Disney+.

Another classic Disney film from the '90s that you can stream anytime? 1991's "Beauty and the Beast" — the sweet tale of love between a book-loving young woman and a prince transformed into a monster. The movie, which won the Golden Globe for best motion picture musical or comedy and became the first first full-length animated feature film in cinema history to be nominated for a best picture Academy Award, is up on Disney+ now.

Who doesn't love Stuart Little? 1999's "Stuart Little" features the critter from the 1945 book of the same name transplanted to a CGI animated/live-action comedy. The family-friendly flick stars Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie and Jonathan Lipnicki — with Michael J. Fox, Nathan Lane and Jennifer Tilly voicing characters. Fun facts: M. Night Shyamalan co-wrote the screenplay, and the flick earned a best visual effects Oscar nomination (and lost to "The Matrix"). Catch this flick streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.

When "Hook" was released in 1991, it was an instant classic! Steven Spielberg directed the fantasy film, which featured and all-star cast with Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman and Julia Roberts. The film tackles what happens to an adult Peter Pan (Robin) when his kids are kidnapped by Captain Hook and he's forced to return to Neverland. Stream it now on Netflix!

Bummed that the spring 2020 release of the live-action version of "Mulan" has been postponed? We don't blame you! Fortunately, the 1998 animated version of the tale about a female Chinese warrior — which features voice work from Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy and BD Wong — is available to watch at any time on Disney+.

If you're in the mood for a musical, 1992's "Newsies" might be the answer. The Disney flick stars a young Christian Bale as well as Bill Pullman and Robert Duvall. Despite receiving terrible reviews after its release, it later became a cult classic and was turned into a Broadway play that won two Tony Awards. You can currently watch the original adaptation on Disney+.

"A Goofy Movie" came out in 1995, and in our book, its seriously underrated. At the heart of the film, it's a sweet story about a father and his son growing closer on a fishing trip. It also had an amazing soundtrack thanks to tunes from Tevin Campbell. Check it out on Disney+ tonight.

Dreaming of Christmastime? Then watch 1990's "Home Alone"! Though the flick centers around what happens when Macaulay Culkin's character, Kevin, is accidentally left home by himself during the holidays, it holds up all year long thanks to the kid's hilarious antics as he defends his home from burglars played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. Dive into it tonight on Disney+.

"The Parent Trap" originally came out in 1998 as a remake of the 1961 film of the same name. This new version quickly became a fan favorite thanks in large part to the stellar job Lindsay Lohan did bringing twins Hallie and Annie to life. It's hard to believe the flick was her movie debut! See it on Disney+.

If your family is looking for a good coming-of-age comedy, check out our next pick! "The Sandlot" originally came out in 1993, but the classic film about summer baseball can be streamed anytime you'd like on Disney+.

"Tom and Huck" was the stuff of '90s kids' dreams when it was released back in 1995, thanks largely to the fact that it starred two of the era's biggest teen heartthrobs — Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Brad Renfro. The actors played Tom and Huck, respectively, in the adventure-comedy film, which you can stream now on Disney+.

Next up, a coming-of-age film that captivated audiences when it was released back in 1991. "My Girl," which starred Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Macaulay Culkin and Anna Chlumsky, focused on an 11-year-old girl growing up in Pennsylvania back in 1972. Based on the book of the same name, this sweet and sentimental tale translated into a major box office hit. You can currently stream it on Netflix.

"The Prince of Egypt" originally came out in 1998, but the animated flick holds up more than two decades later. The DreamWorks movie follows the life of Moses and features voice work from an impressive roster of stars including Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Helen Mirren, Steve Martin and Martin Short. Stream it now on Hulu!

Need an escape from this spring and summertime quarantine? Why not check out "The Nightmare Before Christmas"? The 1993 Tim Burton flick follows Jack Skellington — the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town who's transported to Christmas Town and kidnaps Santa Claus after deciding he wants to put his own spin on St. Nick's tradition of gift-giving — and gets you into the spirit of both holidays. The cult classic is available to watch on Disney+.

"Muppet Treasure Island" originally came out in 1996, but thanks to Disney+, you can stream the musical comedy anytime. The flick stars the whole Muppets gang plus actors Tim Curry, Billy Connolly and Jennifer Saunders.

A seriously underrated Disney cartoon — 1999's "Tarzan" — is currently streaming on Netflix. Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, Glenn Close and Rosie O'Donnell all lent their voices to the animated film, which includes the Academy Award-winning song "You'll Be in My Heart" by Phil Collins.