Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, and all the fun of the little kids' table. Be honest, we all know that the little kid table is always the coolest and most fun place to be for Thanksgiving. They get away with everything, they have the best conversations, and they certainly have the greatest movies of all! Who wants football when you can watch a kid's movie?
In a holiday that is dominated by awkward family visits and adults wearing tights trying to steal a ball from each other, the most important things in life come to light: silly and sometimes poignant Thanksgiving movies for the whole family to enjoy. From Charlie Brown to Paul Blart, there are so many amazing family movies to watch this Thanksgiving.
'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' (1973)
One of the most beloved Thanksgiving movies for kids, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving follows the titular protagonist and his friends as they prepare their own Thanksgiving meal to share. Linus provides a nice retelling of the original Thanksgiving, and each character learns a new lesson in being thankful.
The beloved Peanuts gang brings us one of the most well-known Thanksgiving movies that the whole family will be able to enjoy. This classic film is universally on TV every year around and is likely a Thanksgiving tradition for several viewers. It is also available on Apple TV+ and on Amazon.
'Free Birds' (2013)
In this wildly ridiculous take on Thanksgiving, we see the Pardoned Turkey going back in time to the first Thanksgiving in an attempt to take turkeys off the Thanksgiving menu. When Reggie (Owen Wilson) gets pulled into Jake’s (Woody Harrelson) plot to go back in time, absolute hilarity ensues in Free Birds.
This fresh look at Thanksgiving is sure to cause non-stop laughter and wholesome fun for the entire family. The comedic cast brings this Thanksgiving favorite to life. It is available to watch on STARZ as well as available to rent on Amazon.
'Addams Family Values' (1993)
While not a traditional Thanksgiving movie, this one does have one of the most memorable Thanksgiving scenes in any film. The Addams Family Values catches up with the titular (and iconic) family as they welcome a new child and try to balance family life with a new nanny.
In this film, there is one of the most fantastic Thanksgiving scenes. As Wednesday Addams (Christina Ricci) is at Summer camp, she performs in a Thanksgiving play where she does a legitimate re-enactment of the original Thanksgiving, and it is horrifically hilarious. The Addams Family Values can be seen on Netflix, Paramount+, and a few other streaming services.
Jim Henson’s 'Turkey Hollow' (2015)
In this Lifetime Channel presentation of a Jim Henson creation, we follow a recently divorced man (Jay Harrington) as he takes his kids (Graham Verchere and Genevieve Buechner) to stay with his wacky aunt (the amazing Mary Steenburgen) in the town of Turkey Hollow. Throughout the remainder of the film, the kids end up searching for a huge monster, considered a legend in the town.
In what feels like a tribute to the great Jim Henson classics of the past, Turkey Hollow brings fun and excitement for everyone to enjoy. It is currently available to watch on VUDU as well as on Amazon for a fee.
'A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving' (1998)
This lovely film brings Pooh and his whole crew together to celebrate Thanksgiving together in the Hundred Acre Wood. Each brings their own dish of acorns, honey, thistles and ice cream, but Rabbit tells everyone that they need a legitimate feast, and so everyone scatters to find the real food.
In such a delightful film about togetherness and working together, A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving shows the importance of being together and working towards communication and cooperation with those around us, which can be difficult during this season. You might be able to catch this classic on TV this holiday season, but it is not currently streaming anywhere.
Walt Disney’s 'Pocahontas' (1995)
While not technically a Thanksgiving film, it is a great one to watch this Thanksgiving season as it opens up discussion about the first Thanksgiving and how Pocahontas likely helped to pave the way for the survival of the colonists with her connection to John Smith.
Including the vocal talents of Mel Gibson, Christian Bale, Billy Connolly, and several others, this movie shows the dynamic between Pocahontas and John Smith and how that relationship became fruitful despite the difficult beginnings. Pocahontas is available on Disney+ along with its sequel as well.
'We’re Back: A Dinosaur’s Story' (1993)
In We’re Back: A Dinosaur’s Story, a glad-scientist wants to help children experience the incredibly exciting nature of real-life dinosaurs, so he goes back in time and brings back four real-life Dinos after giving them the gift of intelligence through a cereal called Brain Grain. In an attempt to reach the Museum of Natural History, they end up being part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
With an amazing voice cast of John Goodman, Walter Cronkite, Jay Leno, Julia Child, Martin Short, and Rhea Perlman, among others, this movie pulls no punches with the talent it brings to the table. It is available to rent on Amazon for a small fee.
'Paul Blart: Mall Cop' (2009)
In what is one of his funniest films, Kevin James really brings Paul Blart: Mall Cop to life. James is the titular character who is a mall security officer with hypoglycemia who struggles with finding a way to engage in his social life – hint: he doesn’t really have one.
This film takes place over the Thanksgiving weekend with James’ character having to protect his mall and hostages taken from thieves trying to steal all the money collected on Black Friday. It's a wild, wacky misadventure that's sure to entertain. You can stream this movie on Hulu as well as rent it on Amazon.
'Garfield’s Thanksgiving' (1989)
Nothing says Thanksgiving quite like our favorite lasagna-loving kitty cat. In Garfield’s Thanksgiving, we see the pasta-loving cat having to be put on a diet the day before Thanksgiving because of a slight concern over his weight. He is understandably miserable, and all kinds of ridiculous antics occur.
Garfield is such a classic character and bringing him into your house this Thanksgiving will be such an amazing way to bridge the generational gap between original fans and children, who might soon become new fans of the funny feline. Garfield’s Thanksgiving is currently available on the Peacock app.
'Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving' (1999)
This incredible film is perfect for Thanksgiving in that it celebrates both Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it is ideal for celebrating Thanksgiving and leading right into the Christmas season as well. Following these beloved characters created by A.A. Milne as they make the most of the Holiday Season in a creative and exciting way.
Follow along as Tigger, Pooh, Piglet and the whole gang celebrate the Fall Holiday Season with their friends and see what kind of silliness they get themselves into. Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving can be streamed on both VUDU and Apple TV for a small fee.