Best History Movies for Kids
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Not only do movies for kids make history more interesting, but they can also help them better understand the concepts being taught in class.
The following is a list of some of the best history movies for kids, which can help bring history to life and make it more engaging for students.
No matter what historical event or time period your students are studying, there is sure to be a movie on this list that will interest and engage them.
One of the most popular ways to learn about history is through movies. Movies can take us back in time and provide a firsthand look at what life was like in different cultures and eras.
They can also be used to teach specific historical events and figures. By making learning enjoyable, movies can help students see how history is relevant to their own lives.
As a result, using movies to teach history can be a powerful tool in the classroom.
Introducing history through films
A great way to introduce students to the topic of history is by showing them films that depict historical events or people.
This can help students develop an initial understanding of historical concepts and themes.
Additionally, films can provide a more engaging and visually stimulating introduction to history than traditional classroom lectures.
Using movies to teach specific historical topics
Movies can also be used to teach specific historical topics in more depth. For example, a movie could be used to introduce a unit on the American Civil War, and then students could use that movie as a starting point for further research into the topic.
Additionally, movies can help students to understand the human side of history by showing them how people lived and experienced different events.
Using movies for cross-curricular learning
Movies can also be used to help students learn about other subjects in conjunction with history. For example, a movie about the Titanic could be used to teach not only about the ship itself but also about aspects of physics and engineering.
This type of cross-curricular learning can be especially beneficial for students who struggle with traditional history lessons.
Best History Movies for Kids
There are many different ways to teach history in school. One way that is often overlooked is using movies.
Movies can be a great way to bring history to life and help students understand what happened in a more concrete way.
The film tells the story of Moses, an Israelite prince who is forced to flee Egypt after his brother, Pharaoh Seti I, murders their father, King Ramses.
After spending forty years in exile in Midian, Moses returns to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into Canaan.
The Miracle Worker is a film about Anne Sullivan, an American teacher and author who became blind and deaf after contracting scarlet fever at the age of five.
Sullivan was subsequently employed by the family of Helen Keller, who was also blind and deaf, to teach her how to communicate.
"Remember the Titans" is a movie about a high school football team in Virginia that is forced to integrate in the fall of 1971.
The team is made up of white players and black players who have never interacted with each other before.
The head coach, Herman Boone, is determined to make the team work together and be successful.
The players must learn to trust and respect each other in order to win games and make their community proud.
Belle is a poignant drama inspired by a true story about a mixed-race woman who seeks love and justice amidst racism in eighteenth century England.
The daughter of an aristocrat and a slave, Belle is born into a world of privilege and discrimination. Despite being raised by her father's family, she is treated as an outsider because of her skin color.
Determined to find a place where she belongs, Belle begins to fight for her rights and falls in love with an idealistic lawyer who shares her passion for change.
Together, they battle against the injustices of society, but ultimately tragedy strikes, testing their relationship and forcing Belle to confront the harsh realities of prejudice and loss.
The film follows the story of Pocahontas, a young Native American girl who is taken prisoner by the English during the early colonial period.
She befriends John Smith, one of the Englishmen, and they eventually fall in love.
However, their relationship is threatened by the growing conflict between the English and the Native Americans.
In the end, Pocahontas must choose between her people and her love for John Smith.
The Diary of Anne Frank is a movie based on the true story of a young Jewish girl who hid from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II.
The film follows Anne's life from when she and her family go into hiding to the day they are arrested and sent to concentration camps.
Anne's diary is read throughout the film, and provides a first-hand account of the events that transpired.
Based on Anne Holm's novel "North to Freedom", I Am David chronicles the struggles of a 12-year-old boy (Ben Tibber) who manages to flee a Communist concentration camp through sheer will and determination.
All he has in his possession is a loaf of bread, a letter to deliver to someone in Denmark and a compass to help get him there.
The Secretariat film is a biography drama based on the life of the racehorse Secretariat and his owner Penny Chenery.
The film follows the horse's journey from being a foal to winning the Triple Crown in 1973. A
long the way, Penny Chenery deals with family tragedy, financial difficulties, and a challenging horse racing industry.
Despite all the obstacles, she never gives up on her horse or her dream of making him a champion.
In the film, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, Mr. Peabody is a talking dog who is also a genius. He has a time machine that he and his adopted son, Sherman, use to travel through time.
One day, they end up in ancient Egypt where they meet King Tut and help him get out of a sticky situation. They also visit other time periods including the Revolutionary War and the future.
Throughout their travels, Mr. Peabody and Sherman learn about history and themselves.
The film follows the life of George Bailey, a man who has sacrificed his own happiness in order to help others.
As he approaches his death, he is given the opportunity to see what life would be like if he had never been born. In this alternate reality, George's family and friends are all worse off without him.
With this new perspective, George is able to appreciate all that he has done for others and decides to return to life.
Walt Before Mickey is a film about Walt Disney's early life and how he got into animation.
It follows his struggles as an artist and how he eventually found success with his creation of Mickey Mouse.
The film also explores Disney's personal life, including his relationships with his family and partners.
The Greatest Showman is a 2017 American biographical musical film.
The story follows P. T. Barnum's creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus and its ascent to becoming one of the world's largest entertainment companies.
Disney's American Legends is a film about four American legends: Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Pecos Bill, and Davy Crockett.
The film tells the stories of how each of these legends helped to shape America into the country it is today.
The Sound of Music tells the story of how Maria, a young woman who has been raised in a convent, becomes governess to the von Trapp children.
She soon falls in love with their father, Captain Georg von Trapp, but they are forbidden to marry because he is already married.
However, they eventually run away together and get married. The rest of the movie follows their journey as they flee Austria and find safety in America.
From the voyage of the Mayflower to the bold exploration of outer space, join the Peanuts gang as they take you on a timeless journey through American history!
Groove along with Charlie Brown and Snoopy as they discover the beginnings of jazz and ragtime music, accompanied by Lucy's speech about American heroes.
So all aboard with Peanuts because This Is America, Charlie Brown!
In Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, two slacker friends use a time machine to take a history class they're failing.
Along the way, they pick up some famous historical figures as passengers, including Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.
The group has to work together to get back to the present before their high school teacher can find them.
National Treasure is a film about a man named Benjamin Gates who is on a quest to find a treasure that has been hidden by the Founding Fathers of the United States.
Along the way, he must outsmart those who are trying to stop him, including the FBI and the military.
The film is full of action and suspense, and it is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
World War II rages in Europe, and Molly is a nine-year-old girl whose family life has been thrown into turmoil since her father, a doctor, has been stationed with the U.S. Army.
Kit Kittredge is a young girl growing up during the Great Depression.
She and her friends form a club to investigate the happenings in their town, and they soon discover that there is more to life than just enduring the hard times.
Kit must learn to be brave and stand up for what she believes in, even when it's difficult.
In the film Night at the Museum, security guard Larry Daley is given the task of guarding the exhibits of the American Museum of Natural History overnight.
He soon finds out that the museum comes to life at night, with all of the exhibits coming to life and running around.
Larry must find a way to keep everything under control and get the museum back to normal before morning.
In conclusion, using movies to teach history in school can be a fun and engaging way for students to learn about the past.
There are many benefits to using movies in the classroom, such as helping students develop critical thinking skills and making learning more interesting.
Overall, I believe that using movies is a great way to teach history and can help improve student engagement and learning outcomes.
What do you think?
