Looking for the best musical movies to watch with tweens? Whether your child already loves musicals or you just want something with a brilliant soundtrack, there are loads of great options for the 8–12 age group.
And they don’t all have to be Disney films.
As a family of musical and theatre fans, we’ve watched our way through everything from High School Musical and The Greatest Showman to Newsies, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and, yes, Cats.
This list includes big modern movie musicals, older classics, stage-to-screen adaptations, animated favourites and a few less obvious choices. I’ve also included age and content notes where they’re useful, because there’s quite a difference between a musical that’s suitable for an 8-year-old and one you might be perfectly happy watching with a 12-year-old.
The best musical movies for tweens at a glance
If you just want some quick recommendations, start with:
- The Greatest Showman
- Matilda the Musical
- Wicked
- High School Musical
- Newsies
- Hairspray
- School of Rock
- Wonka
- Bugsy Malone
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
- Enchanted
- Mamma Mia!
- Hamilton
- Sing
- Encanto
For older tweens, there are also some brilliant choices including Sing Street, Little Shop of Horrors, The Phantom of the Opera, Pitch Perfect, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, depending on what you’re comfortable with.
1. The Greatest Showman
The Greatest Showman is probably one of the easiest musical movies to recommend for this age group. The songs are ridiculously catchy, the story is easy to follow and there’s enough spectacle to keep children interested even if they wouldn’t normally choose a musical.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Some fighting, bullying and discrimination, plus a little romantic content.
2. Matilda the Musical
If your children already know Roald Dahl’s Matilda, this is an easy choice.
The songs are brilliant, the child cast is fantastic and there’s enough darkness and weirdness to stop it feeling too sweet. Emma Thompson’s Miss Trunchbull is also suitably horrifying.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Some frightening scenes and cruel treatment of children. More sensitive younger children may find Miss Trunchbull scary.
3. Wicked
The film adaptation of the stage musical is a great choice for tweens, particularly if they’re reaching the age where they want something that feels slightly more grown-up than a children’s film.
There are huge musical numbers, plenty of humour and a friendship at the centre of the story that gives tweens a lot to connect with.
Best for: 9+
Content note: Bullying, discrimination, threatening scenes and some darker themes.
4. High School Musical
At some point, every generation apparently has to discover High School Musical.
The plot is gloriously low stakes, the songs remain extremely catchy and there’s something quite comforting about a world where the biggest crisis is whether the basketball star is allowed to audition for the school musical.
It also tends to work particularly well once children are approaching secondary-school age.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Very mild romance and kissing.
5. Newsies
If your family enjoys Hamilton or The Greatest Showman and hasn’t discovered Newsies, rectify that.
Based on the 1899 New York newsboys’ strike, it follows a group of young newspaper sellers who organise against the powerful publishers exploiting them. The original 1992 film stars a very young Christian Bale and has music by Alan Menken.
It wasn’t particularly successful when first released but has since become a cult favourite and spawned the hugely successful stage musical.
Best for: 9+
Content note: Fighting, poverty and children being threatened or mistreated.
6. Hairspray
Big songs, bright colours and an extremely likeable lead make Hairspray an excellent family musical.
It also gives older children plenty to talk about, with a story centred around racial segregation and discrimination in 1960s Baltimore.
Best for: 10+
Content note: Racism and discriminatory language, some sexual innuendo and mild romantic content.
7. School of Rock
Technically this isn’t a traditional musical because the characters don’t suddenly burst into song to move the plot along. But if you’re looking for music movies to watch with tweens, it absolutely belongs here. My 9 year old declared this ‘the best movie ever’ as the end credits rolled.
Jack Black poses as a substitute teacher and turns a class of highly academic children into a rock band. It’s funny, energetic and particularly good for kids beginning to develop their own taste in music.
Best for: 9+
Content note: Mild swearing, lying, some adult drinking and rebellious behaviour.
8. Wonka
Wonka combines a familiar character with a completely new story and some surprisingly good songs.
It’s colourful, funny and strange enough to feel connected to the world of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory without simply retelling the same story.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Some peril, threats and mildly frightening scenes.
9. Bugsy Malone
Children playing 1920s gangsters while firing cream from splurge guns at one another shouldn’t work nearly as well as it does.
Bugsy Malone is funny, completely peculiar and has some genuinely great songs. It’s also one of those films that parents may remember watching themselves at school.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Comic gangster violence and splurge-gun “shootings”, but no realistic violence.
10. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
I’m talking specifically about the wonderfully strange 1999 version starring Donny Osmond.
It’s colourful, camp, incredibly catchy and short enough that it doesn’t outstay its welcome. If your child has encountered Joseph through school or youth theatre, there’s a good chance they’ll already know half the soundtrack.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Joseph is sold into slavery and imprisoned, but everything is presented in a very theatrical, non-realistic way.
11. Mamma Mia!
Sometimes you just want two hours of ABBA songs on a Greek island.
Mamma Mia! is enormously fun and tends to work well with older tweens, particularly once they’re old enough to appreciate some of the humour as well as the songs.
Best for: 10+
Content note: The plot revolves around uncertainty over the identity of Sophie’s biological father following her mother’s relationships with three men. There is sexual innuendo, drinking and kissing.
12. Enchanted
One of Disney’s cleverest family musicals, Enchanted takes a traditional animated princess and drops her into modern New York.
It works because it’s simultaneously a proper fairy tale and a parody of Disney fairy tales, which means younger children can enjoy the story while older kids and adults get the jokes.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Mild peril, romance and a potentially frightening transformation towards the end.
13. Hamilton
Hamilton is a brilliant choice for older tweens, particularly children who enjoy fast lyrics, history or theatre.
It is almost entirely sung and rapped, though, and the combination of American political history and very fast lyrics means it requires more concentration than most films on this list.
I recently took my 13-year-old to see Hamilton in the West End and have written a full guide to the best age for Hamilton, including content warnings, how easy the story is for children to follow and what I’d tell them about the plot beforehand.
Best for: 11+
Content note: Swearing, war, death, duelling and a sexual affair.
14. Sing Street
One of my personal favourites on this list.
Set in 1980s Dublin, Sing Street follows a teenage boy who starts a band, initially to impress a girl, and discovers he’s actually pretty good at it.
Most importantly, the original songs are extremely catchy. It’s funny and uplifting in places, but there’s also much heavier stuff going on underneath the music, so I’d save this one for older tweens.
Best for: 11–12+
Content note: Bullying, strong language, smoking, an abusive home life, parental conflict and some sexual references. There are also themes around depression and mental health.
15. Little Shop of Horrors
A singing carnivorous plant, 1960s-inspired songs and one of the darkest plots on this list.
Little Shop of Horrors is great fun for older tweens who enjoy slightly macabre humour.
Best for: 11+
Content note: Murder, death, domestic abuse, a sadistic dentist and some sexual references. Definitely one for children who enjoy darker comedy.
16. Annie
There are several versions of Annie, but the basic ingredients remain the same: an optimistic orphan, an extremely rich man and songs you’ll still be humming several days later.
The 1982 version is the classic, while the 2014 adaptation gives the story a more contemporary setting.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Children are treated badly by adults and there is some peril.
17. The Sound of Music
Yes, it’s long. But there’s a reason The Sound of Music has survived as a family favourite for generations.
Younger children may mainly be there for “Do-Re-Mi”, while older tweens are much more likely to understand what’s happening politically in the second half.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Nazi occupation, political danger and a tense escape sequence.
18. Mary Poppins
Still one of the definitive family musicals.
The mixture of live action, animation and songs holds up remarkably well, although children accustomed to much faster modern films may need a little persuasion initially.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Very mild peril.
19. Mary Poppins Returns
If your children find the original Mary Poppins a little too old-fashioned, Mary Poppins Returns is worth trying.
Emily Blunt takes over as Mary Poppins, returning to help the now-grown Banks children and the next generation of the family. It has all the familiar ingredients of the original, including elaborate musical numbers, animation and plenty of magic, but with the pace and look of a much more modern family film.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Bereavement is central to the story, along with some mild peril.
20. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Another very long classic that somehow continues to fascinate children.
There’s a flying car, some excellent songs and one of the most terrifying children’s-film villains ever committed to screen.
Best for: 8+
Content note: The Child Catcher is genuinely frightening. Sensitive children may want to avoid this one.
21. The Wiz
The Wiz retells The Wizard of Oz through soul, gospel and R&B, with Diana Ross as Dorothy and Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow.
It’s visually strange, musically brilliant and a great deeper cut once you’ve exhausted the obvious family musicals.
Best for: 9+
Content note: Some surreal and potentially frightening imagery.
22. The Phantom of the Opera
For the tween who has graduated from cheerful Disney musicals and would quite like some chandeliers, obsession and melodrama.
The 2004 film adaptation isn’t going to be for every child, but musical-theatre-loving older tweens may be completely absorbed by it.
Best for: 11+
Content note: Murder, violence, stalking, threatening behaviour and romantic/sexual themes.
23. Into the Woods
Into the Woods starts like a mash-up of familiar fairy tales and gradually becomes something much darker.
That makes it a particularly good option for older tweens who’ve outgrown straightforward fairy-tale adaptations.
Best for: 10+
Content note: Character deaths, infidelity, violence and darker themes around grief and consequences.
24. Cats
There are two very different options here.
The 1998 filmed stage production gives you something much closer to the actual musical and is my pick if you genuinely want to introduce children to Cats.
Then there’s the 2019 movie, which is… an experience.
Either way, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical is essentially a parade of cats introducing themselves through song before one is chosen to ascend to the Heaviside Layer. Trying to explain the plot beyond that isn’t really going to help anyone.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Some suggestive movement and slightly unsettling imagery, particularly in the 2019 film.
25. Sing
If your children are at the younger end of the tween range, Sing is an easy win.
The singing-competition story allows it to pack in loads of familiar pop songs and makes it an easy choice even for children who don’t normally watch musicals.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Mild peril and family conflict.
26. Sing 2
More of the same, only bigger.
Sing 2 expands the world of the first film, adds Bono as a reclusive rock-star lion and has enough music and spectacle to keep the whole thing moving.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Mild peril and threats.
27. Encanto
One of the strongest Disney musicals of recent years and an obvious choice for this list.
The songs are great, but what makes Encanto particularly interesting for older children is its story about family expectations, pressure and finding your place within a family.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Family conflict, emotional themes and some peril.
28. Coco
Strictly speaking, Coco isn’t a conventional musical, but music is so central to the story that I’d absolutely include it.
It’s also one of Pixar’s best films.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Death and the afterlife are central to the story. There are emotional scenes around bereavement and family.
29. Moana
Another obvious Disney choice, but one that earns its place through a particularly strong soundtrack.
Adventure, mythology and a heroine who doesn’t need a romantic subplot make it a very easy family watch.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Fantasy peril and some potentially scary creatures.
30. Tangled
One of Disney’s funniest modern princess films and another that works well beyond the younger-child years.
The songs are strong, the story moves quickly and Flynn Rider helps considerably.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Fantasy violence, peril and the apparent death of a main character.
31. The Princess and the Frog
New Orleans, jazz and one of Disney’s most memorable villains.
It’s a great musical, although Dr Facilier and his shadowy friends can be genuinely creepy.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Some frightening supernatural imagery and character death.
32. Hercules
If your children haven’t discovered Disney’s Hercules, this is the one I’d pull out of the 1990s catalogue.
The gospel-inspired Muses are reason enough.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Fantasy violence, monsters, death and some frightening imagery.
33. The Lion King
We’ve all seen it. Your children have probably seen it. I’m still putting it on the list.
The soundtrack alone earns its place.
Best for: 8+
Content note: Parental death, peril and some frightening scenes.
34. Pitch Perfect
A very good option once you reach the older end of the tween years.
The competitive a cappella premise is great fun and the mash-ups are extremely catchy, but the humour is noticeably more adult than most films on this list.
Best for: 11–12+
Content note: Sexual jokes and innuendo, drinking, vomiting and some stronger language.
35. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Based on the stage musical inspired by a true story, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie follows a 16-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a drag queen.
It’s funny, warm and particularly good for older tweens and teenagers.
Best for: 11+
Content note: Bullying, homophobia, discriminatory language, some sexual references and drinking.
36. The Prom
A group of Broadway performers descend on a small Indiana town after a student is prevented from attending prom with her girlfriend.
It’s bright, silly and heartfelt, although probably more appealing to children who already enjoy musical theatre.
Best for: 11+
Content note: Homophobia, discrimination and some mild sexual references.
37. Across the Universe
Across the Universe builds its story around Beatles songs, with the music reworked into elaborate musical sequences.
It’s a visually interesting choice for an older tween who’s starting to explore music beyond films specifically made for children, but there’s considerably more mature material here than in most of this list.
Best for: 12+
Content note: War, drug use, sexual content, violence and some disturbing imagery.
38. Cry-Baby
John Waters making a 1950s teen musical starring Johnny Depp tells you quite a lot about what you’re getting here.
It’s camp, deliberately ridiculous and a fun introduction to something a little stranger for older tweens.
Best for: 12+
Content note: Sexual innuendo, smoking, juvenile delinquency, mild violence and suggestive humour.
39. Labyrinth
Another one that isn’t technically a musical, but David Bowie sings several songs while playing the Goblin King, so I’m allowing it.
Labyrinth is weird, funny and dark in that particular 1980s children’s-film way that modern family films rarely are.
Best for: 9+
Content note: Creepy creatures, fantasy peril and some frightening scenes.
40. The Blues Brothers
Again, more music movie than traditional musical, but the performances alone justify its inclusion.
The soundtrack is phenomenal and older kids with an interest in music may love it.
Best for: 12+
Content note: Frequent strong language, comic violence, guns, drinking and smoking.
41. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
If your family watches Eurovision, this is an easy recommendation.
It’s ridiculous, affectionate and contains several songs that have absolutely no business being as good as they are.
Best for: 11+
Content note: Sexual jokes, innuendo, drinking and some comic violence.
42. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
This is very much an older tween, know-your-own-child recommendation rather than something I’m suggesting you put on for an 8-year-old.
But for a musical-loving 12-year-old who’s comfortable with camp, weirdness and adult humour, Rocky Horror can be enormous fun.
And eventually everyone needs to understand why adults at parties start doing a particular dance when they hear the words “It’s astounding…”
Best for: 12+ and very dependent on the child
Content note: Strong sexual themes and innuendo, revealing clothing, implied sex, violence and some language. Parents will definitely want to make their own call on this one.
More musical movies worth watching with tweens
There are plenty more we could have included. Depending on your child’s age and tastes, also try:
- Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
- In the Heights
- Spirited
- Teen Beach Movie
- Descendants
- The Muppets
- Muppets Most Wanted
- West Side Story
- Dreamgirls
- Grease
- Footloose
- Fame
- Evita
- Jesus Christ Superstar
Some of these are better suited to older tweens, so it’s worth checking the content before watching if there’s anything you’re particularly keen to avoid.
What are the best musical movies for younger tweens?
For children around 8–10, I’d start with Matilda the Musical, The Greatest Showman, High School Musical, Wonka, Bugsy Malone, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Enchanted, Sing or one of the Disney choices.
They’re generally easy to follow, have plenty happening visually and don’t rely too heavily on understanding adult relationships or more mature humour.
What are the best musicals for older tweens?
Once you’re watching with 11 and 12-year-olds, the options get much more interesting.
Hamilton, Sing Street, Hairspray, Little Shop of Horrors, The Phantom of the Opera, Pitch Perfect and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie are all good options if the content is appropriate for your child.
And if you’ve got a budding musical-theatre obsessive, this is also a good age to start introducing some of the stranger cult classics.
Are musicals good family movies?
One reason musical movies work particularly well for family viewing is that there’s such a huge range.
You can put on something bright and easy like Sing with younger children, introduce older kids to classic musicals you grew up with, or gradually move into films with more complicated stories and darker humour as they approach their teenage years.
They’re also one of those rare genres where finding an older film doesn’t necessarily mean finding something that feels dated to children. A great song tends to do a lot of the heavy lifting.
Looking for more movies to watch with tweens?
If musicals aren’t quite what you’re after tonight, I’ve also put together our favourite best action and adventure movies for tweens and best comedy movies for tweens, with more recommendations for the 8–12 age group.
And if watching these inspires a trip to the theatre, have a look at my guides to the best west end shows for teenagers and best West End shows for younger children.
