Best French Movies on Netflix for Kids (2025)

The best French movies on Netflix for kids include Ernest & Célestine, Asterix: Potion Magique, Le Petit Nicolas, and Vicky & Her Mystery. These family-friendly films blend fun and culture, turning movie night into a natural way for children to grow French listening and speaking skills.

Quick Guide to French Movies on Netflix for Kids

• Best beginner picks: Ernest & Célestine, Asterix: Potion Magique, Le Petit Nicolas

• Best for teens: The Climb, Stuck Together

• Learning tip: Watch once with English subs, then again in French

• Why it matters: Movies bring culture, fun, and real-life French into your home

At Homeschool Languages, we make it easy to bring French (or Spanish, German, and more!) into your everyday life, no stress, no prep, just step-by-step lessons that help your kids actually reply in the language. You can even try free lessons here!!

If you’d love a little more context, like which films are best for different ages, how to make movie night a mini French lesson, and answers to common parent worries, keep reading. We’ve got you covered!

Why French Movies Are a Smart Way to Learn at Home

We’ve all been there, kids groaning when we pull out another workbook. 

Movies change the mood completely. When French comes wrapped in a funny cartoon or an adventurous drama, kids lean in instead of tuning out.

And yes, it’s normal to worry they won’t understand everything!!

That’s where subtitles come in. Watching once in English for the story, then again in French for the sounds, turns the whole experience into a fun discovery game.

Movies do more than add new words, they bring culture into your home, spark family conversations, and give you a shared memory to pull phrases from later.

Quick Picks: Best French Movies on Netflix for Kids

Sometimes you just need a list you can trust. Here’s where to start:

• For preschoolers & early learners (3–6): Ernest & Célestine, Minuscule, Kirikou

• For elementary kids (7–10): Le Petit Nicolas, Asterix: Potion Magique, Vicky & Her Mystery

• For tweens & teens (11–16): Les Choristes, The Climb, War of the Buttons

• Family-friendly classics (all ages): The Red Balloon, The Summit of the Gods

Which French Movies Are Best for Beginners?

If you’re wondering “What is a simple French movie for beginners?”, the answer is: go for clear, repetitive dialogue.

• Ernest & Célestine and Kirikou are gentle and repeat phrases kids can echo back.

• Asterix: Potion Magique is silly and lively, making it easy to follow.

Pro tip: watch once with English subtitles for the plot, then rewatch in French with French subtitles. Kids catch way more the second time around than you’d expect.

Kid-Friendly French Movies Based in France

Curious about “What kids movie is based in France?” Here are a few standouts:

• Le Petit Nicolas shows suburban childhood in France with humor kids love.

• Asterix (though fantastical) is deeply tied to French culture.

• The Red Balloon is pure Paris, with little dialogue and lots of visual charm.

• Les Choristes adds music and emotion to French boarding school life.

Movies like these ground kids in the sights, sounds, and rhythms of everyday French life.

Teen-Approved French Movies (No Eye Rolls Required)

We know teens don’t want to sit through talking animals or silly magic potions. That’s why French cinema offers stories just for them:

• The Climb tells a powerful, true-inspired story of grit and dreams.

• War of the Buttons mixes childhood rivalry with real historical backdrop.

• Stuck Together lets teens laugh at relatable pandemic chaos.

These choices give older kids authentic French without the “babyish” vibe.

Do Kids Actually Learn French From Movies?

This is a big question: is this really helping, or just screen time?

Kids don’t learn by osmosis!!!

Simply putting on French audio won’t make them fluent. But when you add small active steps, pausing to repeat a phrase, acting out a scene, or pointing out a funny word, those moments stick.

It’s the same approach we use in Homeschool Languages with “gateway words”: start small, repeat naturally, and let confidence grow through use.

How to Turn Movie Night Into a French Lesson

You don’t need to turn family fun into “school time.” Just add little touches that help the language sink in:

• Step 1. Pick an age-appropriate film: Choose one your kids will enjoy right now. A silly cartoon works better than a “classic” if it keeps them laughing.

• Step 2. Start with subtitles: Watch with English subs first for the story. Next time, switch to French subs. Kids naturally match words to meaning.

• Step 3. Choose a few “gateway phrases”: Pick 3–5 lines or expressions. Greetings, commands, or silly catchphrases work best because kids will want to repeat them.

• Step 4. Pause at fun moments: Ask your kids to echo a phrase, make the same sound effect, or act it out. Suddenly, the line becomes theirs to play with.

• Step 5. Reinforce the next day: Slip those phrases into breakfast, bath time, or play. Small, real-life wins add up fast.

Making French Fun and Doable

We don’t have to be fluent to share French with our kids. Movies give us a low-pressure way to invite the language into our homes, while still cuddling up on the couch with popcorn.

The real win isn’t mastering every line; it’s building joy, culture, and connection. And when you pair movie nights with a step-by-step guide like Homeschool Languages, you don’t just watch French, you start speaking it together in daily life.

Because raising kids bilingual is about turning little moments into lasting conversations. And that’s something every family can do, one movie night at a time.

FAQs

• What’s the French kids show on Netflix? Look for dubbed options like PJ Masks or Les Sisters.

• What’s a good kid-friendly movie on Netflix? Try Vicky & Her Mystery or Ernest & Célestine. Both are gentle, family-friendly, and engaging.

• Can toddlers benefit? Absolutely. Even if they don’t follow the story, rhythm and repetition help them connect sounds to meaning.