Even though it’s been a while, there are quite a few great 80s movies for kids that parents can reminisce over and enjoy with their children. Cinema has come a long way with technology in the last few decades, but that doesn’t mean that old movies aren’t worthwhile.
In fact, many of them are classics that are worthy of being seen by children today. In the 80s, kids were free to take on adventures independently, and the movies of the time reflected that. Kids were the main characters of movies, and they were often the ones tasked to save the world!
The Best 80s Movies For Kids
Whether it’s to have a good time with your child, cousin or grandchild, because you think they will love the movie, or to reminisce the good old days, we’ve compiled a list that simply and flatly answers the following question: What were the best 1980s movies for kids?
Here are our picks for the best movies for kids from the 1980s:
1. The Goonies
What child doesn’t enjoy pirates and a good treasure hunt?
Mikey is a thirteen-year-old boy who along with his older brother and friends form a group known as ” The Goonies”. One day they decide to go up to the attic of their house, where their father keeps some antiques. They find the map of a lost treasure dating from the seventeenth century, from the era of pirates, and decide to go out in search of it, filled with the spirit of adventure.
2. E.T.
Okay, any kid should have heard of this movie. It’s a huge classic that still holds relevance today, and was one of the biggest box office hits.
E.T. tells the story of the friendship between Elliott, a lonely ten-year-old boy, and a visitor from another planet who loses his spaceship. Elliott takes E.T. home, where he lives with his family, even though the father left them at some point. E.T. soon learns the language and how to empty a refrigerator; with scrap metal, he manages to build a radio to call “my house; telephone…”.
3. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Another great 80s movie that your kids will love is “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure”. Starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, this movie about two braindead teenagers trying to not flunk out of school is a 1980s classic.
Bill and Ted both learn that they must pass their upcoming History exam to save the future, and with the help of a time traveler named Rufus, they travel through time learning history and preparing for this critical exam that needs be passed to save the world!
This 80s movie is great for kids because not only is it entertaining, it’s a great way to get your children interested in learning about history. And that can only be a win-win for parents right?
4. Back to the Future
This movie is another one that many kids have probably already heard of, I mean, how could they not?
The teenager Marty McFly is a friend of Doc, a scientist everyone considers crazy. When Doc creates a machine to travel through time, a fortuitous mistake causes Marty to arrive in 1955, a year in which his future parents had not yet met. After preventing their first meeting, he must arrange for them to meet and marry; otherwise, his existence would not be possible.
This entertaining plot is perfect for spending a good time with the younger ones who will surely appreciate it.
5. Ghostbusters
I refuse to believe that the younger members of this generation are not familiar with the famous Ghostbusters soundtrack. This classic is a must-watch, especially during spooky times like Halloween.
Spirits are often stuck in this world, becoming dark beings whose only goal is to make life miserable for the living. That is why three doctors, experts in parapsychology, decide to create a company known as ” The Ghostbusters ” to get rid of these annoying creatures.
Gradually, the Ghostbusters will make a niche for themselves in New York, getting rid of the troublesome ectoplasms and gaining fame steadily, unaware that they are approaching the most dangerous case they have ever encountered when a tremendously powerful demon sets out to devastate the city.
6. Short Circuit
Any movie that includes cool robots is going to naturally catch the interest of children, and that is exactly what you get with “Short Circuit”. The movie is a very kid friendly film that despite being made in the 1980s has a lot of cool special effects that they will appreciate.
The movie is about a military robot that becomes self-aware after being struck by lightning, and “Number 5” will be a character that most kids will simply adore. His adventures to escape capture and reprogramming is a reason why this movie is a 1980s classic.
7. Star Wars
Even though the first Star Wars film “A New Hope” was released in 1977, both the sequels “The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Return Of The Jedi” were in the 1980s so we are including them here.
These films are great because children know about the newest Disney versions of the franchise and can easily connect the storyline to the original film.
The adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia are cinema classics, and they definitely are a great choice when it comes to choosing 80s movies for kids that they will love.
Also the violence level in the film is fairly mild by today’s standards, and there are quite a lot of great themes that children can benefit from like courage and loyalty.
So those are our picks for great 80s movies for kids. Did we leave any of your favorites out?
