Whether you’re watching a comforting childhood favourite movie, or enjoying a newly released fun-filled animation with your children, movies are a great way for the family to come together and get lost in an adventure and storytelling.
Some of the world’s best children’s films are loved for their stand-out soundtracks and memorable characters, and there are so many different family-friendly films to enjoy. Whether you want to follow adventures led by feisty princesses or be captivated by gorgeous animations and heart-wrenching stories, there’s something for everyone. In a bid to unearth the world’s favourite movies for children, we looked at global search data for over 260 children’s films, ranging from 1989 Disney classics to action-packed modern day live-action movies.
The Children’s Movies The World Is Searching For The Most
Topping the list as the world’s most popular children’s movie is ‘Moana’, with the 2016 animated movie being searched the most in 55 countries, including Brazil, South Africa, the Maldives and Fiji. The Disney movie was incredibly popular when it was released, grossing over $687.2 million worldwide at the box office. And the movie wasn’t just a hit on the big screen, the soundtrack itself set a new record for time spent at No.1 on the billboards soundtracks chart, with families all around the world blasting out songs including “How Far I’ll Go” and “Where You Are”.
In second place is another Disney animation, ‘Elemental’. Released in 2023, this film follows the story of a fire element and a water element who fall in love to form an unlikely romance. The movie is a firm favourite with fans around the world, with 41 countries including the USA, Canada, Spain, Portugal and Singapore, searching for it the most over any other children’s movie over the past year.
In third place is ‘Wonka’, a new live-action adaptation of the classic Willy Wonka movie, which sees Timothée Chalamet take centre stage as the famous chocolatier in a musical fantasy as we follow along with his dreams of opening his own shop renowned for its chocolatey delights. Released at the end of 2023, the film has gained a lot of love around the globe and is the most popular movie in 33 countries in total, especially for a lot of European countries including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland.
Ranking in fourth place is ‘Shrek’, the DreamWorks animation which was first released way back in 2001 and was so popular it was followed by three sequels including ‘Shrek 2’, ‘Shrek The Third’ and ‘Shrek Forever After’. The original film follows the love story of an ogre, Shrek, and a feisty princess Fiona, and features many other loveable and funny characters such as ‘Donkey’, Shreks witty sidekick who helped to bring this story to life. The movie saw huge global success, and is still a family favourite, with 27 countries around the globe searching for the film, over 13 years after it first hit the big screen.
Making up the top five, is ‘Spirited Away’, a Japanese animated fantasy film that tells the magical tale of a young girl who stumbles across a world of fantastic spirits, as she travels to her new home. The movie is the most searched in 20 countries overall, topping the list for countries such as Japan, Thailand, Nepal and Cambodia.
Making up the top ten most searched films around the world are ‘The Little Mermaid’, ‘Aladdin’, ‘Frozen’, ‘Rango’, ‘Cinderella’, ‘Pocahontas’ and ‘Tarzan’.
The Top 10 Most Popular Children’s Films Around The World
| Rank | Movie Name | Number Of Countries Searching For It The Most |
| 1 | Moana | 55 |
| 2 | Elemental | 41 |
| 3 | Wonka | 33 |
| 4 | Shrek | 27 |
| 5 | Spirited Away | 20 |
| 6 | The Little Mermaid | 16 |
| 7 | Aladdin | 7 |
| 8 | Frozen | 6 |
| 9 | Rango | 4 |
| 10 | Cinderella | 2 |
| 10 | Pocahontas | 2 |
| 10 | Tarzan | 2 |
Europe's Favourite Children’s Movies
‘Wonka’ topped the list for 21 European countries overall, proving to be a big hit with countries including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland and the UK.
The children’s movie the UK is searching for the most is ‘Wonka’, the fun-filled film about the beginning of Willy Wonka’s wondrous journey into the world of chocolate making. The live-action film was released at the end of 2023, and made an impressive $632 million at the box office, as fans from all around the world took themselves to see it on the big screen.
‘Elemental’ was another popular movie for Europeans with the 2023 animation being searched the most in 11 countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine. The journey follows an unlikely pair of water and fire elements and is a firm favourite with families around the globe.
The third most searched-for children’s movie in Europe is ‘Shrek’, with the DreamWorks animation being searched for the most in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden.
Rounding off the top five most searched for movies in Europe is ‘The Little Mermaid’ which is at the top of North Macedonia’s and Gibraltar’s searches.
Top Five Most Searched For Children’s Movies In Europe
| Rank | Movie Name | Number Of Countries Searching For It The Most |
| 1 | Wonka | 21 |
| 2 | Elemental | 11 |
| 3 | Shrek | 10 |
| 4 | Spirited Away | 3 |
| 5 | The Little Mermaid | 2 |
North America’s Favourite Children’s Movies
‘The Little Mermaid’ was the top film for North American countries overall, being the most searched for in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Sint Maarten. The film was originally released in 1989, with the animation, which follows the journey of a spirited young mermaid, capturing the hearts of little kids from all around the world. The hugely popular movie was re-released as a live-action retelling in 2023, grossing over $569 million worldwide, making it the tenth-highest-grossing film of last year.
‘Elemental’ was the second most searched movie, topping the list for countries including the United States of America, Canada, Belize, The Bahamas, and Trinidad and Tobago. The recent Disney hit is packed full of adventure, blossoming friendships and beautiful animations, capturing the attention of countless families.
Following in third was ‘Moana’ the beautifully animated movie, which was the most searched-for film in the Dominican Republic, Greenland, Haiti, Montserrat, Panama, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Rounding off the top five is ‘Shrek’ in fourth place, which was at the top of six North American countries’ most searched movies list, and ‘Pocahontas’, the 1995 Disney retelling of the story of a Native American woman, in fifth spot.
Top Five Most Searched For Children’s Movies In North America
| Rank | Movie Name | Number Of Countries Searching For It The Most |
| 1 | The Little Mermaid | 9 |
| 2 | Elemental | 8 |
| 3 | Moana | 7 |
| 4 | Shrek | 6 |
| 5 | Pocahontas | 2 |
South America’s Favourite Children’s Movies
‘Shrek’ is the most Googled children’s movie in South America, with eight countries including Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru searching for the 2001 animated movie the most.
In second place is ‘Moana’, the Disney hit that was loved by fans so much that it’s coming back with a sequel later in 2024. Following in the third spot is ‘The Little Mermaid’, the fairytale story of a mermaid who falls in love with a prince.
Top Three Most Searched Children’s Movies In South America
| Rank | Movie Name | Number Of Countries Searching For It The Most |
| 1 | Shrek | 8 |
| 2 | Moana | 3 |
| 3 | The Little Mermaid | 2 |
Asia’s Favourite Children’s Movies
‘Elemental’ was the firm favourite in Asian countries, topping the list of 15 countries overall, including Bahrain, Brunei, China, Indonesia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
In second place, being the most searched for in 10 countries in Asia is ‘Spirited Away’ - a Japanese animated movie released in 2001, proving to be a big hit 13 years later. The movie is a favourite with those in Cambodia, Iraq, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Thailand.
In third place is ‘Aladdin’, the fun-filled action-packed Disney tale that follows a street thief who bags himself a genie, and in turn the heart of Princess Jasmine. This film topped the list for four Asian countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Turkmenistan.
Rounding off the top five for Asian countries is ‘Frozen’, the smash Disney hit that took the world by storm and ‘Wonka’.
Top Five Most Searched Children’s Movies In Asia
| Rank | Movie Name | Number Of Countries Searching For It The Most |
| 1 | Elemental | 15 |
| 2 | Spirited Away | 10 |
| 3 | Aladdin | 4 |
| 4 | Frozen | 3 |
| 4 | Wonka | 3 |
Africa’s Favourite Children’s Movies
‘Moana’ was the most searched children’s movie in the continent of Africa, coming out as the most searched for in 24 countries in total, including, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Congo, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Following in second was ‘Rango’, the 2011 animation following the story of a pet chameleon who aspires to be a hero, which charmed its way into being the most searched film for Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger and Tanzania.
In third place, topping the list for Egypt, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan was ‘Elemental’ the Disney hit that was released only just last year and ‘Wonka’ which also placed as the most searched film for three countries.
Placing as the joint fifth most popular children’s films in Africa were ‘Aladdin’, ‘Frozen’, ‘Shrek’, ‘Tarzan’ and ‘Wonka’.
Top Five Most Searched Children’s Movies in Africa
| Rank | Movie Name | Number Of Countries Searching For It The Most |
| 1 | Moana | 29 |
| 2 | Rango | 4 |
| 3 | Elemental | 3 |
| 3 | Wonka | 3 |
| 5 | Aladdin | 2 |
| 5 | Frozen | 2 |
| 5 | Shrek | 2 |
| 5 | Tarzan | 2 |
| 5 | Wonka | 2 |
Oceania’s Favourite Children’s Movies
‘Moana’ was the clear favourite in Oceanic countries, with nine countries in total searching for the Disney hit the most, including Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu all searching for the Disney animation more than any other children’s movie. The action-packed animation was released back in 2016 and was so popular it’s returning with a sequel later this year.
Australia’s most searched children’s movie is ‘Shrek’, the extremely popular movie that follows the journey of an ogre (Shrek) who falls in love with a feisty princess. The film was so successful that it was followed up with three successful sequels as fans loved following along with Shrek and the gang. New Zealand’s most-searched movie is ‘Wonka’, the 2023 live-action retelling of how famous chocolatier Willy Wonka got started with his wondrous journey.
Top Five Most Searched Children’s Movies In Oceania
| Rank | Movie Name | Number Of Countries Searching For It The Most |
| 1 | Moana | 14 |
| 2 | Spirited Away | 3 |
| 2 | Elemental | 3 |
| 4 | Shrek | 1 |
| 4 | Wonka | 1 |
Whether you love rewatching children’s movies yourself, getting lost in the nostalgia of it all, or have enjoyed discovering new favourites with your family, why not treat your little ones to some bespoke character-themed books or toys, so they can hold onto the magic of the movies a little longer.