In this post: Make the most of screen time with these culturally authentic Spanish movies for kids and bilingual families.
Looking for meaningful screen time? Watching authentic Spanish movies for kids turns movie night into a culturally-rich, language learning experience.
Here you’ll find our top picks for bilingual families available on Disney+, Amazon Video and Netflix.
Table of Contents
Why Watch Spanish Movies with Kids?
If your children enjoy movie nights, watching movies in Spanish is a great way to leverage screen time for increasing language input.
At Llamitas Spanish we are passionate about sharing authentic Spanish resources for families raising bilingual kids. That’s why we have rounded up our top picks for family movies in Spanish that are available on Amazon Video, Disney+ or Netflix.
Can watching movies help kids learn Spanish?
The short answer is that watching movies cannot replace formal Spanish lessons—but they can be a great way to practice!
Learning Spanish requires exposure to the language from many different sources, also known as comprehensible input. Watching movies together can be an excellent source of Spanish input because they are engaging and fun for kids.
What’s the best Spanish movie for beginners?
For beginners, it’s best to choose titles geared toward a younger audience, like Coco, Encanto, or Ferdinand. In these you’ll often find slower, simpler dialogue compared to movies for older kids and teens.
Quick Guide: Top Family Spanish Movies
There are so many wonderful Spanish movies available, it might be hard to pick! So here’s a quick guide to help you narrow it down by your kids’ ages and interests:
- Best for younger kids: Coco, Encanto, Ferdinand
- Best for older kids: Casi Casi, La Leyenda de la Llorona, Anina
- Best for learning about Hispanic culture: El Libro de la Vida, Pachamama
- Best non-animated options: Cantinflas, Alamar, Canela
Keep reading to learn more about these authentic films and where you can find each one.
Please preview the parent content advisories before watching with young children.
Best Spanish Movies for Kids on Disney+
Coco
PG | 1hr 45min | Available on Disney +
It’s probably no surprise that we’re starting with Coco, given it’s huge popularity across the globe! This magical and authentic Pixar movie is a great choice for younger and older kids alike.
Despite his family’s generations-old ban on music, young Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead. After meeting a charming trickster named Héctor, the two new friends embark on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.
This is without a doubt one of the most culturally rich Hispanic movies you can find for kids. The music is authentic and the themes of family, memory, love and dreams are so relevant. It pairs beautifully with our Día de Muertos Spanish Unit.
Related post: Mexican folk art: Teach your kids about Alebrijes
Encanto
PG | 1hr 49min | Available on Disney +
Encanto is another beautiful and authentic movie in Spanish, this time based in Colombia.
The soundtrack is outstanding, with the song “We don’t talk about Bruno / No se habla de Bruno” going viral across the globe. Plus the stunning “Dos oruguitas” song, known to bring some parents to tears. (Or was that just us?)
The movie tells the story about la familia Madrigal and their magical casita. But the magic starts to fade and Mirabel, the only family member without a gift, has to save it. With themes of reconciliation, forgiveness and compassion, this is movie is will move you deeply.
Related post: Canciones ilustradas: Gentle Spanish Songs for Kids
Best Spanish Movies for Kids on Netflix
Vivo
PG | 1hr 35mins | Available on Netflix
A music loving kinkajou named Vivo embarks on a spirited adventure from Havana to Miami with energetic Gabi as they try to deliver a heartfelt song that was written for someone special.
Heart-wrenching (bring the tissues!) and totally beautiful- this is such a lovely movie full of cultura y amor.
Pachamama
PG | 1hr 12mins | Available on Netflix
A young boy living in a remote village in the Andes Mountains dreams of becoming shaman
This is an original Netflix production! The indigenous traditions of this movie are wonderful. Pachamama introduces viewers to the Andes and the Incan culture.
Se busca papá
PG-13 | 1hr 42min | Available on Netflix
What does a thrill-seeker tween girl do when her mom forbids her to enter a BMX race? Cast an actor with nothing to lose to play her approving dad.
A Spanish original about a girl who hires an actor to pretend to be her dad so she can enter a BMX competition — sweet, funny, and culturally rich. Good for teens!
Best Spanish Kids’ Movies on Prime Video
Ferdinand
PG | 1hr 48min | Available on Prime Video
Ferdinand is a young bull who escapes from a training camp in rural Spain after his father never returns from a showdown with a matador. Adopted by a girl who lives on a farm, Ferdinand’s peaceful existence comes crashing down when the authorities return him to his former captors. With help from a wisecracking goat and three hedgehogs, the giant but gentle bovine must find a way to break free before he squares off against El Primero, the famous bullfighter who never loses.
This movie is a great way to introduce viewers to Spain and bullfighting without all the gore. It’s a culturally rich and authentic movie with lots of humor sprinkled throughout!
El Libro de la Vida
PG | 1hr 29min | Available on Prime Video
In the Mexican town of San Angel, Manolo (Diego Luna), Maria (Zoë Saldana) and Joaquin (Channing Tatum) have been friends ever since childhood. Although their lives have taken different paths — Maria was sent to Europe, Joaquin joined the military, and Manolo studied to become a bullfighter — one thing remains the same: Manolo and Joaquin both want to marry Maria. Little does the trio know that battling husband-and-wife deities have made a high-stakes wager on the love triangle’s outcome.
This fascinating movie is uniquely told in a highly musical style. Three fantasy worlds are explored: the underworld, the Land of the Forgotten, and the Land of the Remembered.
Anina
PG | 1hr 18min | Available on Prime Video
A fantastical journey into the world of a ten-year-old girl who, following a playground skirmish, is given the weirdest punishment in the history of weird punishments.
This Uruguayan movie has a slightly surreal tone and animations. Anina, a ten-year-old girl in Uruguay, receives a black envelope that she is not allowed to open for a week. During that time a series of curious things happen and Anina learns a lot about herself in the process.
Canela
NR | 1hr 41min | Available on Prime Video
Tere, the owner of a restaurant on Mexico City, loses her passion for cooking after a tragic death in the family. Beatrix, the manager of the restaurant, hires a Cordon Bleu chef from France to do the cooking.
This is the funny story about how a granddaughter, Maria, tries to convince her grandmother to go back to using the family restaurant’s original family recipes and reignite her love for cooking.
Cantinflas
PG | 1hr 43mins | Available on Prime Video
The untold story of Mexico’s greatest and most beloved comedy film star of all time. From his humble origins on the small stage to the bright lights of Hollywood, Cantinflas became famous around the world – one joke at a time.
This award winning comedy drama is about an American movie maker and a Mexican comedian who cross paths and become partners in a project that changes the trajectory of their lives.
Alamar
G | 1hr 13mins | Available on Prime Video
Before their inevitable farewell, Jorge, a young man of Mayan roots, and Natan, his half-Italian son, spend time together living off the Banco Chinchorro coral reef.
Although it lacks a traditional, structured narrative, this film beautifully presents the natural, breathtaking surroundings of the life of a fisherman and tells a lovely, heart warming story of how a young boy adapts to life with his Mayan father.
La Leyenda de la Lorona
G | 1hr 15mins | Available on Prime Video
Kids intend to stop the ghost of a woman who abducts children — due to her guilt over having drowned her own — that she finds wandering around the woods at night.
Wow- this animated horror/adventure/comedy is a fantastic way to celebrate Mexican culture and pairs well with our Halloween Unit. It tells the tale of la Llorona and seamlessly integrates indigenous and Spanish influences.
BEWARE: La Leyenda de la Lorona is not appropriate for young kids!
Llamitas Spanish Curriculum
Ready to teach your kids Spanish with a culturally authentic program?
With music, art, stories and more rooted in the Hispanic culture, our curricula levels support homeschooling families in raising bilingual and biliterate kids.
>> Visit the curriculum shop to learn more!
Founder of the Llamitas Spanish® Curriculum and former Spanish teacher. Corrie holds two Master Degrees in Spanish and Education. She lives in San Diego, California with her husband and two bilingual children.