More often that not, during the winter months, you'll find yourself housebound. That can be bad for anyone, but it's especially bad for kids, who seem to get so easily bored. It's too cold for them to play outside. Even when it's snowing, the kids have to thaw out at some point. So, indoors activities it is then. Head over to our crafts list for some ideas that don't involve your TV. Once you're done with those, bored games, and anything else you can think of to stave off cabin fever, it's time to collapse on the couch and watch some fun winter-themed movies!
Frozen
I know, I know, you can probably quote this movie by heart. However, before you reject it, recognize that the reason you know it so well is because it's amazing! Besides, kids like watching things over and over. Think about how many times you watched Goonies or Freaky Friday as a kid. Frozen tells the Norwegian folk tale of two sisters that grow up with one having ice powers. True to Disney's form, you get some hilarious comic relief in the form of the talking snowman, Olaf. That comedy doesn't take away from how special the story is in that it shows true sibling love.
*All ages
Eight Below
Here's the first of our winter movies about sled dogs, which you'll notice is a recurring theme in this list. The reason they're a staple goes beyond the dogs being cute as these stories also show the triumph of the human ... and dog spirit as they beat the rigors of Winter. In this movie, a science expedition into Antarctica gets cut short due to a storm. The humans get taken away to safety, but the 8 sled dogs get left behind. It's a tale of survival as the dogs struggle on their own. It's also a tale of friendship because the dogs' owner, Paul Walker, does everything in his power to help them.
*All ages
Funny Farm
Chevy Chase is at his comedic best in this fun story set in snow-covered Vermont. The town he and his wife unsuspectingly move to looks like it should be a town out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Unfortunately for he and his wife, the town is anything but. Filled with weird characters, the town upends Chase's life. Topping that off, his luck that goes from bad to worse through the course of the movie. You'll enjoy watching Chase battle through the weirdness. The movie has Chevy's typical brand of clumsiness, but what isn't typical is that he's possibly the least goofy character in the town!
*Older kids and up
Ice Age
Ice age continues to be one of the funniest and sweetest winter movies out there. Though, sequel after sequel have not been quite as good as the original, there have been enough Ice Age movies that you could do a binge watch marathon. In this original, different animals come together through necessity and desperation as their environment starts changing drastically and they form a herd as they search for a safer landscape. These animals wouldn't normally blend. However, the cool part of the movie is that they do blend, showing that friends and family can be anyone and come from anywhere.
*All ages
Cool Runnings
Another recurring theme in this winter movies list is perseverance, including the strength to overcome the doubts of others. When you first hear that Jamaicans had a bobsled team in this Disney sports movie based on a true story, you will likely think it's odd that Caribbean islanders decided to jump into a snow-themed event in the Winter Olympics. Sure, it is weird. However, the strength of will and the tenacity of the team prove that people can try hard and be whatever they set their mind to be. They of course become the instant underdogs, and who doesn't love a movie about underdogs!
*All ages
The Thing
Revered by many as one of the greatest horror movies of all time, this creature feature is John Carpenter's 2nd entry in this list. Regular co-collaborator Kurt Russell stars in a movie that keeps you guessing who's who since the alien bad guy can look like anyone or anything it wants! Carpenter continues his ability to slow build the creepy tonality of his movies and purposely makes everything in this movie feel claustrophobic to add to the scares. What causes that claustrophobic feeling? The fact that the protagonists are all trapped in a snow-covered, Antarctic research facility through the whole ordeal.
*Older kids and teens
Grumpy Old Men
The stars of the famous "Odd Couple" movie return in this hilarious movie about bickering old guys that fight and prank each other for years without realizing they're really each other's best friend. Set in Wabasha, Minnesota with a winter backdrop, the antics of Walter Mathau and Jack Lemmon will have you laughing out loud and being thankful that no one has a lifelong grudge against you. Be sure to check out Grumpier Old Men as well as their mix of camaraderie and antagonism continues.
*Older kids and up
The Mighty Ducks
After being charged with drunk driving, Emilio Estevez gets sentenced to community service by way of coaching a pee wee hockey team of misfits. Naturally, true to fun movie cliches, Emilio's character has a hockey past he'd not care to remember. However, he works through his issues as the misfits work through theirs, forming a team and friendship along the way. The feel good Disney movie spawned two fun sequels as well.
* All Ages
Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Chronicle of Narnia presents another binge-watching opportunity as it has multiple sequels. Young siblings are transported to a magical world, Narnia, through a portal inside an old wardrobe. This magical world has a battle raging between forces of good, lead by Aslan the lion, and evil, lead by the White Witch (think Elsa from Frozen if she went full villain).
*Older kids and up
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Mr. Popper is a business man above all else. So focused on his job, he's pushed his wife away and doesn't have the best relationship with his kids. Things change, though, when he inherits penguins from his father. When the birds arrive, all of Popper's life plans fall apart, but through caring for them, he starts making his life better than he'd planned.
*All ages
White Fang
Jack London's classic novel about a wild wolf-dog that slowly gets domesticated comes to life in this 1991 movie starring Ethan Hawke. Taking place in the Yukon territory during the Klondike gold rush, you watch as the dog goes through different experiences, most of which aren't good situations for him to be in. The story, overall, is heartwarming and fun to watch. However, parts can be tense.
*Older kids and up
Jack Frost
This fun family movie starts with rather a tragic story for a kids' film. Michael Keaton is a musician that is on tour so much he doesn't have a lot of time for his wife and kid. Then, he dies in an accident. A year later, his son is still mourning which magically brings Keaton back to life as a talking snowman. With a second chance to be a good dad, Keaton does all he can with the time he has.
*All ages
Snow Day
Chevy Chase's 2nd entry in this winter movies list, combined with Christmas Vacation, could very well make him the king of winter comedies! In this one, he's a weatherman during a snowstorm, but the focus is a bit more on his children who are out of school for a snow day and intend to stop the snow plow driver from making them return to school the next day.
*All ages
Happy Feet
Happy Feet is an adorable animated movie about being different. Elijah Wood's character, Mumble, can't sing. In this story, singing is how penguins find their lifelong soul mates. If not allowed to be different, Mumble would be in trouble. Luckily, differences are a good thing and often something to celebrate. So, while Mumble can't sing, he sure can dance!
*All ages
Snow Dogs
Time to add some cheese into the winter movies list because this movie is definitely cheesy, but kids love that! Similar to Jim Carrey's inheritance in Popper's Penguins, Cuba Gooding Jr. inherits a team of sled dogs in this movie. When he goes to get them, though, he finds the dogs don't think he's up to the task of running a sled dog team, and they intend to convince him too.
*All ages
Iron Will
Another sled dog movie gets added to the list. This one may be the best of the bunch, it's really hard to pick. In this Disney true story movie, a young guy joins the great sled dog race, the Iditarod, to prove himself after his father passes away. Faced with obstacles the entire way, both from nature and from his opponents, Will proves his strength of spirit through perseverance. It's a great message to kids that they can do anything they want as long as they try hard.
*Older kids and up
Vertical Limit
Vertical Limit is a forgotten Chris O'Donnell action movie from 2000. However, it makes a good addition to a winter movies list as it does a great job of showing man vs nature. Chris and his team of climbers head up Mount Everest to save his sister, providing action that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I wanted to include at least one action movie in this list, and it was either this or Alive. Alive is great but hard to justify as a family movie because... you know... cannibalism.
*Older kids and up
Big Miracle
Here's yet another movie within our winter movies list that is inspired by a true story! That definitely shows the endurance of the human spirit when the story is true! In this one, whales are trapped below the ice in a small northern Alaska town in the arctic. The town as well as the media, Greenpeace, and even Russia come together to make a miracle happen and save the whales. While there are some sad parts, it's a wonderfully, heartwarming movie in true family movie fashion.
*Older kids and up
There you have it, our official winter movies list! Honorable mentions include the aforementioned Alive (for Teens), more animated penguin fare with Surf's Up and The Pebble and the Penguin (both all ages), the educational March of the Penguins (all ages)...and the Shining.
The Shining
Cabin fever is displayed at its worst in Stephen King's classic starring Jack Nicholson. Jack gets signed up to be the caretaker of a large hotel during its off season through the winter. Unfortunately for him, the hotel is haunted. The Shining continues to prove itself as one of the scarier movies of all time and has iconically made people suspicious of identical twins ever since! The chase scene through the snow-covered hedge maze is epic and iconic itself.
*Teens
There, while you're doing your best impersonation of a hibernating bear to get through the winter months, this movie list should help you through. At the very least, you shouldn't get bored and affected by cabin fever to the point of chasing people through hedge mazes.
For other movie suggestions, be sure to check out our other movie lists.