The most painless lecture you’ll never give
Documentaries to watch with kids this summer
Now, more than ever, it seems important to give children different perspectives on life and to teach them to be creative, courageous and resilient. But how does a parent engage them in these topics without lecturing? With movies. Stories told through documentaries are powerful because they’re about real people and happenings. Here a few worth watching with your kids. All are about an hour long, ideal for short attention spans.
PLANET EARTH, 2006 (550 MINUTES TOTAL)
Narrated by David Attenborough (British version), and Sigourney Weaver (U.S. version), each 50-minute episode in this 11-part, Emmy-winning series features a dazzling portrait of a geographical region or wildlife habitat. The far-flung locations and impossible moments with some of the world’s most astonishing creatures can help inspire respect for our planet, and with it the desire to preserve our fragile ecosystem.
WINGS OF LIFE, 2013 (80 MINUTES)
Meryl Streep narrates this Disney documentary, which has the power to kindle children’s curiosity about the natural world. The cinematography captures the interconnectedness of butterflies, birds, bats and bees, and the film describes how one-third of the world’s food supply depends on these increasingly vulnerable pollinators.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC — LEWIS AND CLARK: GREAT JOURNEY WEST, 2002 (42 MINUTES)
This condensed narrative on a great story of perseverance and exploration features stunning photography and a stirring musical score. Grown-ups and kids will be swept up in this dramatic tale. At the end, you might be inspired to dream up your own adventure.
WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE? 2010 (76 MINUTES)
Filmmaker Catherine Gund follows Sadie and Safiyah, two curious, intelligent 11-year-olds, for a year as they pose questions to food activists, growers and distributors, and educate themselves on nutrition and food politics. This thought-provoking, family-friendly documentary might cause your kids to look more closely at the food on their plates and their own eating habits.
SPELLBOUND, 2002 (96 MINUTES)
Eight dedicated young Americans vie for the title of National Spelling Bee champion in this film, which brings the realities of academic competition into focus. You’ll find it impossible not to root for your favourites as the field is narrowed from 250 contestants to one winner. This story offers messages about hard work, sportsmanship and the sacrifice and rewards involved in pursuing dreams.
COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY, 2014 (557 MINUTES TOTAL)
Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts this updated version of Carl Sagan’s award-winning TV series Cosmos (1980), which explores the history of the universe and our place in it. Each of the 13 episodes features brilliant visual effects and a perfectly paired musical score. With unflagging enthusiasm, Tyson makes difficult concepts easy to understand and stresses that anyone with imagination can become the next scientific superstar.