Top family films to cheer us up this summer are revealed

With many families struggling for ideas to keep everyone entertained, and the summer holidays now on the horizon, the organisation has asked 1,000 children aged 4-13 alongside their parents to pick the movies they would most enjoy watching when they need cheering up.

Faye Harcourt, Director of Marketing and Outreach at the BBFC, said: “Film and TV can be an excellent tool for families to use to get together and enjoy a shared experience. It can also act as a positive distraction for children, allowing them to take a break from their surroundings and explore different world views and experiences.”

Researchers provided families with a list of popular films rated U, PG and 12. Children were then asked to pick which film they would most enjoy watching when they needed a boost.

Trolls came out top, with Frozen and Boss Baby close runners-up. The Greatest Showman, The Lego Movie and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Inside Out and Spiderman: Into The Spider-verse also feature within the top ten lockdown films. Older children’s classics such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Finding Nemo were also found on the list.

However, watching films has not been the only form of entertainment during the pandemic. The research showed that 64 per cent of children were playing outdoors and experiencing nature in order to boost their mood. Baking (43 per cent) and delving into arts and crafts (42 per cent) were other popular activities to stay busy and happy with the family.

Staying in contact with friends and family has been crucial to the mental well-being of our entire community during lockdown. FaceTime, HouseParty and Zoom have proved the most popular apps for keeping in touch with people and virtually hanging out with friends.

The survey was carried out by Panelbase, one of the UK’s most respected research panels, and We Are Family.

Maurice Wheeler, Managing Director of We Are Family said: “During such an unusual time, it’s important to keep listening to your audience and in particular to capture the thoughts and feelings of children and young people. During lockdown children and families as a whole have turned to entertainment to keep themselves happy and positive, and also to bring the family unit together.”

For more information and a variety of free activities and resources for children visit the CBBFC, the BBFC’s dedicated children’s website, where you can access information about the films, including the age rating and ratings info.