Summer. Just hearing the word evokes sun-soaked memories of the past. Nobody can deny that last-day-of-school feeling, no matter how long it’s been since you were a young student.

Simply put, summertime is just one of those things you can rely on to make everything better, especially family movie nights. Whether you’re stuck inside on a rainy day, or it’s the middle of winter, and you’re craving the feeling of the sun on your skin, we’ve rounded up some of the best family summer movies to boost your mood and get you ready for your best summer yet. Don’t forget to grab your free checklist to print out and use all summer long!

Summer Adventures

To start us off, here are my favorite summer-soaked adventure movies to get the whole family in the mood for some fun!

1. A Goofy Movie

2. Bigfoot Family

3. Dora and the Lost City of Gold

4. High School Musical 2

This one is an all-time favorite of the tweens (and some adults). We’re taken on a musical adventure at The Evans family country club. Troy is taken in by the opportunities he finds at the club, but what will it cost him?

5. Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer

6. Mitchells Vs. the Machines

7. Moonrise Kingdom

A classic story of boy-meets-girl with all the emotions of young love. Add quirky characters and a summer camp like no other, and you have a fantastic summer move the whole family will love!

8. Muppet Treasure Island

9. Secondhand Lions

10. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

What happens when a group of best friends separates for the summer? They commit to staying connected through a pair of magical pants, of course! Follow the girls’ adventures as a magical pair of traveling pants makes their way around the world, inspiring adventure along the way!

11. The Goonies

If you want adventure, The Goonies have got you covered! When the “Goon Docks” community comes under threat of being sold to developers, a group of kids set out to save their town. With a dusty old treasure map in hand and dreams of finding One-Eyed Willy’s chests of gold, the kids embark on an unforgettable adventure. It’s a much-loved classic for a reason!

12. Wonder Park

Baseball / Sports Vibes

These movies are perfect for all of the sports lovers out there.

1. A League of Their Own

A must-watch classic baseball film to watch this summer. When the men are away at war, the women take to the field. The Rockford Peaches is where you will find a team of fiery women baseball players who learn about life and make history.

2. Angels in the Outfield

3. Everyone’s Hero

4. Johnny Tsunami

5. Karate Kid

What do you do with a bored kid during the summer? How about taking a leave out of Karate Kid’s book and suggesting they help out an elderly neighbor who just happens to be an amazing karate teacher? This movie is one of my family’s favorites, and I’m sure it will be one of yours too!

6. Kicking & Screaming

7. Like Mike

8. Little Big League

As per his grandfather’s will, Billy becomes the owner of a baseball team and wins over the players by firing the manager they dislike. The only problem is, they are not willing to take orders from a child!

9. Little Giants

10. Rookie of the Year

11. Soul Surfer

12. The Bad News Bears

13. The Sandlot

Making friends in a new neighborhood can be tricky, but The Sandlot shows that hope can always be found in the local baseball team. This movie will introduce your kids to the joys of unlikely friendships and teamwork, and it’s sure to win the hearts of the whole family!

14. The Sandlot: Heading Home

Summer Camp

Bring the joys of summer camp to your kids this year with these family-friendly movies.

1. Camp Rock

In this popular summer movie, an unsuspecting but wildly talented kitchen worker is discovered by a teen idol (a Jonas brother, no less), and her life changes forever. Rock and roll and summer go together, hand in hand, in this flick.

2. Camp Rock 2

3. Daddy Day Camp

A dad wants to give his son the best summer camp ever, so he decides to open his own camp in the neighborhood. A family-friendly, hilarious watch, Daddy Day Camp is the type of camp we still want to attend as adults!

4. Fred 3: Camp Fred

5. Holes

6. It Takes Two

7. Magic Camp

When a boring banker, Andy, decides to return to the summer magic camp he attended as a boy, he gets more than he bargained for – spending his summer working as a camp counselor! Filled with laughs, it’s the perfect summer movie for younger kids!

8. Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown

9. The Parent Trap

One of my all-time favorites. The Parent Trap tells the story of the reunion of two twins separated at birth and their mischievous plans to get their parents back together. It’s light, innocent, and hilarious!

Misc. Summer

Not sure what to watch? These movies capture all the feel-good joys of summer sunshine all year round.

1. Dolphin Tale

2. Finding Nemo

With vibrant coral reefs, beautiful ocean blue, and an adorable cast, summer sure seems like a great time to revisit Nemo and Dory as they adventure back home!

3. Flipper

4. Free Willy

5. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation

A contender for the best in the Hotel Transylvania movie, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is a great feel-good summer movie for preschoolers and toddlers. This version follows Drac, Mavis, and Johnny on a summer cruise to Atlantis, complete with a dreamy summer romance and a great soundtrack.

6. Lilo & Stitch

7. Luca

8. Moana

Who can resist the beautiful island beaches, lush Polynesian landscapes, and catchy soundtrack of Moana? When the anglers in Moana’s community cannot catch fish, Moana sets out on a life-changing adventure. She seeks the assistance of the mythical Maui to help her return to the heart of Te Fiti in hopes of saving her people.

9. Rango

Rango is a chameleon who is distanced from being a family pet and now needs to figure out his true identity. He is soon put in a role to learn how to come into his own. A summer adventure that effortlessly teaches an important life lesson.

10. Rio

With the bright colors of Brazil’s eye-popping Carnival celebration and the bright hues of the beautiful birds, it certainly feels right to watch Rio during the hot summer months!

11. Shark Tale

12. Surf’s Up

Followed by a documentary film crew, Cody Maverick, a 17-year-old penguin, travels from Antarctica to Pen Gu Island hoping to win the Big Z Memorial Surf Off. This animated feature may not have been as well-received as other penguin-related films. But it’s the only one in which penguins surf!

13. The Little Mermaid

When Ursula, the evil sea witch, makes a devious deal with Princess Ariel allowing her to meet Eric, her human lover, Ariel finds herself in a spot of trouble! With an adorable cast and perfect sing-along tunes, it’s sure to go down a treat!

14. The Sea Beast

15. Tom & Jerry

Did your family’s favorite summer movie make the list? If it didn’t, comment below, and we will give it a watch. Happy movie watching!

Download and print my Summer Movies Checklist by clicking here!

NOT INTO PRINTING?

Not into printing things? That’s ok too! You can download it to your phone and check off the boxes as you go that way too. Looking for a smaller version to share on Instagram? Check out my Instagram Story highlights!

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Tags: Baseball / Sports Vibes, Misc. Summer, movie list, summer, summer adventures, Summer Camp, summer disney movies, summer movies