Finding nature documentaries that kids will actually love watching isn’t as hard as it seems. Over the last few years, studios like Disneynature have really turned nature documentaries into good family movies that everyone enjoys. There is no question that kids are fascinated by animals and nature, making documentaries an ideal way to get kids educated on all things nature. Keep in mind, though, that there is a good chunk of documentaries out there that aren’t exactly kid friendly, since these contain upsetting images. We want our kids to learn about animal life, yes, but we don’t want to freak them out! Here are some great nature documentaries that kids will love watching.
Our Six Favorite Nature Documentaries That Kids Will Actually Love Watching
Affiliate links included below. Thanks for your support!
Born to be Wild
Born to be Wild is a 2011 nature documentary that showcases the lives orphaned elephants and orangutans. The documentary is directed by David Lickley and narrated by Morgan Freeman. It was awarded Genesis Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2012.
Animals Are Beautiful People
Animals Are Beautiful People is a 1974 nature documentary that features South African wildlife. The documentary was filmed in areas such as the Okavango Delta and River, the Kalahari Desert and the Namib Desert.
African Cats
African Cats is a 2011 nature documentary that showcases the adventures of the African Savannah, more specifically, a family of cheetahs and a family of lions, as they go into survival mode. The documentary is directed by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey and narrated by Samuel L. Jackson.
Nature’s Great Events
Nature’s Great Events is a 2009 wildlife documentary that looks at how the changing of the seasons, when powered by the sun, results in events like ocean currents and weather shifting patterns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhix6J8Xxv4
Wings of Life
Disneynature Wings of Life is a 2013 nature documentary that is directed by Louis Schwartzberg and narrated by Meryl Streep. The documentary features the world of bees, bats, butterflies, hummingbirds and flowers.
Oceans
Oceans is a 2009 nature documentary that is directed, produced and narrated by Jacques Perrin, with the Disneynature version being narrated by Pierce Brosnan. The documentary looks at the marine species in the oceans across the world, including octopus, sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, spider crabs and garden eels.
More fabulous family nature documentaries to check out:
If you’re still looking for more good family nature documentaries, a few more of my favorites include:
- Chimpanzee
- Winged Migration (this is my all-time favorite, so beautiful!)
- Madagascar: Island of the Lemurs
- Monkey Kingdom
- Bears (if your kids really love this one, check out some fun Bears-themed party games!)
- March of the Penguins
- Planet Earth
These are just a few of our favorite nature documentaries that kids actually enjoy watching! I also recommend checking out a few good family movies about animals to keep the fun going!
Never heard of any of these until now – maybe getting out of the habit of thinking of nature documentaries as “Born Free”….
Great list! My daughter will love these! Some of them even really caught my eye! Love documentaries!
I actually love this kind of thing myself. I think I need to pull up a chair and watch!
See … I think these are far better films for kids to see than the scary animations that are on the market. But that’s my opinion.
Oh my goodness, I am so excited to check these out. my daughter is very into animals right now. She is going to love these videos.