Top 10 Kids Movies That Will Make You Cry

“E.T.” won over audiences everywhere; and that’s largely thanks to its lovable titular character. So, you can imagine how traumatized we all were when the little alien’s motionless body was discovered by a stream. From there, matters only become more emotionally draining as E.T. seemingly dies on the operating table. Few things are more depressing than watching a pale E.T. fight for his life as Elliott is powerless to help. While E.T. does ultimately pull through, that doesn’t make his farewell to Elliott any less bittersweet. As hard as we try not to cry, E.T.’s final words get us every time.

When one of the main characters is a personification of sadness, a few tears are going to be inevitable. Given
Pixar’s track record for making the audience cry, chances are you went into “Inside Out” armed with a pack of tissues. You probably didn’t bring enough, however, because the final act of this film is an emotional rollercoaster unlike any other. While Bing Bong’s sacrifice is sure to shatter anyone’s heart, the most sentimental payoff comes when Riley reunites with her parents and Sadness demonstrates her essential purpose. What makes this scene so effective is that anyone can identify with Riley’s feelings, especially if they had to move across the country at a young age.

There seems to be an unwritten rule that if a movie centers on a dog, the filmmakers are going to do everything in their power to make you cry. “My Dog Skip” may tread on familiar territory, but the sincere relationship between Frankie Muniz’s Willie and his Jack Russell Terrier still left a paw-print on our hearts. Even the most cynical audience member will have a hard time not getting choked up when Skip is severely beaten and Willie breaks down in tears by his bedside. The good news is that Skip survives this
particular brush with death, but the film doesn’t shy away from the fact that every beloved pet must eventually pass on.

From a movie about a boy and his dog to a movie about a boy and his massive robot. “The Iron Giant” was overlooked during
its theatrical release, but in time, more audiences would discover just how funny, exciting, and meaningful the film truly was. Perhaps the biggest surprise was just how empathetic the titular Iron Giant turned out to be. Vin Diesel may be the definition of an action star, but his gentle turn as the Giant, and the bond he forms with young Hogarth couldn’t be more genuine. It’s our attachment to these characters that makes the Giant’s third act sacrifice so devastating. Much like Superman, though, this hero fortunately lives on

“My Girl” starts off as a quirky coming-of-age dramedy with a dark edge. Many were caught off guard by the final act, however, which spirals into sheer tragedy. Although Vada’s been surrounded by death her entire life, she doesn’t experience grief until her best friend dies due an allergic reaction from bee stings. At first, Vada is unable to
accept the truth, hiding away in her room and even trying to get a response out
of Thomas J.’s corpse, arguing that he can’t see without his glasses. It’s a
brutally honest scene that’ll resonate with anybody who lost a loved one at a
young age, as well as anyone who grew up adoring Macaulay Culkin.

Director Don Bluth is another animator with a reputation for flooding movie theaters with tears and “The Land Before Time” is arguably his saddest work. The movie’s most gut-wrenching scene would have to be the death of Littlefoot’s mother, who leaves her orphaned son with some poignant final words. Although nothing quite tops this wallop to the feels, the film is still full of deeply emotional moments, such as Petrie’s near-death experience. Even the more uplifting moments are so overwhelming that you can’t
resist happy crying, especially when our young heroes finally make it to the
Great Valley. Way to make us cry over creatures that went extinct millions of
years ago.

By the time “Toy Story 3” came out in 2010, ‘90s kids who grew up with the first two films were on the verge of adulthood. This added another level of emotional gravitas to the film, especially when a teenage Andy parts with his old playthings before heading off to college. Since Woody and Buzz were childhood staples for many of us, we were all able to put ourselves in Andy’s shoes as he bids the old gang adieu, but not before one last playtime. Even if this was your introduction to the “Toy Story” franchise,
the film’s themes of nostalgia, change, and letting go can resonate with
viewers of all ages.

Family and death are both common themes in Pixar films, but they provide the backbone of “Coco.” For anyone who’s had a loved one with a memory disorder, the early scenes between Miguel and his aging great-grandma will immediately have you
invested. The film continues to emotionally affect its audience as Miguel interacts with his departed family members, learning valuable lessons about life and death. The
scene that gets to everybody is the grand finale, when Miguel makes a connection
with the practically catatonic Coco through the power of music. As Miguel
plucks his great-great grandfather’s guitar strings, the film tugs at our
heartstrings with an Oscar-winning song.

Where some films save their big emotional highlight for the second half, “Up” went all out within its first several minutes. Relying on the imagery and Michael Giacchino’s score rather than dialogue, we witness the marriage of Carl and Ellie Fredricksen. Their life together isn’t without misfortune, including a miscarriage and several setbacks
that prevent them from traveling to Paradise Falls. Even during their lowest
points, though, they still have each other… until Ellie passes away. In just a
few minutes, we’re told everything we need to know about this couple, with
heart-rending results. While there are certainly other moments in the film
that’ll tickle your tear ducts, everything ties back to this haunting intro.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:


“The Bridge to Terabithia” (2007)


“The Brave Little Toaster” (1987)

You may deny it, but at one point everybody has bawled their eyes out while
watching a Disney movie, whether it’s Simba curling up to his father’s body or Dumbo’s mother swinging her little one with her trunk. When it comes to cute animals being separated from their parents, though, nothing tops “Bambi” in the tear-jerking department. Although the entire film is an emotional experience, it’s the death of Bambi’s mom that made this our inevitable top pick. Between the single gunshot, Bambi calling out for his mother in confusion, and Bambi’s stern
father confronting his son, this scene left a major impact on generations of
children and adults, including Walt Disney’s daughter Diane.