If you thought teenage years were a nightmare, keep up! Tween-age is the new Teenage! Welcome to the world of Gen-Alpha where a baby is not really a baby but a toddler…a toddler is a kid, a kid is no more a kid but a pre-tween and a tween is a teen…a teen is a young adult…or wait is it? Surely I just lost track even while writing about the age nomenclature! So yes, you need to keep up to stay relevant!
But we can have a different blog for that! For now, let’s find out how to keep a tween entertained with movies. However, it’s not as simple as it sounds. There are too many choices yet with age restrictions that are either 7+ or 13+ it becomes a problem, especially for tweens like my niece who is 11. So I’m going to recommend what I do. Research well for language and visuals and follow your instincts. Moreover, comedy movies for tweens on OTT are not very hard to find and this particular genre almost always works. Good actors with smart & witty punchlines, throw in some fantasy and quirk in the mix with excellent CGI and voila! You have a winner! If you too find yourselves often wondering what movies your tween kid should watch on OTT, don’t sweat it anymore! Take a look at our handpicked quirky comedy movies that would definitely make you their favourite!
1. The Mask (1994)
I have to confess- this one takes my favourite place. Any time, any day, anywhere…The Mask is one of those comedy movies for tweens, that everyone in the family ends up watching once you put it on! Because let’s face it, it’s also one of those movies you can rewatch for the umpteenth time! Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey), a simple kind-hearted bank employee suddenly gets hold of a magical mask that transforms him into a completely whacky person with superhero powers.
Why watch it: Jim Carrey is in his craziest self and will ensure you don’t have a single dull moment. An absolute must-watch for all ages! Oh, when your tween kid starts repeating lines like “Somebody Stop meeeeeeeeeeee” or “Smokinnnnnn”, you can personally thank us!
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video.
2. Jumanji (1995)
Jumanji is a mysterious magical game that Peter and Judy accidentally discover in their basement. A classic Robbin WIlliams from the 90s, Jumanji used to be every kid’s dream game! And when I showed it to my Gen-Alpha niece, well I’m proud to say, she was just as hooked as I used to be! There are very specific rules to the game of Jumanji and you Mustn’t disobey them at any cost! So if you’re looking for comedy movies for 11-year-olds, let the game take you ahead!
Why watch it: The magical game of Jumanji is filled with real-life adventures (and misadventures too!) and you can’t help being totally absorbed by each game. Watch it for some fantasy-comedy-action fun!
Where to watch: SonyLiv, Zee5
3. Matilda (1996)
When we’re speaking of comedy movies for tweens with a touch of quirk factor, how can we NOT mention Matilda? Matilda is a little girl who discovers she has psychic powers which she uses to right the wrongs in society! It’s a classic story of standing up for the helpless and using power for a great cause. Matilda is the OG shero who was way ahead of the Hogwarts times!
Why watch it: The abundance of cuteness factor in child actor Mara Wilson just takes the cake. Of course, Danny Devito’s screen presence only enhances the whole visual experience. This movie is also Danny Devito’s directorial gem!
Where to watch: Netflix
4. Freaky Friday (2003)
Now here’s a movie every mother-daughter duo must watch!! Especially if the daughter is a teenager (or a tweenager in the world of 2024!!) A psychiatrist uptight mother and her wild teenage daughter who never get along, switch bodies on a Freaky Friday! Now they need to learn to adapt to each other’s lives and act accordingly until they really understand each other.
Why watch it: The switch-over makes the characters super hilarious. Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis do great jobs in “each other’s characters”! Besides being a great comedy for 12-year-olds or tweens, Freaky Friday is a feel-good movie that will surely brighten your day!
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar.
5. Night At The Museum (2006)
Who wouldn’t want to visit a museum where everything comes to life after sunset…including a whole dinosaur skeleton? That’s the theme of Night at the Museum and I can personally assure you a truckload of fun for your tween with this film. Ted (Ben Stiller) gets a job at this museum without knowing this secret about it and has to deal with all kinds of disastrous situations all by himself!
Why watch it: The cast is outstanding. Ben Stiller, Robbin Williams, and Owen Wilson along with all the mammoths, neanderthals and dinosaurs in the museum create foolproof entertainment!
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar.
6. Evan Almighty (2007)
A sequel to Bruce Almighty starring Jim Carrey (which incidentally wouldn’t be appropriate for a tween), Evan Almighty is a clean funny family movie that kids of any age can enjoy watching. The story is about Congressman Evan Baxter (Steve Carrel) who has been assigned a task to build an ark to prepare for an upcoming catastrophic flood. And who assigned him this job? God himself, a.k.a. Morgan Freeman!
Why watch it: The bizarre project of a Congressman trying to build an ark in a modern era has its fair share of hilarious moments. Steve Carrel is brilliant as always. This movie has some exceptionally good lines about internal journeys and perspectives on the life you might want your young one to watch.
Where to watch: Jio Cinema
7. Night At The Museum- Battle Of The Smithsonian (2009)
Here’s a sequel which is equally entertaining as the first one. Night at the Museum- Battle of the Smithsonian is the story of Larry trying to rescue Jedediah and Octavius from the storage of an institution from getting shipped away forever. This movie, just like the first part, is one of those comedy movies for tweens that’s full of fantasy action, comedy and quirky adventures! How can you go wrong with this?
Why watch it: Along with the old ones, there are some interesting new characters introduced in the sequel. Like Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria) and Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams) who prove to be welcome additions!
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar.
8. Gulliver’s Travels (2010)
Lemuel Gulliver (Jack Black) is a shy, introverted mail-room guy at a newspaper company who suddenly takes a dangerous trip for a story and ends up in the land of Lilliput. Lemuel is the biggest, strongest and most powerful man on Lilliput and that’s when his super adventurous life begins…but obviously, not without twists and turns.
Why watch it: Gulliver’s Travels is one of the sure-shot quirky comedy movies for tweens that you can safely go for. It has Jack Black for tons of physical comedy and the classic story of Gulliver never fails to amuse.
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
9. Jumanji- Welcome To The Jungle (2017)
Very rarely does a remake or a sequel of a hit film become just as popular. Jumanji- Welcome to the Jungle definitely broke that jinx! What happens when decades later a group of friends find the same game and play it? If you’ve seen the 1995 Jumanji, you already know about the magic. But this time there are more surprises and interesting characters. Watch it to find out now!
Why watch it: When you bring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Kevin Hart together, you can expect nothing less than a full-blown fun-tastic film with heavy doses of LOL moments! Trust us, the adventures will make you want to play the game for real!
Where to watch: SonyLiv, Amazon Prime Video
10. Barbie (2023)
Brace yourselves for some Barbieland fun! This Greta Gerwig blockbuster of 2023 took the entire world by storm. And for all the right reasons. Like the trailer for Barbie says, “If you like Barbie, this movie is for you…If you hate Barbie, this movie is for you!” Your search for comedy movies for tweens ends right here. Barbie and Ken are happily living their hunky-dory life at Barbieland until one day they take a trip to the real world. That’s when everything goes topsy-turvy.
Why watch it: Greta Gerwig has delivered a very smartly written satirical comedy adorned with glorious colours and glam. Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken are undoubtedly sight for the sore eyes. But that’s not the only reason to watch Barbie. The copious amounts of satire and feministic undercurrents are what made Barbie everyone’s favourite.
Where to watch: Jio Cinema, Amazon Prime Video
Bonus: Home Alone (1990)
Those who have watched it know this is one of those movies that can NEVER go wrong! Chris Columbus and John Hughes created such an evergreen classic in the 90s that even after four decades, kids can’t help being amused by it. An eight-year-old Kevin (Macauley Culkin) is accidentally left alone at home over Christmas and the job of protecting his house from two burglars falls on his little shoulders. What follows once the burglars start with their plan is worth every second of your screen time! Watch this with your tween now, and enjoy the little kid sneaking out of them with this movie!
Why watch it: The whole confrontation between the burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) and Kevin is the soul of the film. If your tween kid doesn’t ROFL while watching those sequences, you can stop trusting our lists!!! 😂
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Final Words…
Watching movies is always fun. Watching comedy with family or friends- the best! But we also want your kid to play an outdoor sport, engage in storytelling, read a book, take a road trip, or camping…because the screen isn’t (read shouldn’t) be everything. So maybe, mix each movie up with an outdoor sport or any non-screen activity that your kid might enjoy! Rationing movies as an earned prize works too!! 😉
Happy Watching!
We would love to hear how your tweenager responded to our list of comedy movies for tweens. Do let us know in the comment section below!
Nice suggestions! I can refer to the list while raking my brains of what to show my tweens.
I also can relate to so many movies that I watched at that age.
Nostalgic classics ❤️✨