Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Emma Gill

Children's TV and family films to watch this Christmas 2019

In the midst of the Christmas chaos it can be all too easy to miss the best of the kids' festive TV.

Nothing is quite as cosy as cuddling on the couch with your little ones as you crack open the Christmas chocolate in front of the telly.

From the classics such as The Snowman to the much-anticipated animation of Julia Donaldson's The Snail and the Whale, airing on Christmas Day, there are so many films and shows to keep kids of all ages entertained.

The long-awaited animation of Judith Kerr's classic The Tiger Who Came To Tea is also coming to our screens on Christmas Eve.

The Tiger Who Came To Tea is coming to our screens on Christmas Eve (Manchester Evening News)

The voice cast is a star-studded affair with David Walliams and Paul Whitehouse, alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, David Oyelowo and Tamsin Greig.

Then on Boxing Day there are even more treats in store, with the special animated adaptation of Sir Michael Morpurgo’s children’s book Mimi And The Mountain Dragon, followed by a festive reboot of the much-loved classic Worzel Gummidge.

Mackenzie Crook has replaced Jon Pertwee as the eponymous scarecrow who comes to life in two hour-long episodes on Boxing Day and December 27.

Mackenzie Crook stars as Worzel Gummidge (Manchester Evening News)

Both were written by Crook, who played Gareth Keenan in The Office and is the creator and star of BBC Four's Detectorists, and is joined by other comedy legends including Michael Palin, Zoe Wanamaker, Steve Pemberton and Vicki Pepperdine.

Whether watching the programmes live, or setting the record button so the kids can watch them again - and again, and again - here's our mammoth list of the best movies and shows to keep them happy over the festive season.

Saturday, December 21

1pm - The Goonies, Channel 5

3.10pm - Scrooge, Channel 5

3.15pm - Madagascar, Channel 4

4.50pm - Shrek, ITV

Sunday, December 22

1.50pm - Toy Story, BBC One

3.05pm - Penguins of Madagascar, BBC One

Toy Story (Manchester Evening News)

3.40pm - Finding Neverland, BBC Two

5.15pm - The BFG, BBC One

7.15pm - Paddington, Channel 4

Monday, December 23

10.30am - Kung Fu Panda, BBC One

1.25pm - Toy Story 2, BBC One

2.55pm - Brave, BBC One

Christmas Eve

6.20am - Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, Channel 4

9.05am - Hotel for Dogs, Channel 4

10.40am - Kung Fu Panda 3, BBC One

12.40pm  - The Grinch, ITV

12.45pm - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Channel 5

1.10pm - A Christmas Carol, Channel 4

1.25pm - Toy Story 3, BBC One

2.40pm - Santa Claus, ITV

3pm - Frozen, BBC One

3.50pm - The Snowman, Channel 4

5.15pm - Elf, ITV

5.30pm - Beauty and the Beast, BBC One

Beauty and the Beast (© 2016 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved..)

5.30pm  - Home Alone, Channel 4

7.30pm - The Tiger Who Came To Tea, Channel 4

Christmas Day

6.15am - Rugrats Go Wild, Channel 4

7.15am - Rise of the Guardians, BBC Two

9.25am - A Christmas Carol, ITV

10.40am - Ice Age, Channel 4

12.45pm - The Snowman, Channel 4

12.55pm - Moana, BBC One

2.30pm - Scrooge, BBC Two

2.30pm - The Snail and the Whale, BBC One

The Snail and the Whale (Manchester Evening News)

2.35pm - Back To The Future, Channel 4

3.10pm - Finding Dory, BBC One

3.10pm - Oliver!, Channel 5

4.55pm - Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Channel 4

6pm - How to Train Your Dragon, E4

8pm - Jurassic World, ITV2

Moana (Manchester Evening News)

Boxing Day

8.20am - The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Channel 4

9am - The Good Dinosaur, BBC One

9.35am - Beethoven, Channel 5

10.05am - The Boxtrolls, Channel 4

10.25am - Wreck-It Ralph, BBC One

10.50am - Oklahoma!, BBC Two

1.05pm - Guys and Dolls, BBC Two

1.50pm - The Boss Baby, BBC One

3.20pm - Mimi and the Mountain Dragon, BBC One

Mimi and the Mountain Dragon (Manchester Evening News)

3.45pm - The Jungle Book, BBC One

5pm - Ratatouille, Channel 4

5.15pm - Cool Runnings, Channel 5

6.20pm - Worzel Gummidge, BBC One

6.25pm - Jurassic Park, ITV2

7.10pm - Men in Black 3, Channel 4

7.15pm - The Simpsons Movie, E4

7.20pm - Paddington 2, BBC One

Paddington 2

Friday, December 27

9.40am - How To Train Your Dragon 2, BBC One

10.50am - Short Circuit, Channel 4

1.25pm - Raiders of the Lost Ark, BBC One

1.40pm - Jack Frost, ITV

3.15pm - Zootropolis, BBC One

7pm - Worzel Gummidge, BBC One

8pm - Rogue One, ITV2

The second part of Worzel Gummidge is on December 27 (Manchester Evening News)

Saturday, December 28

1.10pm - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, BBC One

3pm - Inside Out, BBC One

6pm - Alice Through the Looking Glass, BBC One

8pm - Mamma Mia!, Channel 5

8.30pm - Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol.2, ITV

Sunday, December 29

9.15am - Monsters vs Aliens, BBC One

10.40am - Captain Underpants: the First Epic Movie, BBC One

12.30pm - Hulk, Channel 4

1.20pm - The King and I, Channel 5

1.50pm - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, BBC One

3pm - Saving Mr Banks, BBC Two

3.50pm - Monsters University, BBC One

4.05pm - Power Rangers, Channel 5

8pm - Eddie the Eagle, Channel 4

Monday, December 30

9am - Planes: Fire and Rescue, BBC One

10.15am - Wallace and Gromit - The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, BBC One

12.20pm - Edward Scissorhands, Channel 4

1.25pm - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, BBC One

3.20pm - Shrek, BBC One

Shrek (Manchester Evening News)

Tuesday, December 31

9.30am - Chicken Run, BBC One

10.25am - Pan, Channel 5

11.20am - The Railway Children, BBC One

1.20pm - Ever After: a Cinderella Story, Channel 4

1.30pm - Paddington 2, BBC One

3.10pm - Shrek the Third, BBC One

4.55pm - Robots, Channel 4
 

Wednesday, January 1

9.30am - Shaun the Sheep Movie, BBC One

10.15am - The Wizard of Oz, ITV3

11am - Pete's Dragon, BBC One

12.40pm - The Book of Life, E4

1.50pm - Shark Tale, Channel 4

2.30pm - The Sound of Music, BBC One

3.40pm - Back to the Future Part II, Channel 4

3.45pm - Jumanji, Channel 5

4.45pm - Minions, ITV2

6pm - The Lion King, Channel 4

We've launched our Manchester Family newsletter, bringing you all the latest family stories and events straight to your email address once a week. Sign up here .

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.