The 50 Best Videos For Kids

101 Dalmatians (ages 6 and up) Small children love puppies, and this animated feature delivers in spotted spades. While Cruella De Vil's lust for a dog-skin coat may scare little ones, older kids will love her outrageous antics.

The Aristocats (ages 4 and up) Thanks to its jazzy flair, this feline version of Disney's Lady and the Tramp is a real winner. Upper-class kittens and bumbling cat-nappers enhance a romantic rich-cat, poor-cat tale.

Babar: King of the Elephants (ages 4 and up) Skillfully adapted from Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff's endearing stories, this European animated feature maintains the sweetness and warmth of the book's humanlike elephants.

Babe (ages 5 and up) Not since Charlotte's Web has a pig been so lovable as Babe in this surprise Australian hit. Kids will grow attached to the swine who beats the odds to work as a sheepdog.

Bear in the Big Blue House Live! (ages 2 to 6) Toddlers will want to be best friends with this cuddly, soft-spoken bear who teaches life lessons. Acoustic guitars and sweet vocals create a folksy serenity.

Beauty and the Beast (ages 6 and up) Cracking the mold of Disney princesses, Belle rolls her eyes at "Prince Charming" in favor of inner beauty. Add singing tableware and you have one unique musical.

The Black Stallion (ages 7 and up) Movie critic Pauline Kael called this possibly "the greatest children's movie ever made." Kids will envy the unbreakable bond that forms between a young castaway and a wild horse.

Blue's Big Musical Movie (ages 2 to 6) Parents will bop along with their preschoolers while the Ray Charles voiced character teaches kids about musical notes, tempo, and soul in the TV show's first feature film.

Born Free (ages 5 and up) This 1966 real-life story follows a British couple who takes in and later sets free an orphaned lioness. The film's moving message of respect for animals and their habitats is especially effective.

Charlotte's Web (ages 4 and up) This poignant cartoon is faithful to E. B. White's lovely and touching book. With the help of a motherly spider, Wilbur the pig puts on a show to avoid becoming bacon.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (ages 3 to 5) Based on the classic books, this collection of cartoon shorts brings the ABCs to life. Kids will learn and laugh as 26 childlike letters scamper up a coconut tree to a funky beat.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (ages 4 and up) What kid doesn't want a magic chariot, an inventor dad, and a "Truly Scrumptious" stepmom? This high-flying feature film makes wishes come true—and delivers some of the best music in children's movies.

Chrysanthemum . . . and More Kevin Henkes Stories (ages 5 to 8) In this collection of animated shorts, Meryl Streep narrates the title tale of a tenderhearted mouse teased because of her unusual name. Sarah Jessica Parker and Mary Beth Hurt narrate Henkes's other tales of mice scampering toward self-acceptance.

Clifford Tries His Best (ages 2 to 7) Enjoy 90 minutes of canine fun with this larger-than-life dog, voiced by the late John Ritter. Little kids will be tickled by the notion that Clifford is the master of the house.

Doctor Dolittle (ages 4 and up) Being able to talk to animals would be a dream come true for most kids. But this vintage movie shows that things can get out of control when a horse wears glasses, a chimp tries to be a chef, and the bizarre Pushme-Pullyu is on the loose.

Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (ages 3 and up) Don't pass over the 1966 animated film for Jim Carrey's recent live-action version. The original is still the best, with old-time horror star Boris Karloff as the holiday grouch.

Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat (ages 3 and up) Mike Myers recently brought a remake of The Cat to the big screen. But this tongue-tangling 1971 original is a far better pick for true Seuss fans.

Dumbo (ages 4 and up) Great music, charm, and a trainload of animals make this feature a timeless classic. The 1941 tale of a baby elephant ostracized because of his unwieldy ears teaches tots about the upside to uniqueness.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (ages 5 and up) Steven Spielberg's masterpiece gets new life in the digitally altered update (police guns are replaced with less-frightening walkie-talkies). Big and little viewers will be moved by Elliott's friendship with the homesick alien.

The Fantasia Anthology (all ages) Long before Baby Mozart married classical music and whimsical motion, Disney imagined that folks would enjoy watching stunning visuals set to songs. With works from Beethoven and Bach, Fantasia takes kids on a magical journey where they can hear the pictures and see the music.

Finding Nemo (ages 6 and up) A boatload of critters inhabit a breathtaking seascape in this Oscar-winning film. Your whole family will root as a clown fish goes on a daring mission to find his lost spawn. The best part: Ellen DeGeneres is a hoot as a forgetful fish.

Goodnight Moon and Other Sleepytime Tales (ages 1 to 5) Vocal talent rules in these animated shorts, as Susan Sarandon warmly narrates Margaret Wise Brown's bedtime classic, Natalie Cole shares "Tar Beach," and Billy Crystal livens up "There's a Nightmare in My Closet."

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (ages 3 and up) A Thumbelina in a South American rain forest, Goldilocks in the Caribbean, a jazzy Pied Piper? HBO's TV series adds multicultural images to children's entertainment with animated humor and pizzazz. It includes a stellar cast of voice actors, such as Whoopi Goldberg and Denzel Washington.