World War II Films For Children

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My children have both been really into WWII history lately. So after much research I have compiled a list of WWII films (movies and documentaries) that are child friendly and can be found on Netflix or at Redbox.

WWII is a very sensitive subject and can be a very tricky one to discuss with children due to the horrific nature of the events. These are documentaries and movies that we have allowed our 7 and 8 year old watch with parental supervision. However children's maturity levels and parent views are all different so before letting your children watch these I encourage you to preview them first!

WWII films for children (ages 7 and older):

1) Boy In The Striped Pajamas (Netflix) - when a German family moves from Berlin to Poland, a young boy befriends a boy who lives on the other side of the fence, unaware he's a Jewish prisoner. (PG-13 rating)
2) Monuments Men (Redbox) - an unlikely World War II platoon is tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners. (PG-13 rating)
3) Mystery Files Hitler (Redbox) - what happened in WWI that turned socially awkward loner Adolf Hitler into the most infamous dictator in human history? (TV-PG rating)
4) Steal a Pencil for Me (Netflix) - this moving documentary chronicles the unshakable romance between a couple who met and fell in love while in a Nazi concentration camp (NR)
5) Pearl Harbor: Legacy of Attack (Netflix) - dive deep into the waters of the historic Pearl Harbor to find the remains of a Japanese sub and examine the wreckage of the USS Arizona. (TV PG rating)
6) Tora! Tora! Tora! The Attack On Pearl Harbor (Netflix) - the movie is named for the Japanese phrase that signals the start of an attack. In this film the American and Japanese versions of the bombing of Pear harbor are told. (G rating)
7) Search for the Battleship Bismarck (Netflix) - join Dr. Robert Ballard on a gripping underwater journey to discover the secrets of the Bismarck, a notorious World War II-era German battleship. (TV-PG rating)
8) The Diary of Anne Frank (Netflix) - based on the classic book, teenage Anne Frank tells in her own words, how she and her Jewish family hid from the Nazis during WWII. (NR)
9) The Book Thief (Redbox) - while subjected to the horrors of World War II Germany, young Liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. In the basement of her home, a Jewish refugee is being sheltered by her adoptive parents. (PG-13 rating)
10) Life Is Beautiful (Netflix) - a Jewish waiter, his wife and their son are sent to a concentration camp, where the waiter tries to protect his son's innocence by playing a game (PG-13 rating)
11) Nova: 3D Spies of WWII (Neflix) - discover the little-known secrets of Allied spies whose photography helped thwart new German weapons technology at the height of World War II. (TV-PG rating)
12) History in HD: The Last Bomb (Netflix) - rarely seen combat footage takes viewers along for a 21st Bomber Command's long distance strikes on Tokyo near the end of WWII. (TV-PG rating)
13) Paper Clips (Netflix) - struggling to understand the enormity of the  Holocaust, students at a Tennessee middle school collect 6 million paper clips to grasp the concept. (G rating)

WWII films for older or more mature children:

1) Auschwitz Inside The Nazi State (Netflix) - this is a documentary series that tackles one of history's most disquieting subjects: the Holocaust and infamous Aushwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. (TV-PG rating)
2) The Winds of War (Netflix) - the trials of the Henry and Jastrow families in the early years of World War II. (NR)
3) World War II Final Days (Netflix) - witness the accounts of those who survived the final days of WWII, from soldiers on the front lines to citizens on the streets of Berlin. (TV-14 rating)
4) Hitlers Children (Netflix) - the descendants of Hermann Goering, Heinrich Himmler and Amon Goeth come to terms with the role their families played in the Holocaust. (NR)
5) Ken Burns: The War (Neflix) - a 7 part series that brings to life WWII through the harrowing personal accounts of soldiers and others from "typical" American towns. (TV-14)
6) Inside The Nazi Hunters (Netflix) - this series documents the work of Nazi hunters who chased down a few of the most hated individuals on earth, often employing controversial methods. (NR)
7) Secrets of the Dead: Deadliest Battle (Netflix) - aided by archival film, eyewitness accounts and long buried documents, this probing documentary looks at Germany's 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union. (NR)

I will continue adding more films to this list as I come across them so be sure to pin or bookmark the post for future reference.

*We may let our children watch things other parents may not approve of. So before you let your children watch any of these I encourage you to preview them first.

I will try to post a top 10 list of our favorite documentaries and films at least once a month!

Documentary printable:

This journal page is great for any documentary, get yours here for FREE or click the photo below.

What are some of your favorite child friendly WWII films?