What you've missed. 2023's most popular kids shows, movies and more
It's that time of year, when we round-up the "must-sees," and "must-reads" of 2023 in case you and your littles happened to miss them.
Thanks to streaming platforms, what was once in theatres has landed in your living room and it sure was a year for box office success. Of the movies marketed to kids under 12, "Barbie" and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" outperformed all and were the highest-grossing films of 2023.
"Bluey" has danced around the top three spots month-to-month for the most-streamed kids show of 2023, according to Nielson's report. And "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" won game of the year.
Check out 2023's most-popular movies and more for kids.
5 most-popular movies of 2023 for kids
According to Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that provides media ratings and reviews, "Barbie" wins for most-popular film of the year for kids under 12. Consistent with Common Sense's list, are box office insights showing the "Barbie" as top-grossing film of the year. Joining Barbie are:
- "The Super Mario Bros. Movie"
- "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse"
- "The Little Mermaid"
- "Avatar: The Way of Water"
5 most-popular kid shows on Netflix
Netflix released its biggest hits this month. One or more of these kids shows remained in top 10.
- "Cocomelon"
- "Peppa Pig"
- "Paw Patrol"
- "Gabby’s Dollhouse"
- "Little Angel"
5 most popular kid shows on Disney+
Disney+ says these top results will be used to "help with the development of attractions and more at the Disney Theme Parks around the world."
- "Bluey"
- "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse"
- "Star Wars: The Bad Batch"
- "Marvel’s Spidey And His Amazing Friends"
- "Puppy Dog Pals"
Top video game picks for kids
USA TODAY recently shared its top picks for video games this year.
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo Switch)
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo Switch)
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (PlayStation 5)
What to stream:10 movies that will keep your kids entertained this weekend
Top selling children's books of 2023
Each year, the New York Times puts out its best-selling list. Here are the most-popular children's books (not including Christmas reads).
- "Dragons Love Tacos" by Adam Rubin, Daniel Salmieri (Illustrator)
- "The Big Cheese" by Jory John, Pete Oswald (Illustrator)
- "Just Because" by Matthew McConaughey, Renée Kurilla (Illustrator)
- "No Brainer" (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #18) by Jeff Kinney
- "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (MinaLima Edition - Series #3) by J. K. Rowling, MinaLima Design (Illustrator)
- "The Last Kids on Earth and the Monster Dimension" by Max Brallier, Douglas Holgate (Illustrator)
- "Magic Tree House Books 1-4" (Boxed Set) by Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca (Illustrator)
- "The Wild Robot" (Series #1) by Peter Brown
Common Sense Media's recommended family podcasts
- "Keyshawn Solves It" Fun detective pod centers Black culture & valuable lessons.
- "What's Poppin' Penny?" Sweet and clear lessons about grief, family, and safety.
- "5 Minute Mysteries with Kiddy Casey" Curious detective uses science and history to solve cases.
- "Culture Kids Podcast" Fun family pod explores diverse cultures, landmarks, foods.
- "Time Traveling Tonya" Time travel pod makes history fun and relevant for kids.
See the full list here.
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