March of the Penguins

Waddle with Love

• What: March of the Penguins movie
• When: Three years and up
• Why: Nonfiction, engrossing, educational
• Where: Amazon

Want a movie to watch with your kids that feels good? How about one without cartoon characters, firearms, or mythical creatures? My kids recently studied migration at school, so for Family Movie Night, we screened March of the Penguins.

March of the Penguins on Amazon

All three of my kids, ages four, six, and eight, really got into it. I had seen it before myself, but not since 2005 or so, when it first came out. I didn’t recall all the details, but knew that it accurately represented nature, meaning not every penguin (or every penguin chick or egg) makes it. I had no idea how much my kids might understand, or how they would handle the reality, but it didn’t phase them a bit. I guess after all the pet mice, caterpillars, and other short-lived creatures in our home, this depiction of death and life didn’t disturb them.

They loved watching the penguins march, and the cinematography remains absolutely breathtaking no matter how many times you’ve seen it. The harrowing journey from sea to nesting place and back again caught their attention and intrigued them. I felt good about the educational non-fiction content, and we all enjoyed our movie night together.

I love cartoon Robin Hood from the 70’s just as much as my kids, but we discovered a family favorite of a different nature.