Sleepover Movie for 9 Year Olds

Updated on October 14, 2013
L. asks from Mobile, AL
21 answers

Hey All,

That about says it all! We're pondering the option of a sleepover b'day party with pizza and a movie for our soon-to-be-nine-year-old daughter. What would be good? I'm so ancient, I'm trying to remember the old 80s movies we watched like Pretty in Pink and Ghostbusters and Grease and Clueless, but really I can't remember if they are even appropriate or interesting for this age! Any thoughts?? My kiddo is pretty sensitive to sad stuff (she cried during a little Tinkerbell movie), but she's seen a couple of Harry Potter movies (after reading them). Ideas???

EDIT: Ha! See? This is why I asked here. I knew that these movies that seemed like kid movies now might be problems . . . . Back when I was a kid I don't think parents worried about it so much, so we saw more adult stuff sooner (I remember watching Jaws at a sleepover around that age! And actually Star Wars even a few years earlier). We will preview the final contenders. Good to see some overlap--that helps me narrow it down! Keep them coming! :)

Thanks!

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So What Happened?

We ended up doing a Minecraft party--ha! I'll use the list for us though. :)

Featured Answers

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S.H.

answers from Santa Barbara on

You should go to 'common sense' and type in the age you want. I jut typed in age 8 and a couple of editor picks that popped up are:
Matilda
The Princess Bride
kids picks:
Brave
Croods

I have not seen the kid picks. You can click on titles and read editor review, parent reviews and kid reviews. They list violence/bad words etc.

3 moms found this helpful

P.L.

answers from Washington DC on

Princess Bride, Matilda, Willy Wonka(original, maybe Teen Witch from the 80s, Epic, The Sound of Music, Nim'sIsland, Pippi Longstocking, Nausica(animated film), Hotel for Dogs, Beverly Hills Chihuahua(1,2, or 3).
Did you all report "Annette" & "Connie 1" work from home ads??
P

2 moms found this helpful

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J.W.

answers from Detroit on

Princess Bride would be a good one.

What ever you do, watch it beforehand. I was SHOCKED at some of the language and innuendos and even raunchiness in some movies that I had fond memories of. I really did not remember that much swearing in Ghostbuters!!! LOL and Goonies has some "dirty" parts as well.

I would just ask your daughter what she wants. She can even talk to her friends. Take her up to the library and browse there. You can find some older ones that the kids may have not seen since they aren't as current.

3 moms found this helpful
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E.T.

answers from Rochester on

The Secret World of Arietty. Based on the book The Borrowers. Any others by that producer (known as Japan's Walt Disney) are supposed to be good. Check though because some have more mature themes--not necessarily inappropriate for kids but dealing with some mature themes that 9 year olds might not be prepared for.

3 moms found this helpful
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C.B.

answers from Chicago on

My family just rented The Croods last night and we haven't laughed so hard in a LONG time! I have a just turned 8 year old, a 6 year old and a 2 year old. Everyone enjoyed it! Best part is a new movie so there's a good chance none of the girls have seen it yet. I hope your daughter has a wonderful birthday!

2 moms found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Nim's Island (my daughter loved this movie).

CJ7 (foreign film) my kids loved this movie, as did I.

My Neighbor Totoro (my kids love this movie and me too).

1 mom found this helpful
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S.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Despicable Me, Some of the Barbie Movies, Parent Trap, Madeline

1 mom found this helpful
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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I wouldn't let my 10 year old watch Pretty in Pink since it deals with things for older kids, Ghostbusters is a yes, Grease...ummm, no. It also deals with things that kids do not need to be exposed to. When a 12 year old looks up at you and asks why missing a period on a typewriter is bad you know you have a movie going they don't need to watch.

I suggest you look at the movies in Red Box for families then go with the ones that are NOT PG 13 but lower in the ratings. Kids don't need to be exposed to stuff that is not what kids their age are doing.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

OMG, I LOVED that movie Teen Witch! I thought I was the only one who had ever seen it! That would be fun, if you could find it!

Grease is a classic! The only real questionable part is the whole pregnancy scare thing...and well the fact that Sandy feels she has to change to be with a man, but whatever, I still love it! ;)

Does your daughter like American Girl dolls? Those movies are pretty cute. My daughter (6) and her older cousins who are 10-11 watch them together, it's one of the rare ones they have in common! That and Barbie movies too.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.L.

answers from Cleveland on

I've tossed around this idea too, it' sounds like fun.

here is my problem, we don't go to the theater much and seeing new releases on opening night and such isn't anything we are into, but it seems like all my kids friends have seen the new releases before they hit redbox. I know they can watch them again but I always "feel" in my hallmark moments mind that anything I plan to show should be this huge brand new never seen before riveting experience.
so I like the idea of going retro, but in the 80's I don't think they marketed to that age. so I guess I would really have to research to find something ok.
I do love me some princess bride though!!-- as you wish!!!!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.K.

answers from Sacramento on

I have a nine year old and it's a challenge to come up with the "cool" movies that are also age appropriate. Many of my daughter's friends have seen PG-13 movies that I don't think are appropriate...
We LOVE Ramona and Beezus and Freaky Friday (the newer version with Jamie Lee Curtis). My kids have seen the Princess Bride and they really liked it, but I would skip the torture scene for sure if you have a sensitive flower. (I have two.)

1 mom found this helpful
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R.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

Monster in Paris is an adorable cartoon movie. One scary scene, but the monster is not bad at all. Watch the trailer.

Matilda has a terrifying and horrible principal. I would skip that if your daughter is so sensitive.

Forget movies from the 80s. Goonies has references to drugs in the first scenes.

I like to read reviews here:
Commonsensemedia.com
kids-in-mind.com
dove.org

Swiss Family Robinson might be fun
Haley Mills - Parent Trap might be cute for her
Dr. Doolittle (haven't seen it in years)
Sound of Music
original Willy Wonka
Heidi with Shirley Temple
Mouse Hunt (Nathan Lane) is funny. But I remember showing it to my 4? yr old (I forgot the movie) and she was screaming at the part where she thought the mouse would get sucked up in a vacuum cleaner.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

none of those are appropriate for a 9 year old. However here is a list of movies that would be appropriate

It takes 2 (kirsty ally michael keaten and the olson twins)
The parent trap (the original)
Freaky Friday (the original)
That Darn Cat (the original)
Matilda
Escape to witch mountain (the original)
homeward bound (voices by michael j fox and others it's great)
the princess diaries w/ anne hathaway and julie andrews
Bedknobs and broomsticks

if you want some slap stick stuff get some of the older disney stuff
the apple dumpling gang 1 and 2
petes dragon

I would not show any movies that have sex, drugs or violence .

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J.J.

answers from Dallas on

i liked your ideas better than the ones you got. man, i know i woud've been BORED if my mom had put on sound of music, geez!
anyway, mary poppins was fun. adventures in babysitting, uncle buck. these are still my favorite movies & i watched 'em around then.
loved little mermaid, the matilda movie definitely, curly sue (ha! loved that movie), there's a ton of princess, my little pony movies.
looks like you gotta good idea, i just had to say i think some of these comments are lame-o and would not keep a little girls attention. not being disrespectful, but a different perspective :)
have fun! this is such a fun age!

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E.P.

answers from Tampa on

I remember one of my birthday sleepover parties back in 4th or 5th grade. We watched Thriller! Ha! I remember dancing like Madonna at another sleepover. Pretty in Pink! My best friend and I watched that together! Oh, those times were fun.

Two of my kids are a little bit younger, so this is tough. I would guess 9 year olds are not so much into cartoons any more. Harry Potter should be fine if they are still into that. Check out commonsensemedia.com. They recommend movies and tv that are appropriate for an age group.

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M.S.

answers from Kansas City on

By comparison to the other answers, this might be a little "tame", but "Anne of Green Gables" starring Megan Follows, Colleen Dewhurst and Richard Farnsworth. It was a series on PBS a long time ago.

Older movies are often much better than the newer ones. How about ET with Henry Thomas?

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C.O.

answers from Minneapolis on

My kids are 6 (girl) and 9 (boy).
My daughter loves Avatar & Spiderman. My son loves Star Wars and Star Trek.

I would say for an all girl sleep over:
Enchanted
Princess Diaries
Freaky Friday
Princess Bride

J.O.

answers from Boise on

I was gonna say The Croods also, my 12 year old clear down to my 3 year old loved it. Of course my 3 year old DD is in LOVE with dinosaurs so she watched it 10 times before we had to give it back lol

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

My friend years ago used to let her son watch "Grease" all the time when he was four and five - he liked the songs and dances. Then she really listened to some of the lyrics (try "Greased Lightnin'") and said she did not want her son repeating some of that and her having to explain lines like, "The chicks'll cream for Greased Lightning."

My kid's much older and she loves musicals -- old ones like Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly ones -- but I haven't suggested "Grease" because the message for girls there is pretty awful if you think about it: Change yourself to dress and act just like the guys want and yes, the guys will like you better.

OK, Grease fans, don't go nuts. Just two moms' takes on it. But L., I'd go with classic old Disney (kids at nine are not too old or too cool for it, believe me) or ones your girl already knows, Harry Potter (at least it's good storytelling--one of the first ones, not the later, much more intense ones). The recent "Tangled" is also good; even my husband likes it. Any Pixar movies are good though some are quite sad in spots even for adults.

Has she seen "Nim's Island"? That is a terrific live-action film with a wonderful girl heroine who is fun and resourceful and smart (and it's not just a "lessons" movie but a real adventure). Strongly recommended for girls this age.

"Brave" is also good though younger kids might find the bears pretty scary. But good heroine and cool riding and archery!

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B.P.

answers from Cleveland on

Croods is so funny and cute. Duspicable me 2 is coming out soon too. Brave is a very cute movie little sad but very very girl power. Little mermaid.

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D.G.

answers from Dallas on

What about some of the old Rogers and Hammerstein musicals ? Oklahoma, The King & I, etc ? I used to (and still do) love watching those.

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