12 Classic Animated Movies That Kids Today Don’t Know
These 12 classic animated movies shaped childhoods in the past, but today’s kids barely know they exist.
- Sophia Zapanta
- 4 min read
Kids today are missing out on some of the best animated movies ever made. Before CGI took over, hand-drawn and stop-motion films brought unforgettable stories to life. These forgotten classics deserve a second chance to enchant a new generation.
1. The Secret of NIMH
Mimooh on Wikimedia Commons
This dark yet beautiful tale of a brave mouse mother, secret experiments, and an underground rat society is a masterpiece. It’s got mystery, danger, and a lot more heart than most modern animated films. The animation is stunning, and the story is way deeper than your average talking-animal movie. If kids gave it a chance, they’d be hooked.
2. The Brave Little Toaster
NujabesluvRIP on Wikimedia Commons
A group of abandoned appliances embarks on an emotional journey to find their owner. Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but this movie somehow makes you care about a toaster. It’s surprisingly deep, tackling loyalty, loss, and growing up. Also, the junkyard scene? Pure childhood trauma.
3. An American Tail
Universal Pictures on Wikimedia Commons
Fievel Mousekewitz is the immigrant hero kids don’t know they need. This emotional adventure follows a tiny mouse lost in America, trying to reunite with his family. The song Somewhere Out There still brings adults to tears. It’s heartfelt, epic, and way better than most kids’ movies today.
4. The Last Unicorn
Jensen Farley Pictures on Wikimedia Commons
This film is pure ’80s magic—dreamy, haunting, and strangely sad. It’s about a unicorn on a journey to find others like her, encountering wizards, bandits, and a terrifying Red Bull. The animation is gorgeous, and the story feels like a fairytale wrapped in a melancholy spell. It’s weird, wonderful, and unforgettable.
5. The Black Cauldron
Walt Disney Productions on Wikimedia Commons
Disney’s darkest and most underrated film deserves more love. It’s got an evil skeletal king, a magic pig, and a ragtag group of heroes trying to stop total doom. The animation is eerie, the stakes are high, and it’s way different from typical Disney fare. It flopped in theaters, but it’s a hidden gem.
6. The Great Mouse Detective
Mimooh on Wikimedia Commons
Imagine Sherlock Holmes but with mice. Basil of Baker Street takes on the sinister Ratigan in this fast-paced detective adventure. The final battle inside Big Ben is a masterpiece of animation and suspense. It’s smart, stylish, and way cooler than most kids’ movies today.
7. The Iron Giant
Warner Bros. on Wikimedia Commons
This movie should be a household name, but somehow, kids today don’t know it. A giant robot crash-lands on Earth and befriends a lonely boy, teaching him the power of choice. It’s heartwarming, heartbreaking, and packed with Cold War-era sci-fi charm. By the end, if you’re not crying at “Superman,” you might be a robot yourself.
8. Thumbelina
The Sandpiper Press on Wikimedia Commons
Don Bluth’s take on the classic fairy tale is colorful, whimsical, and full of catchy songs. Thumbelina is a tiny girl kidnapped by toads, pursued by a mole, and dreams of finding her fairy prince. The animation is stunning, and the romance is pure fairytale magic. It’s a little cheesy but in the best way possible.
9. Labyrinth
Pandadri on Wikimedia Commons
Labyrinth is an absolute classic, but it’s mostly a live-action fantasy film with puppetry rather than traditional animation. If you’re okay with bending the “animated” theme a bit, you can add it! You could also instead swap it for another forgotten animated gem like The Swan Princess or Balto.
10. James and the Giant Peach
dan lundmark on Wikimedia Commons
This Roald Dahl adaptation is part live-action, part stop-motion, and all kinds of weird in the best way. A lonely boy escapes his cruel aunts by sailing across the ocean in a giant peach, joined by a crew of talking insects. The animation is stunningly creepy, and the story is pure childhood imagination at its best. It’s got adventure, heart, and just enough nightmare fuel to be unforgettable.
11. Atlantis: The Lost Empire
WikiPediaAid on Wikimedia Commons
A ragtag team of explorers set off to find the lost city of Atlantis, uncovering secrets, betrayals, and breathtaking underwater worlds. This movie ditched the traditional Disney formula—no musical numbers, no princesses, just pure adventure. The steampunk-inspired designs and action-packed storyline make it one of Disney’s most remarkable and unique films.
12. The Emoji Movie
EEIM on Wikimedia Commons
It’s a movie about talking emojis trying to escape a phone, filled with corporate app placements, awkward dance sequences, and a painfully forced message about “being yourself.” It had the potential to be a fun, Wreck-It Ralph-style digital adventure, but it mostly turned into a meme-worthy disaster. Still, if we’re talking forgotten animated films, this one qualifies—though some might argue that’s for the best.