Did you know? The top schools in Bangalore are gradually turning to movies to break away from routine lectures and build students’ interest in academic topics. Also, because “movie time” is a fun way to bond with little ones and initiate discussions.

As we move closer to the holiday season, we can’t help but explore the top 10 children’s movies of all time. Here are some must-watch masterpieces!

• Sing

The “Illumination” creation portrays the grit of struggling musicians: a penniless mouse, a timid elephant, a struggling mother to 25 piglets, a gorilla wanting to break out of his delinquent life, a bullied punk-rocking porcupine, and their koala mentor as they chase their dreams with each other’s support, despite a mountain of bad luck. Their journey teaches us not to let the fear of failure stop us from doing what we love.

• Soul

The Golden Globe winner highlights how passion and purpose are important for a meaningful life. It’s about a middle school band teacher who gets his big break but dies later, and he can only return to life if he discovers his purpose.

• Inside Out

The Pixar wonder depicts an 11-year-old’s emotional conflict as she struggles to balance her joy, anger, fear, sadness, and disgust while coping with a new relocation and the changes of adolescence. Inside Out reminds us that it’s okay to feel negative emotions as long as we understand, accept, and honestly address them.

• Kiki’s Delivery Service

The legendary Hayao Miyazaki illustrates the rebirth of a young witch who initially found it hard to practise her craft or make friends in a strange place away from her family. However, she gradually learns that when it feels like we’re losing our magic, we need to trust our potential and get inspired to move ahead.

• Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

The Roald Dahl classic narrates the amazing tour of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory undertaken by Charlie and his friends. This “feel-good” fairytale gives us an important life lesson: the best things in life are worth waiting for, and we just need to trust the process and enjoy every chance we get.

• Harry Potter Series

Warner Bros.’ fantasy chronicles the lives of the “golden trio,” Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, throughout the school years. The young magicians overcome fears, stand up against social prejudices, and save the wizarding world from the darkest wizard of all time. The essence of Rowling’s brilliant writing is reflected in the underlying messages:

“It’s always love!” and “Our magic is not defined by our abilities but by the choices we make.”

• The Blue Umbrella

“But an umbrella isn’t everything.” The line best captures the essence of the movie: “Sometimes sacrifices lead to happiness,” as Biniya happily gifts her precious-than-life umbrella to her archnemesis Nandu, who’s miserable and abandoned by the villagers due to his misdeeds. In exchange, she receives a pendant—the token of peace and the beginning of a friendship. Everything works out in the end for good as Ruskin Bond spins magic through words.

• Two

The 12-minute musical drama by Satyajit Ray showcases the innocent rivalry between the “fortunate” and the “deprived” as they flaunt their possessions. The competition ends when the rich kid shoots down the poor child’s kite with a cruel satisfaction that doesn’t last for long, ultimately leaving him alone, crestfallen, and ashamed of his actions. However, the poor kid displays emotional resilience and determination to carry on against all odds while happily playing the flute.

• Taare Zameen Par

Khan and Gupte literally move us to tears with the story of Ishaan, who is chastised for his poor academic performance and sent to a distant boarding school, where an art teacher discovers he is dyslexic rather than a poor performer. Thus begins the transformation of a student with emotional scaffolding, consistent motivation & constructive feedback. The movie sensitises the public to learning disabilities and captures the beauty of the teacher-student bond. The world needs more mentors like Ram Shankar Nikunj, who don’t just teach but touch and transform young lives.

• Dangal

A movie dedicated to an Indian sport, based on the real story of the Phogat sisters, unfolds the struggles of a father who, despite poverty and lack of opportunities, trains his daughters since childhood to compete in wrestling. His determination and his daughters’ hard work earned India its first gold medal in women’s wrestling at the International Commonwealth Games. The movie definitely wins hearts and sends out a strong message: “Women are no less than men when it comes to grit, perseverance, and dedication.”

Why Movies for Learning?

Movies cater to multiple learning styles, mainly audio-visual learning. They present insights into societal life, prevalent cultures, trends, history, geography, lifestyle, and different people’s perspectives. Thus, the top schools in Bangalore aim to improve focus & develop long-term memory, logic, analysis, reasoning, and observation skills.

EKYA SCHOOLS, the top school in Bangalore, firmly believes that there is no fixed path to learning and that it can be inflow in a variety of ways. We prepare our students for a rapidly evolving future while embodying characteristics that allow them to be globally competitive and good human beings. Click here to discover how our students live their lessons in the classroom every day.