What To Watch
Epic Quests and Dreams of Fame: What to Watch with Your Tween Kid
Approved by viewers aged 9–12.
By Ashley Lee
Oct. 15, 2026
10 Tween Movies and Shows for Kids Ages 9-12 - Netflix Tudum
Calling all parents of tween kids — yes, the struggle to find something good to watch together is very real. Thankfully, Netflix has plenty of movies and shows for kids between the ages of 9 and 12. These titles are filled with prehistoric creatures, aspiring musicians, and one very brave Airbender. They keep everyone entertained with thrilling adventures, funny jokes, memorable songs, and life lessons.
Whether you’re looking to watch an episode after school, stream a movie for the long plane ride ahead, or pick something to share with the whole family, here are some films and series for you and your tween. You can count down to hitting “play,” just like Freddie in iCarly: “In five, four, three, two …”
Hollywood Arts
Welcome back to Hollywood Arts High School, the prestigious academy for talented teens. In this spin-off series of Victorious — which starred Daniella Monet, Victoria Justice, and Ariana Grande as the school’s students throughout its four-season run — Trina Vega (Monet) is now an aspiring actor who hasn’t yet gotten her big break. She returns to her alma mater to fill in as a substitute teacher and finds herself inspiring a new generation of ambitious young artists. Yvette Nicole Brown also makes a guest appearance, reprising her role as Principal Helen.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
This live-action reimagining of the Nickelodeon animated series follows Aang (Gordon Cormier), a young boy who’s the only one capable of mastering all four elements — Air, Water, Fire, and Earth — and restoring balance to a world threatened by the terrifying Fire Nation. Along the way, the tween protagonist teams up with Water Tribe siblings Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley). The series will conclude with the upcoming third season, as they head deeper into the Fire Nation and face off against Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim).
iCarly
A cyber star is born when 13-year-old Carly Shay (Miranda Cosgrove) creates and hosts a web show with a little help from her best friend, Sam (Jennette McCurdy), and neighbor Freddie (Nathan Kress). When the internet series becomes a hit, the youngsters must balance their normal lives with their newfound fame. Want more Nickelodeon sitcoms? Stream Sam & Cat, in which Jennette McCurdy and Ariana Grande play roommates who start a babysitting service, and Erin & Aaron, starring Ava Ro and Jensen Gering as new stepsiblings learning to live in harmony.
Julie and the Phantoms
You only live once, but you can rock forever. This musical series stars Madison Reyes as Julie, who’s lost her passion for music after her mom died. When the ghosts of three dreamy musicians (Charlie Gillespie, Owen Patrick Joyner, Jeremy Shada) from 1995 suddenly appear in her mom’s old music studio, Julie feels her own inner spirit beginning to reawaken, and she’s inspired to sing and write songs again. As their friendship with Julie grows, the boys convince her to create a new band together: Julie and the Phantoms.
Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous
Pack your bags and head to Camp Cretaceous, a state-of-the-art spot on the opposite side of the famous Isla Nublar. Six dinosaur lovers arrive, excited to relish the rare opportunity — until Indominus rex escapes its enclosure, and the stranded group must band together to survive. After streaming all five seasons of the animated series, consider watching Chaos Theory, an aged-up sequel in which the “Nublar Six” are a few years older and embarking on a new expedition: to expose a global conspiracy that threatens dinosaurs and humankind alike.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
This action-packed animated movie follows the dysfunctional Mitchell family as they hit the road for college move-in day. Their plans are interrupted when all of the world’s electronic devices come to life in a mass revolt against humans, setting off apocalyptic chaos. With the help of two outcast robots, the entire Mitchell family must unite to fight back against the technological uprising. The voice cast of the Oscar-nominated film includes Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Eric André, and Olivia Colman.
ONE PIECE
Get ready for an epic adventure — a live-action adaptation of the manga that inspired one of the most popular anime shows of all time. Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) is a young pirate who has the ability to stretch his body, thanks to the legendary Gum-Gum Fruit. With his signature straw hat and ragtag crew, Luffy explores new islands, battles enemies, and searches for treasure. Keep the extraordinary voyage going with LEGO® ONE PIECE, the two-part animated special that expands the ONE PIECE universe.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
This myth-inspired series stars Walker Scobell as Percy, a 12-year-old who learns that he’s a demigod — and that he’s been accused of stealing something vital from the king of gods, Zeus (Lance Reddick in Season 1, Courtney B. Vance in Season 2). To find the real culprit and prove his innocence, he takes off on a rip-roaring adventure with a satyr named Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri) and Athena’s daughter, Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava’ Jeffries). The epic quest is based on Rick Riordan’s young-adult book series of the same name.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Meet Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), a Brooklyn teen trying to adjust to his fancy school, live up to his loving parents’ expectations, and impress the new girl, Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld). When he’s bitten by a radioactive spider, he encounters Spider-Man, aka Peter Parker (Chris Pine), who’s on a mission to stop the villainous Kingpin (Liev Schreiber) from tearing a hole in reality. Jake Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Zoë Kravitz, and John Mulaney are also in the voice cast of the Oscar-winning movie.
Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Though Stranger Things has come to an end, this series features new adventures with our Hawkins heroes. It’s set during the winter of 1985, when the friend group has settled back into a quiet life of D&D and snowball fights. But beneath the ice, something terrifying has awakened. Could it be from the Upside Down, the depths of Hawkins Lab, or from somewhere else entirely? Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max must race to save their town from the terror of this paranormal mystery.
Number of recommendations may vary by region.
More on Hollywood Arts
Both seasons of the series, based on Rick Riordan’s novels, are now streaming.
New episodes find the HIC sussing out paranormal activity.
The beloved Nickelodeon sitcom is getting a second act at Netflix.
Daniella Monet previews the next chapter ahead of its Oct. 15 debut.
Daniel Dae Kim returns as Fire Lord Ozai in your first look at the third and final season.
See a new photo of the Straw Hats, straight from the Cape Town set.
There’s plenty to covet in this assortment of collectibles, apparel, and more.
A powerful earthbender enters the fray.
Shop Hollywood Arts
What To Watch
More international espionage and government secrets, please.
Debora Cahn wrote on Aaron Sorkin’s Emmy-winning series for four seasons.
Mix and match these terrifying tales of vampires, aliens, werewolves, and more.
The stand-up comedian takes on stay-at-home parenting in the comedy.
Scream queens abound in these spine-tingling horror films.
Promising connections, steamy seductions, shocking breakups, and more.
The cozy romance drama spans four seasons and stars Keri Russell.
That’s how you know they’re great.
Action
Ali Wong and Stephanie Hsu put a new spin on Cinderella’s infamous stepsisters in this irreverent adventure.
Animals tops the English film list, and East of Eden doubles its viewership.
Roman Reigns clashed with LA Knight for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Peter Berg’s World War II epic follows star athletes fighting in the Pacific.
Jojo Fridays are back as Gyro and Johnny face down the “Devil’s Palm.”
Ignore the monsters in your head and enjoy the ones onscreen instead.
UNABOMBER again tops the English film list; LEGO® ONE PIECE make a strong debut.
Related Videos
Hilarious outtakes from Ba Sing Se and beyond.
Catch up on what happened last season before new episodes premiere June 25.
Welcome the newest member of the Gaang.
See Avatar Aang meet his earthbending teacher, Toph, and face off against Azula.
Grab your paddles, nerds, ’cause we’re going on a curiosity voyage!
Something must have survived from the Upside Down.
We’re scaling it up!
A whole new level of danger has arrived.
Popular Now
Josh Hartnett, Charlie Heaton, Mackenzie Davis, and creator Jesse McKeown break down that final-act twist.
