10 feel-good Netflix documentaries to watch when you’re snowed in

A winter storm has hit the central and eastern United States, and Utah is also predicted to have a lot of snow this weekend. Whether you’re completely snowed in or just don’t want to go outside in the cold, it’s a great time to settle in and get cozy.

One way to do so is to curl up in a blanket and turn on a heartwarming film. Here are 10 feel-good documentaries and docuseries on Netflix that are great for the whole family.

1. ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’

Few things are more heartwarming than Mr. Rogers, and this documentary delivers a remarkable portrait of his life and mission to teach the world about kindness.

2. ‘My Octopus Teacher’

This award-winning documentary features a surprising friendship between a free diver and an octopus, who taught him to recognize the common ground shared by all living things on our planet.

3. ‘Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones’

National Geographic journalist Dan Buettner travels around the world in this docuseries to regions where lifestyle and diet habits contribute to the population’s longevity. The people in these “Blue Zones” come from vastly different backgrounds, but they all learn how to truly enjoy life and live it to the fullest.

4. ‘Brené Brown: The Call to Courage’

This documentary is a filmed address from professor and author Brené Brown, whose work focuses on vulnerability, leadership and overcoming shame. In this address, Brown focuses on how to make the decision to choose courage in today’s culture.

5. ‘The Elephant Whisperers’

This touching film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film at the 95th Academy Awards. Like “My Octopus Teacher,” it explores human-animal relationships, this time through the bond between a couple entrusted with the care of an orphaned baby elephant.

6. ‘Lorena, Light-Footed Woman’

Ready Steady Cut called this short documentary “absolutely extraordinary.” It tells the story of Lorena Ramírez, an ultramarathon runner from the indigenous Rarámuri tribe in Mexico. The Rarámuri are known for their long-distance running abilities, and Ramírez represents them as she easily runs 60 miles in a skirt and sandals.

7. ‘Babies’

One thing all of us have in common is that we started out as babies, and this docuseries follows a group of them from birth to toddlerhood. It’s adorable and heartwarming, with personal stories of real babies, but its main focus is educational — babies learn and develop at incredible rates, and each episode focuses on different aspects of that growth.

8. ‘Down to Earth with Zac Efron’

If Efron’s recent performance in “The Iron Claw” left you sobbing as you left the theater, his appearance on this Netflix docuseries might cheer you up. This show takes Efron around the world with health and wellness experts who teach him about healthy, sustainable lifestyles.

9. ‘Salt Fat Acid Heat’

This four-part series is based on chef Samin Nosrat’s cookbook of the same name and takes her around the world to explore four aspects of flavorful food: salt, fat, acid and heat. Not only is this show fun and entertaining; it’s also incredibly educational. You’ll learn a ton about global cuisines and get Nosrat’s tips for how to balance the flavors of a dish and make everything you cook taste delicious.

10. ‘Kiss the Ground’

If the snow has you missing the sight of bare dirt, this documentary will make you even more appreciative of it. Earth’s soil may appear uninteresting at first glance, but it is the building block for much of life on our planet. This documentary, featuring Woody Harrelson, explores our soil and its potential to combat climate change.