What you've missed. 2023's most popular kids shows, movies and more

Emilee Coblentz, USA TODAY
·3 min read
2
Scuttle (voiced by Awkwafina), Flounder (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), and Halle Bailey as Ariel in "The Little Mermaid."
Scuttle (voiced by Awkwafina), Flounder (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), and Halle Bailey as Ariel in "The Little Mermaid."

It's that time of year, when we round-up the "must-sees," and "must-reads" of 2023 in case you and your littles happened to miss them.

Thanks to streaming platforms, what was once in theatres has landed in your living room and it sure was a year for box office success. Of the movies marketed to kids under 12, "Barbie" and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" outperformed all and were the highest-grossing films of 2023.

"Bluey" has danced around the top three spots month-to-month for the most-streamed kids show of 2023, according to Nielson's report. And "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" won game of the year.

Check out 2023's most-popular movies and more for kids.

5 most-popular movies of 2023 for kids

Mario (Chris Pratt) battles a plumbing problem before getting pulled into a fantasy adventure in the animated "The Super Mario Bros. Movie."
Mario (Chris Pratt) battles a plumbing problem before getting pulled into a fantasy adventure in the animated "The Super Mario Bros. Movie."

According to Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that provides media ratings and reviews, "Barbie" wins for most-popular film of the year for kids under 12. Consistent with Common Sense's list, are box office insights showing the "Barbie" as top-grossing film of the year. Joining Barbie are:

  • "The Super Mario Bros. Movie"

  • "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse"

  • "The Little Mermaid"

  • "Avatar: The Way of Water"

5 most-popular kid shows on Netflix

Netflix released its biggest hits this month. One or more of these kids shows remained in top 10.

  • "Cocomelon"

  • "Peppa Pig"

  • "Paw Patrol"

  • "Gabby’s Dollhouse"

  • "Little Angel"

5 most popular kid shows on Disney+

Disney+ says these top results will be used to "help with the development of attractions and more at the Disney Theme Parks around the world."

Shown is a still from "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," a learning-focused series for preschoolers.
Shown is a still from "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," a learning-focused series for preschoolers.

  • "Bluey"

  • "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse"

  • "Star Wars: The Bad Batch"

  • "Marvel’s Spidey And His Amazing Friends"

  • "Puppy Dog Pals"

Top video game picks for kids

'Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom'
'Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom'

USA TODAY recently shared its top picks for video games this year.

  • Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo Switch)

  • The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo Switch)

  • Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (PlayStation 5)

What to stream: 10 movies that will keep your kids entertained this weekend

Top selling children's books of 2023

Each year, the New York Times puts out its best-selling list. Here are the most-popular children's books (not including Christmas reads).

September 16, 2023 : Matthew McConaughey celebrates the release of "Just Because" at Barnes & Noble The Grove in Los Angeles, California.
September 16, 2023 : Matthew McConaughey celebrates the release of "Just Because" at Barnes & Noble The Grove in Los Angeles, California.

  • "Dragons Love Tacos" by Adam Rubin, Daniel Salmieri (Illustrator)

  • "The Big Cheese" by Jory John, Pete Oswald (Illustrator)

  • "Just Because" by Matthew McConaughey, Renée Kurilla (Illustrator)

  • "No Brainer" (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #18) by Jeff Kinney

  • "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (MinaLima Edition - Series #3) by J. K. Rowling, MinaLima Design (Illustrator)

  • "The Last Kids on Earth and the Monster Dimension" by Max Brallier, Douglas Holgate (Illustrator)

  • "Magic Tree House Books 1-4" (Boxed Set) by Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca (Illustrator)

  • "The Wild Robot" (Series #1) by Peter Brown

Common Sense Media's recommended family podcasts

  • "Keyshawn Solves It" Fun detective pod centers Black culture & valuable lessons.

  • "What's Poppin' Penny?" Sweet and clear lessons about grief, family, and safety.

  • "5 Minute Mysteries with Kiddy Casey" Curious detective uses science and history to solve cases.

  • "Culture Kids Podcast" Fun family pod explores diverse cultures, landmarks, foods.

  • "Time Traveling Tonya" Time travel pod makes history fun and relevant for kids.

See the full list here.

Highest grossing animated movie of all: Why it's a debate between two Disney hits

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Best kids shows 2023: Movies, podcasts, books you missed this year