A really common trend in the ’90s was inspirational sports movies for kids. These films usually told the story of a group of plucky underdogs who put together a team and learned valuable lessons on and off the field that allowed them to grow as people and become champions. Whether you’re looking to revisit some of these movies for yourself or you have kids of your own to whom you want to introduce some classic cinema, check out some of the greatest ’90s sports movies for children.
5. Rookie of the Year (1993)
Rookie of the Year tells the incredible, albeit wildly unbelievable story of a boy who ends up in the big leagues. He breaks his arm, but it heals in an improbable way that actually makes it better than before, giving him such an incredibly powerful pitching arm that he winds up as a reserve pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Rookie of the Year isn’t the best baseball movie out there, but it’s got some fun slapstick humor, and the idea of a kid playing in the major leagues makes it an enjoyable revisit.
4. Little Giants (1994)
While Little Giants may not be the most memorable or iconic role from veteran actor Rick Moranis, it’s a feel-good movie about a younger brother who makes a championship team out of all the kids rejected from his brother’s more successful team. While the film flopped back in the day, Little Giants is still worth a rewatch.
3. The Mighty Ducks (1992)
One of the greatest ’90s sports movies for children is definitely The Mighty Ducks. During a time when Disney was hitting its animation renaissance, it also put out some quality live action films too, and you just don’t see many good kids’ movies focusing on hockey. The Mighty Ducks went on to spawn multiple sequels and an animation cartoon series and became a beloved franchise that younger audiences can still appreciate.
2. A League of Their Own (1992)
If you’re looking for an iconic and inspirational sports film to show to your kids, you should pop in A League of Their Own. While this one doesn’t focus on children playing sports, it’s a great movie to infuse enjoyment into youth sports and get kids—especially girls—passionate about competition.
A League of Their Own is a fictionalized retelling of the true story of the growth of women’s baseball leagues and how these players’ heart and tenacity ended up preserving and reviving the sport during World War II. It’s such an incredible movie that you may find yourself tearing up a bit, but just remember, there’s no crying in baseball.
1. The Sandlot (1993)
You can’t talk about classic and beloved sports films from the ’90s without putting The Sandlot near the top of that list. This is the story of a bunch of young neighborhood kids during the summer of 1962 and the series of wacky adventures they experience as they play baseball and hang out together. It’s a funny, charming, memorable movie that has very funny and very moving moments. One of the best things about The Sandlot is that to this day, it’s not a movie about winning; it’s about a group of friends who like hanging out and playing baseball.
Sports movies usually have a nice feel-good message, and there are plenty of great ones to choose from. No matter what type of sport you or your kids enjoy, there’s a memorable movie that you can all watch together that celebrates it.
