20 TV shows and movies to occupy the kids for summer 

Ed Power shares top picks for family viewing - now grab the popcorn

Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous 

Summer is for outdoors. But dreary weather can spoil the fun, even in July and August. So there will inevitably be those moments your kids will want to watch TV. Here then are 20 shows and movies for your children to discover and enjoy through the next two months.

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Netflix

It’s nearly 20 years since we’ve had a decent Jurassic Park movie. But the spirit of the Spielberg originals is evoked – and memories of the dreadful Jurassic World films banished – in a Netflix animated series that sees a group of kids from diverse backgrounds trapped on Isla Nublar as dino hell breaks lose.

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, cinemas

Put back from last year (for obvious reasons) this sequel sees Domhnall Gleeson and Rose Byrne return as Peter Rabbit’s human friends. The furry hero is voiced, once again, by James Corden (not nearly as annoying as usual) with other animal characters showcasing the vocal talents of Margot Robbie, Lennie James, Hayley Attwell and others.

The Mitchells v The Machines, Netflix

Lego Movie directors Lord and Miller produced a funny and heartfelt tale of a dysfunctional family caught in the middle of a robot uprising led by an angry iPhone voiced by Olivia Colman.

The Angry Birds Movie: 2, Netflix

The original Angry Birds was a rare video game movie you didn’t want to catapult high into the air and forget about. If less slick, the sequel is nonetheless packed with one-liners and reunites Jason Sudeikis’s Red, Josh Gad’s Chuck and Danny McBride’s Bomb.

Last Kids On Earth, Netflix

Adapted from the popular post-apocalyptic children’s novels, this fast-paced series sees a rag-tag of tweens trying to survive in a world over-run with zombies. If they wanted to really scare viewers they could have a rag-tag of adults trying to survive a world overrun with tweens.

Carmen Sandiego

Gina Rodriguez plays a master thief who “uses her skills for good” as she trots across the globe. Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard also features. Plus, there is a “choose your own adventure” interactive special, Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal.

Luca, Disney +

Originally bound for cinemas, Pixar’s latest feature has instead gone straight to streaming. It’s described, slightly mysteriously, as a “coming of age story set in Italy”. “Childhood friendships often set the course of who we want to become and it is those bonds that are at the heart of our story,” explained director Enrico Casarosa. We are none the wiser.

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Netflix

Another off-beat hit from Netflix, the series is about a teenager and her hotchpotch of friends trying to survive in a strange new future overrun with mutants. What she’s really looking for, though, is her father.

Hilda

The most visually-stunning animation on TV at the moment, this graphic novel adaptation draws on Norse folklore. The titular Hilda meets elves, trolls and talking ravens – and helps them work through their woes.

She-Ra and the Princess Of Power, Netflix

A He-Man reboot is on the way (see below) but She-Ra isn’t holding out for a hero and has instead battled evil across five action-filled seasons.

The Mysterious Benedict Society, Disney +

Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar tend to steal the thunder from Disney +’s original content. But here’s a new show worth discovering – an adaptation of the 2007 Trenton Lee Stewart novel about four gifted children tasked with stopping a mysterious plague beaming terrifying messages into the minds of the public. They mean Twitter, don’t they?

Monsters At Work, Disney + July 9

This spin-off/sequel to Monsters, Incorporated features Ben Feldman as Tylor Tuskmon, a trainee monster who always dreamed of becoming a “scarer”. Alas, thanks to events chronicled in the original film, scaring is out, laughter in. Billy Crystal and John Goodman return as Mike and Sulley.

Sweet Tooth, Netflix

Another post-apocalyptic drama and recommended for older children. The setting is a near future in which a virus has wiped out most of humanity and caused children to be born with animal features , tails, twitching ears etc etc. Ten year-old Gus, aka Sweet Tooth (Christian Convery), ventures into the big bad world in search of his mother, in the company of former mercenary Tommy (Nonso Anozie).

Space Jam: A New Legacy, cinemas, July 16

LeBron James takes up the mantle from Michael Jordan as a space-hopping basketball star who finds himself shooting hoops alongside Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig etc. In the age of MeToo, Pepé Le Pew fails to make the draft.

Trollhunters: Rise of The Titans, Netflix, July 21

Guillermo del Toro’s kids series has flown beneath the radar and now concludes in a feature-length movie. The setting is a suburban town overrun by supernatural creatures.

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, cinemas July 23

Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Steve Buscemi, Keegan-Michael Key and others return in what is billed as the final Hotel Transylvania film. There is one change – Adam Sandler is replaced by Brian Hull as the voice of Dracula.

Masters of the Universe: Revelation July 23

Netflix… has the poweerrrrrr! Geek figurehead Kevin Smith has overseen this “re-imagining” of the Eighties kids favourite. The war for Eternia is over : but what fates await He-Man and Skeletor?

Jungle Cruise, Disney +, July 30

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt star in an African Queen-style screwball adventure based on the Disney theme-park attraction. It is released simultaneously in cinemas and on streaming, though subscribers will have to pay a premium to watch.

Paw Patrol: The Movie, August 20, cinemas

Kim Kardashian voices a puppy in a big-screen adaptation of the hit kids’ show about dogs gainfully employed in emergency services.

Transformers: War For Cybertron: Kingdom, Netflix, summer 2021

A mouthful of a title, but this anime style Netflix series has restored some respectability to the Transformers brand after the dreadful Michael Bay movies.