Whether you’re looking for a child-appropriate film to stick on over the Christmas period or just want to indulge in a touch of festive nostalgia, there are plenty of family-friendly options to tune into this December.
BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky have all released their exciting Christmas TV line-up, and streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney Plus have some surefire hits.
From the exciting new BBC adaptation of Charlie Mackesy’s best-selling book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, and original Sky Cinema film The Amazing Maurice, we’ve rounded up our favourite TV picks for kids this Christmas.
Without further ado, read on for everything we know so far about the best children’s Christmas TV picks.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for the best Christmas movies for kids, check out our top picks which include The Christmas Chronicles as well as Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey.
The best Christmas TV for kids in 2022
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – BBC One, Christmas Eve 4:55pm
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At this time of year, you can always guarantee the BBC will bring us a family-friendly animation that will likely pull on the heartstrings. This year, BBC One will air an animated adaptation of Charlie Mackesy’s best-selling book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.
Described as a story of “kindness, friendship, courage and hope”, the heartfelt tale explores the unlikely friendship between a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse travelling together in the boy’s search for home.
Not only does it sound like perfect Christmas viewing, it also boasts a star-studded cast. Idris Elba (Luther) will voice the fox, Tom Hollander (The Ipcress File) is the mole, Gabriel Byrne (ZeroZeroZero) is the horse, while newcomer Jude Coward Nicoll will voice the boy.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse airs on Christmas Eve at 4:55pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The Smeds and the Smoos – BBC One, Christmas Day 2:30pm
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This half-hour special is the latest Julia Donaldson story to be adapted by Oscar-nominated producer, Magic Light Pictures, for the BBC.
In this intergalactic animated adventure, the red Smeds and the blue Smoos must learn to overcome their differences and work together to find young Janet and Bill.
Donaldson’s tale from 2019 tells the story of the pair who meet in the Wurpular Wood and fall in love. Now, they’ve eloped to escape their families’ long standing rivalries.
And you may recognise some very familiar voices; Adjoa Andoh is Grandmother Smoo, Bill Bailey is Grandfather Smed and Rob Brydon is Uncle Smoo, to name a few in this cast.
The Smeds and the Smoos airs on Christmas Day at 2:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The Amazing Maurice – Sky Cinema, 16th December
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Based on the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett, The Amazing Maurice follows a streetwise cat who concocts a money-making scam by befriending a group of self-taught talking rats.
Not only is the film set to be lively and exciting, it also features the vocal talents of Emilia Clarke, Hugh Laurie, Hugh Bonneville and now David Tennant.
The Amazing Maurice airs on 16th December on Sky Cinema and NOW.
Silly Pets – Sky Kids, 9th December
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Prepare to be left in stitches (in a good way) after watching this new Sky Kids show, which will be narrated by presenter and comedian Alan Carr.
This spin-off series of Silly Animals brings some of the funniest fails in pet history to screens. Showing clips of everything from cats opening doors to dogs barking at their reflections, each episode is jam packed with brilliant furry footage to keep the whole family entertained.
Silly Pets airs on 9th December on Sky Kids and NOW.
The Voice Kids – ITV, Boxing Day 8:30pm
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The beloved talent show is back and this time round, the kids are taking to the stage.
Pop Legend Ronan Keating joins Will.i.am, Pixie Lott and Danny Jones to find Britain’s youngest singing talent.
Emma Willis will return as host of the fan-favourite series, which will, once again, air over the festive period as a three part television event.
The Voice Kids airs on Boxing Day at 8:30pm on ITV1.
The Snowman – Channel 4, Christmas Day 11:25am
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What better way to kick off the big day than with a beloved classic? Channel 4 has the whole family covered on Christmas morning with a showing of The Snowman at 11:25am.
Following that, The Snowman and The Snowdog airs at 11:55am.
The Snowman airs on Christmas Day at 11:25am on Channel 4.
Scrooge: A Christmas Carol – Netflix, 18th November
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A Christmas Carol may have already had many iterations but this time round, Netflix has adapted the well-known Charles Dickens tale and transformed it into a fun animation.
As well as being an excellent new spin on the story, the already popular Netflix film includes reimagined songs, as well as a star-studded vocal line-up.
There’s Luke Evans as Adult Scrooge, Olivia Colman as ‘Past’, the Ghost of Christmas Past, as well as Jessie Buckley as Isabel Fezziwig and Johnny Flynn as Bob Cratchit.
Scrooge: A Christmas Carol is available now on Netflix.
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