Disney’s Bears Movie Review (Why Watch with Kids)

My family laughed, cried and said, “Aww!” And so will yours. Disneynature’s Bears movie will do that to you, no matter your age. This film features incredible cinematography and imparts an appreciation for nature’s beauty. Is it scary or sad? Sometimes. Should your family watch it? Definitely! Here are five reasons you really should watch Disney’s Bears with kids.

This website sometimes receives compensation, hosted travel, or products related to blog posts. This article may include affiliate links at no extra cost to consumers. As an Amazon Associate, we earn money from qualifying purchases.

1. Nature education and appreciation

Bears follows the life of a mama bear and her two adorable young cubs, a boy named Scout and a girl named Amber. During this movie, children and adults get a rare glimpse into the lives of bears, and even into their winter den. (Some daring cinematographers shot this movie!)

Humans typically see bears as either something terrifying animals to be feared or something cute to regard at the zoo or to snuggle as a teddy bear. This movie gives a balanced, realistic view of these massive animals.

We learn that bears can indeed be fearsome, with male bears stalking the cubs as a potential food source and sparring with one another over the best spot at the salmon stream. We also see them as playful, hard-working, and loving. 

2. Just plain fun

The best way to learn something is through doing something fun. I don’t care how educational a movie is — if it’s boring, no one’s going to learn a thing. I worried that Bears would be too fact-driven to hold the attention of my school-aged children. Have no fear of lack of fun, though. This is a Disney movie, after all!

The film is brought to life by narrator John C. Reilly, a comedian and actor who has appeared in such films as The Aviator with Leonardo DiCaprio and Talladega Nights with Will Ferrell. His commentary shapes the movie into an intriguing story filled with humor, danger, and heartwarming moments.

3. Life lessons from Disney Bears movie

Bears is a story of bravery and perseverance. Important life lessons children can learn from Bears:

• Never give up.
• Listen to your mom.
• Don’t dawdle or you could get lost.
• Mom is the best hero. (This is my favorite!) 

Capitalize on these lessons by talking about what the cubs did right or wrong after the movie. I asked my kids what they would do in those situations if they were bear cubs and related it back to our real human lives.

Bears gives kids a bigger view of the world. My daughter complained later in the day (at Disneyland!) about how bad her feet hurt and how she never gets her way. I said, “Boy, life is almost as tough for you as a bear, huh? They had to walk all the way up the mountain in the snow and risk getting eaten by other bears and wolves.” Aaaand the whining stopped.

4. Alaska’s beauty

For travel lovers like me, seeing Alaska’s majestic beauty on a big screen is worth the price of a movie ticket. Bears shows the wonder of Alaska’s four seasons. You’ll witness the power of an avalanche in winter, the blossoming of fireweed in spring, salmon swimming upstream in summer, and the changing of leaves in fall.

5. Support wildlife conservation

Disneynature donated a portion of opening-week ticket sales for Bears to the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. This organization protects wildlife and wild places across America’s national park system. In fact, Disneynature donates a portion of the proceeds from every film to nature conservation efforts.

You can also donate to the National Park Foundation to ensure bears and other wildlife are protected for years to come.

What to know before you watch Disney’s Bears with kids

Heads up! Some scenes in Disney’s Bears movie could be frightening for young or sensitive children. Honestly, though, my 6-year-old and 9-year-old seemed less scared than I was. I think this may be because they knew it was a Disney movie and, therefore, they thought no harm could come to the bears.

Is Disneynature’s Bears sad? I definitely recommend having some tissues on hand because there may be tears all around!

Learn more and watch the Disney Bears movie now!

Watch the video above to preview the film. Are you ready to watch Disney’s Bears movie? Good! You can purchase or rent it from Amazon now! It’s also available to watch via Disney+.

Teach your kids even more about brown bears with this educator’s guide by Disneynature.

For additional entertaining and educational movies for families, be sure to take a peek at our picks for the best travel movies for kids.

Do you love Disney AND learning? Take a look at these educational things to do at Disneyland.

Save this Disney Bears movie review

For future trip planning, be sure to save this list of things to do in Whistler in summer with kids. Simply pin the image below to Pinterest. I hope you’ll follow Travel Mamas on Pinterest while you’re at it!

Do you plan to watch the Disney Bears movie with kids? Which Disneynature films has your family seen? Let us know in the comments below!

A Note from The Travel Mama: My family and I saw “Bears” free of charge as part of the Disney Social Media Moms conference. All opinions are mine, as always.

Sharing is caring!