5 Movies & Scenes About Heaven and the Afterlife for Kids & Adults

Talking to your kids about heaven is oftentimes a task for the ‘too hard’ basket. The concept is a pretty intangible one, and you can’t exactly source one of its residents to come and chat to your family about what heaven is ‘really like’.

So we’re making things easier for you, and have compiled a list of some of our favourite movie scenes about heaven; perfect for watching with the whole family without freaking the little ones out.

All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)

Who said animated movies and cartoons can’t explore serious topics? Not us, that’s for sure.

All Dogs Go To Heaven follows the life and death of canine Charlie who discovers heaven for the very first time. But, thanks to the magic of his rewindable watch, he begins to travel time and place, heading back to earth after entering heaven (even though he’s been told that once he leaves, he’ll never be able to return).

Cute, fun, and a great way to introduce your kids to heaven, this 1980s animation is a good one for this Saturday night’s movie night in.

Watch the scene here. 

Coco (2017)

Miguel is – hands down – one of the cutest characters to land on the movie screen… ever (in our opinion, anyway). He loves nothing more than playing music, but his family’s generations-old ban on music prevents him from pursuing his passion.

Finding himself in the vibrant and colourful Land of The Dead, Miguel is reunited with family members who came generations before him, and begins to uncover the real story behind the history of his family’s ban on all things musical.

Watch the trailer here.

Casper (1995)

It’d be remiss of us to not pay tribute to the friendly ghost that is Casper.

A movie that’ll get your kids comfortable with the concept of ghosts and the afterlife, grab the popcorn this weekend and settle in on the couch for a night with everyone’s favourite ghost.

Watch the trailer here.

Made In Heaven (1987)

An oldie, but a goodie.

Made In Heaven follows the journey of a boy who, after his girlfriend breaks up with him, runs away to California. On his way there he saves a drowning family, but ends up dying himself, and soon makes his way to heaven. There, he falls in love all over again with a beautiful girl who, too, has found her home in heaven.

Watch the trailer here.

Soul (2020)

From the makers of tear-jerker Up and Coco, this film introduces us to a place between earth and heaven when a New York jazz pianist finds himself there after landing the gig of his dreams.

A wholesome, positive watch that’ll make the whole family smile (and warm to the concept of heaven), this new release is one of our top picks for the whole family – whether you’re looking for something heaven-related, or simply a great watch everyone will enjoy.

Watch the ‘Great Before’ scene here.

Wrap up

While talking to your kids about heaven and the afterlife can, at times, feel challenging and a little uncomfortable, these movie picks are a great way to introduce them to the subject without making them tremble in their boots. Chatting all-things death with children can be tough, but thanks to our favourite streaming platforms and cinemas, the conversation is (thankfully) that little bit easier.