Movies Like The Water Babies

If you liked The Water Babies (1978), a family and fantasy movie directed by Lionel Jeffries, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
The Sea Beast (2022)
★ 7.3/10Also animation and adventure
When a young girl stows away on the ship of a legendary sea monster hunter, they launch an epic journey into uncharted waters — and make history to boot.
2
The Pagemaster (1994)
★ 6.4/10Also family and fantasy
Rich knows a lot about accidents. So much so, he is scared to do anything that might endanger him, like riding his bike, or climbing into his treehouse. While in an old library, he is mystically transported into the…
3
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003)
★ 7.1/10Also adventure and animation
The sailor of legend is framed by the goddess Eris for the theft of the Book of Peace, and must travel to her realm at the end of the world to retrieve it and save the life of his childhood friend Prince Proteus.
4
Barbie: Dolphin Magic (2017)
★ 6.6/10Also animation and adventure
Barbie and her sisters take off on another exciting, global adventure to visit their friend Ken at his summer internship at a beautiful and exotic coral reef.
5
The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)
★ 6.2/10Also animation and family
Milquetoast Henry Limpet experiences his fondest wish and is transformed into a fish. As a talking fish he assists the US Navy in hunting German submarines during World War II.
6
The Swan Princess (1994)
★ 6.6/10Also family and animation
The beautiful princess Odette is transformed into a swan by an evil sorcerer's spell. Held captive at an enchanted lake, she befriends Jean-Bob the frog, Speed the turtle and Puffin the bird. Despite their struggle to…
7
The Little Mermaid (1989)
★ 7.4/10Also animation and family
This colorful adventure tells the story of an impetuous mermaid princess named Ariel who falls in love with the very human Prince Eric and puts everything on the line for the chance to be with him. Memorable songs and…
8
Spellbound (2024)
★ 6.6/10Also animation and fantasy
When a powerful spell turns her parents into giant monsters, a teenage princess must journey into the wild to reverse the curse before it's too late.
9
The Road to El Dorado (2000)
★ 7.3/10Also family and adventure
Stowing away after a failed con, a pair of swindlers end up on El Dorado, the fabled "city of gold", where they quickly get in over their heads when they are mistaken as gods by the inhabitants.
10
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (2025)
★ 6.8/10Also adventure and family
Desperate to be a big guy, SpongeBob sets out to prove his bravery to Mr. Krabs by following The Flying Dutchman – a mysterious swashbuckling ghost pirate – on a seafaring adventure that takes him to the deepest depths…
11
Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
★ 6.3/10Also animation and family
Jiminy Cricket hosts two Disney animated shorts: Bongo about a circus bear escaping to the wild, and Mickey and the Beanstalk, a take on the famous fairy tale.
12
DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990)
★ 6.7/10Also adventure and animation
With his nephews and niece, everyone's favorite rich uncle, Scrooge McDuck, treks from his mansion home in Duckburg in search of the long-lost loot of the thief Collie Baba. But finding the goods isn't quite what it's…
13
Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005)
★ 6.9/10Also family and animation
Who or what exactly is a Heffalump? The lovable residents of the Hundred Acre Wood -- Winnie the Pooh, Rabbit, Tigger, Eeyore, Kanga and the rest of the pack -- embark on a journey of discovery in search of the elusive…
14
My Little Pony: A New Generation (2021)
★ 7.7/10Also animation and family
Equestria's divided. But a bright-eyed hero believes Earth Ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns should be pals — and, hoof to heart, she’s determined to prove it.
15
My Father's Dragon (2022)
★ 7/10Also animation and adventure
Struggling to cope after a move to the city with his mother, Elmer runs away in search of Wild Island and a young dragon who waits to be rescued. Elmer’s adventures introduce him to ferocious beasts, a mysterious…
16
Arctic Dogs (2019)
★ 5.9/10Also animation and adventure
Animals band together to save the day when the evil Otto Von Walrus hatches a sinister scheme to accelerate global warming and melt the Arctic Circle.
17
The Twits (2025)
★ 5.8/10Also animation and family
When the meanest, nastiest villains pull a trick to take over their town, two brave children team up with a family of magical animals to bring them down.
18
Strange Magic (2015)
★ 7.3/10Also music and animation
A love potion works its devious charms on fairies, elves and the swamp-dwelling Bog King as they all try to possess the potion for themselves.
19
Welcome to Smelliville (2021)
★ 6.7/10Also animation and adventure
The Oggly family arrive at the municipal rubbish dump of Smelliville and must look for a new home, but they never feel really welcome anywhere. They stink and are for most humans just a tad too oggly. When Firebottom…
20
The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild (2022)
★ 6.5/10Also animation and family
The fearless one-eyed weasel Buck teams up with mischievous possum brothers Crash & Eddie as they head off on a new adventure into Buck's home: The Dinosaur World.