
Searching for family-friendly children's Christmas TV and movies to keep the little ones entertained and enchanted? ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer's got you covered.
From Wallace & Gromit’s newest adventure to undersea tale Tiddler, a dazzling Beauty and the Beast CBeebies panto to the whimsical Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures (to name but a few) iPlayer is brimming with festive stories and magical moments.
Here's just a selection of the family-friendly offerings available now and throughout the festive fortnight...
Christmas TV for Children on iPlayer
The Primrose Railway Children

Join The Primrose Railway Children in the new adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s novel inspired by E. Nesbit’s timeless classic. Filmed in and around Glasgow, the dramatic Scottish Highlands and heritage railways, the story follows Phoebe, her older sister Becks, younger brother Perry and their mum Sarah (Nina Toussaint-White) who are living a comfortable life in Glasgow.
When their Dad (Kevin McKidd) mysteriously disappears, the Robinson family are uprooted from their lives and find unexpected excitement, adventure and a new sense of belonging. It is a story about growing up, being displaced, and finding your way in a community that seems alien.
The Famous Five
Mystery at the Prospect Hotel
It’s summer 1940 and the Five are reunited at a grand hotel on Cragstone Ridge. An old foe, Thomas Wentworth, awaits them as he needs their help. Wentworth has seen into the future and foretells the murder of famous jazz singer Cab Vee, who is visiting the hotel. With a host of likely suspects, each with their own motive, can the Five figure out who is trying to kill him?
Joining the core cast for the adventure are Jack Gleeson, Maria Pedraza, Amir Wilson, James Wilby, Rita Tushingham, Jonathan Aris, Jamie Andrew Cutler and Jemima Rooper.
The Famous Five Mystery at the Prospect Hotel is available on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer from Monday 23 December. It airs on CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ at 5.25pm, Monday 23 December and on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ One at 10.20am, Tuesday 31 December.
Quentin Blake’s Angel Pavement

Corky and Loopy are two ordinary girls, apart from also being secret angels! With the aid of a magic pencil that can draw in the air, they go on ‘angel patrol’ amazing people in their town with beautiful art and rescuing the odd animal too. One day they meet street artist Sid and decide to help him take part in a local drawing competition by lending him the special pencil. Sid creates incredible drawings in the sky, and ultimately scoops a top prize, bringing joy and wonder to all.
Angel Pavement is episode five in the landmark animated box set Quentin Blake's Box of Treasures, inspired by the whimsical and vibrant work of the beloved children's author and illustrator Sir Quentin Blake. Adrian Lester returns as the narrator, Simon Pegg voices Sid and Corky and Loopy are played by local young Leeds talent Megan Griffits and Grace Wassell.
Quentin Blake’s Loveykins

After a storm, Angela Bowling discovers a small helpless, abandoned bird which she lavishes with care and attention. She feeds Augustus (her little Loveykins) with the finest cakes and sweets, but as he grows bigger and bigger, he longs for more bird-style treats like worms and bugs. Eventually Augustus decides to ‘fly the nest’. Angela is sad, but it’s not the last she’s seen of her prize pet: when he finally returns along with a gift, Angela is delighted at a final proof of his love.
Loveykins is episode six in the landmark animated box set Quentin Blake's Box of Treasures, inspired by the whimsical and vibrant work of the beloved Children's author and illustrator, Sir Quentin Blake. Adrian Lester returns as the narrator, and Nina Sosanya stars as the voice of Angela Bowling in Loveykins.
More from Quentin Blake's Box of Treasures
CBeebies Presents: Beauty and the Beast

CBeebies Presents: Beauty and the Beast, filmed in Edinburgh at the Festival Theatre, takes the well-known story and brings it to life for a CBeebies audience with a toe-tapping soundtrack from Banks & Wag. Bringing families together for a Christmas adventure with lots of singing, dancing and laughs, the story celebrates the message that beauty comes from within!
The panto takes place in a magical land inspired by Scottish landscapes and introduces such new characters such as garden gnomes, mischievous wolves and a sneaky Thorn Fairy.
Raven's James Mackenzie narrates this year's CBeebies panto alongside a star-studded cast of familiar faces including Justin Fletcher, George Webster, Tyler Collins, Jennie Dale, Evie Pickerill, Puja Panchkoty, Rhys Stephenson, Maddie Moate, Dodge T Dog, Blue Peter’s Shini Muthukrishnan and special guest star Gladiator Steel!
- Watch CBeebies Beauty and the Beast on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer
- Find out more about CBeebies Beauty and the Beast and meet the cast
More CBeebies Pantomimes on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer
Nikhil & Jay and the Christmas Wish

Meet Nikhil & Jay and their lovable family in a holiday adventure! On Christmas morning, Jay is thrilled when his Christmas wish for snow comes true, only to find it blocks the roads, meaning they can’t visit Nana and Jim as planned.
Disappointed, Jay feels it’s the "worst Christmas ever"… Determined to make things right, Jay imagines sending his cat Max to the North Pole to ask Santa to reverse the wish. Meanwhile, Appa improvises Christmas dinner with dosa batter and Brussels sprouts, calling it a “Christmas dosa pizza.†Will the family find a way to turn this Christmas disaster into the best worst Christmas ever?
CBeebies Bedtime Stories

Children and their grown-ups are invited to snuggle up together to enjoy the magic of storytelling with a week of brand new CBeebies Bedtime Stories from some amazing readers in the run up to Christmas. The stellar line-up of stars who will join CBeebies will be revealed closer to Christmas as they read beautifully-illustrated, fabulous, homegrown stories.
CBeebies Bedtime Story is on each weekday at 6.50pm on CBeebies and ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer, bringing families together and has become a daily favourite. It continues to get the nation reading with its star-studded guests, meaningful partnerships and brilliant stories that inspire a passion for the shared experience of reading.
A digital library of over 300 archived episodes from Kylie Minogue to Tom Hardy, from Olivia Colman to Harry Styles is available on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer's CBeebies channel.
Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Wallace & Gromit make their long-awaited return with a brand new feature-length adventure on the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ this Christmas.
After a recent crime wave of stolen garden goods from across the region, Wallace and his pre-programmed smart gnome, Norbot, are the main suspects. While Wallace proclaims his innocence, it’s up to Gromit once again to battle sinister forces, or Wallace will never invent again!
But who could possibly be behind such evil actions?! Rightfully behind bars for all this time, Feathers McGraw - last seen in 1993’s BAFTA and Academy Award winning short The Wrong Trousers - is back with vengeance.
Watch Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl on iPlayer and ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ One on Christmas Day from 6.10pm
- Add Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl to your iPlayer Watchlist
- Read more: Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl - everything you need to know
Tiddler

Adapted for the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ from the hugely successful picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, Tiddler is the story of a little fish with a big imagination who gets lost in the deep wide ocean until he’s saved by his own storytelling.
Every day Tiddler tells a different story to his teacher and his friend Johnny Dory about why he’s late for school. His stories stretch from riding on seahorses or swimming around a shipwreck to being captured by a squid! His stories are so great that word of mouth helps them travel through the ocean and so, when Tiddler gets lost, he realises they may help him find a way home.
The film is an underwater adventure about the power of imagination and finding confidence in yourself – and how to be content as a little fish in a big ocean.
- Watch Tiddler on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer and ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ One on Christmas Day from 2.35pm
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The Gruffalo and Friends Watch more of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's enchanting tales on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer
Cooking Buddies Christmas Special

Buddy Oliver returns for a Cooking Buddies Christmas special and is joined by two-times world champion street dancer Meesha Garbett, also known as the famous ‘Red Beret girl’ in the film Matilda.
Meesha needs Buddy’s help with a dessert that she can make for her family this Christmas, and she’ll get him dancing.
Buddy knows exactly the right thing to make; a rocky road filled with all the favourite biscuits, fruit and nuts around at this time of year, all broken up into gorgeous molten chocolate. Set in a round bowl with melted white chocolate as the cream on top, it’s a real Christmas pudding showstopper! To make it really Christmassy, Buddy and Meesha make their very own ginger nut biscuits to go inside that can also be given as presents to their families.
Meesha teaches Buddy – and us – a special street-dance routine that will get us all rocking around the Christmas tree!
My Life: The Snowman

My Life: The Snowman follows two boys as they are cast to perform the lead role in Birmingham Rep’s The Snowman for its 27th year at Sadler’s Wells’ home in the West End, the Peacock Theatre.
Following the boys from their auditions, all the way through to the opening night at the West End, viewers see behind the scenes at the rehearsals and the opening night. The film closely follows all the highs and lows as the new boys learn the role, including grappling with the mechanics of flying with the snowman.
Watch My Life: The Snowman on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer from Friday 13 December
Blue Peter’s Christmas Spectacular

Join Abby, Joel, Shini and Henry the dog for an all-singing, all-dancing Christmas party to get you in the festive spirit! We go behind the scenes on the exciting new Wallace and Gromit Christmas adventure, Shini stars in the CBeebies Christmas panto; and there’s a show stopping performance in the Blue Peter studio.
Watch Blue Peter's Christmas Cracker on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer from Friday 13 December at 5pm
Dodger

Dodger attempts a kind-hearted deed for an old friend on Christmas Eve but has to break into 10 Downing Street. As he gets trapped there, the gang try to steal 200 geese.
Malory Towers Christmas Specials

The Ghost of Christmas Present
When Darrell finds herself stranded at an empty Malory Towers for Christmas, she has to hold her nerve when strange things start happening around the school!
The Ghost of Christmas Past
With the strange goings-on still happening, the girls are determined to find help! However, when Gwen disappears on Christmas morning, their efforts turn to finding their friend.
And there's even more brilliant children's TV to explore on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer with festive collections too!
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That Festive Feeling All of the festive fun from CBeebies
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Festive Fun Get into the spirit with your favourite CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Christmas specials
Christmas Movies for Kids on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer
Nativity!

A little white lie gets out of hand when teacher Paul brags that his movie producer ex will turn the school play into a film.
Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas
It's Christmas Eve at Mossy Bottom Farm, but Shaun's seasonal excitement turns to dismay when a farmhouse raid to get bigger stockings inadvertently leads to Timmy heading off to a Christmas market in the back of the farmer's truck. Shaun mounts a rescue mission to the local town.
Paddington
Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington station, a young Peruvian bear is befriended by the Brown family and attempts to find an explorer who visited Peru many years earlier.
Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical
An all star cast including Emma Thompson bring to life an adaptation of Tim Minchin’s musical Matilda, based on Roald Dahl’s classic magical story of a girl who refuses to be put in her place.
- Watch Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer and ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ One from Thursday 26 December at 5.40pm
Minions: Rise of Gru
Join Gru in the 1970s, growing up in the suburbs and cultivating his evilness with some help from his loyal followers, the mayhem causing yellow peril that are The Minions.
- Watch Minions: Rise of Gru on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer on Christmas Day at 12.55pm
Incredibles 2
Roles are reversed in this sequel when Helen is called on to lead a campaign to bring Supers back, and Bob juggles the day-to-day heroics of home life. But when a new villain emerges with a brilliant and dangerous plot, The Parrs meet the challenge together - with Frozone by their side.
- Watch Incredibles 2 on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer from Monday 30 December at 2.35pm
And there are even more movies for all the family to enjoy on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ iPlayer.
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Feel-good Family Funn Movies to watch together