Apollo 11: parents' guide
Best for ages 5 and up. Rated G.
A thrilling, narrator-free documentary about the 1969 moon landing that the whole family can watch, though young kids may get restless. Built entirely from restored archival film and mission audio, it follows Apollo 11 from launch through the lunar landing to splashdown. There is no violence, sexual content or real swearing; a song lyric includes 'hell.' Men in Mission Control smoke cigarettes and cigars, as was typical of the era, and onlookers sip beer at the launch. Suspense during the landing is brief. We suggest 5; the challenge for little ones is the technical radio chatter and slow stretches, not the content.
What's in it
Violence
NoneNone. The film covers a peaceful space mission from launch to splashdown, with no fighting, injuries or weapons.
Language
MildEssentially clean. The only questionable word is a single 'hell' heard in the lyrics of a song on the soundtrack.
Sex and nudity
NoneNo romance, sexual content or nudity anywhere in the film; the focus stays on the mission and the crowds watching it.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
ModeratePeriod-typical smoking: some men in Mission Control smoke cigarettes and cigars during the mission, and cigars come out for the celebration. A few spectators at the launch have cans of beer.
Scary or intense scenes
MildBrief peril only. The launch is loud and intense, and the descent to the moon's surface builds real suspense, but everything goes right and nothing is scary.
Worth talking about
Hundreds of thousands of people worked on Apollo 11, not just the three astronauts. What jobs behind the scenes made the mission possible?
On our lists
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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, movieguide.org, the MPA, Wikipedia, Rotten Tomatoes. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.