Moana: parents' guide
Best for ages 7 and up. Rated PG for peril, some scary images and brief thematic elements.
A rousing musical adventure for most families with kids 7 and up, about a chief's daughter who sails across the ocean with a boastful demigod to save her island. The scariest parts are a towering lava monster that hurls fire, a huge glittering crab who wants to eat the heroes, and coconut-armored pirates with paralyzing darts. Moana's beloved grandmother dies early in the story, a sad scene, though she returns as a guiding spirit. There's no romance and no real profanity, just a few butt jokes. The monsters and the grandmother's death are why we suggest 7.
What's in it
Violence
MildFantasy action: Maui battles a lava monster and gets bashed and singed, a giant crab slams him around, pirates fire blow darts that paralyze, and storms drag characters across a reef. No blood.
Language
NoneNo profanity. Moana yells an unfinished "You lying son of a...," and there's "butt," "dumb" and creative insults such as "beady-eyed bottom feeder."
Sex and nudity
NoneNothing romantic. A village boy's wink at Moana during a dance is the closest it gets, and Maui never wears a shirt.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
NoneNone. The pirates' darts carry a paralyzing toxin, but no one drinks, smokes or uses drugs.
Scary or intense scenes
ModerateTe Ka, a fiery lava demon, is huge and menacing, and the crab's lair is creepy. A storm nearly drowns Moana, a flashback shows her father's friend lost at sea, her grandmother's deathbed scene is sad, and Maui's abandonment story may hit some kids hard.
Worth talking about
Maui's hunger for praise drives a lot of his choices. What's the difference between doing good to be admired and doing good because it's right?
On our lists
Similar picks around 7+
Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, the MPA, childrenandmedia.org.au. 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.