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Movie · Comedy, Animated · 2018 · PG

The Grinch: parents' guide

5+our pick

Best for ages 5 and up. Rated PG for brief rude humor.

A bright, gentle animated take on the Dr. Seuss story that suits most kids from preschool age up. The comedy is pratfalls and sled crashes rather than real danger, with one brief moment of the Grinch about to tumble off a mountain. There is no profanity, only words like "dumb" and "what the heck," and the rude humor amounts to the Grinch in his underwear and a Who left covered by a cookie. Flashbacks show the Grinch's lonely childhood as an orphan who was never adopted, which may touch a nerve for adopted or foster kids. The message about kindness and community is clear and warm.

What's in it

Violence

Mild

Cartoon slapstick only: the Grinch crashes his sled, bashes into rocks and trees, flees a snapping dog, knocks over a snowman and pelts kids with snowballs. No one is hurt in any lasting way.

Language

None

No profanity. The strongest words are "dumb," "stupid," "geez," "holy moly" and "what the heck," plus the made-up exclamation "oh, sugar plum."

Sex and nudity

Mild

No romance. A Who's clothes are snatched away, leaving him covered by a well-placed cookie, and the Grinch shuffles around in his underwear. He also does a silly reindeer mating call.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

None

No drinking, smoking or drugs. One man, after seeing the sleigh fly overhead, jokes that he wonders what was in the cake he just ate.

Scary or intense scenes

Mild

Very mild. The Grinch's scowling is played for laughs, and the tensest moment is his sleigh teetering at a cliff edge before he is rescued. Flashbacks to his lonely orphan childhood are sad rather than scary.

Worth talking about

The Grinch was lonely as a child and decided to shut everyone out. Ask why Cindy-Lou's kindness made a difference, and how kids can include someone who seems grumpy or left out.

Where to stream →

On our lists

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Checked October 24th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, the-numbers.com. 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.