Vimeo is host to a vibrant collection of playful, moving, and creative short films that are fun for the whole family. With everything from charming animations to clever dramatizations, these family-friendly gems evoke laughter, curiosity, and compassion. Regardless of whether you're viewing with kids or just need an uplifting break, these stories provide captivating entertainment without compromising quality. Browse our carefully curated selection of must-see shorts that are as entertaining as they are meaningful.
Maestro
Creator: Illogic Studios
Set in a quiet forest, Maestro opens with a single serious squirrel warming up under moonlight, but slowly reveals a symphonic surprise. One by one, woodland creatures join in a spectacular nighttime concert, with music and animation working in perfect harmony. Maestro is less than two minutes long, but will leave a lasting impression on the young and the young at heart. The Vimeo curation team loved it so much that it made its online debut as a Vimeo Staff Pick Premiere.
Watch “Maestro” now →
DIY - Volume 1
Creator: Encyclopedia Pictura
DIY – Volume 1 is a collection of comedic narrative segments that reimagine everyday tasks with very playful twists. Each segment follows a group of quirky creature BFFs as they embark on concocting the perfect burrito chatting with trees, befriending bees, and other activities with gleeful curiosities. Written and directed by Isaiah Saxon and Sean Hellfritsch at studio Encyclopedia Pictura, the series brims with cheeky writing and vibrant design that EP, a studio in Los Angeles, is celebrated for. This short may be a piece of a feature that Saxon began developing in 2011 about a group of kids that rebuild their town after a flood. The following year, along with other members of Encyclopedia and Zach Klein (a co-founder of Vimeo, as it happens!) founded DIY.org, an online educational community for kids. “Episode 1”, then, is both a great example of a top-tier promo for DIY’s mission and a Vimeo Staff Pick that absolutely needs a sequel.
Watch “DIY - Volume 1” now →
Dean Goes Surfing
Creator: Caitlin Greene, Voyager
Categories: Documentary, People, Sports
Dean Goes Surfing follows Dean, a teenage boy with Down syndrome who finds joy, freedom, and connection in the ocean. What begins as a simple surf lesson grows into a community experience through Surfing With Smiles, an organization offering free surf lessons for people with special needs on the coast of New Hampshire. The short captures Dean’s pure love for surfing and the way that love ripples outward, creating bonds of support, laughter, and belonging. More than just a portrait of one boy, it’s a moving reminder of how sport can open space for joy, community, and love.
Watch “Dean Goes Surfing” now →
Flipped
Creator: Hend & Lamiaa
Categories: Comedy, Narrative, Narrative Animation
Flipped turns the world upside down, literally, as parents act like kids and kids act like grownups in a reversed universe. Adults take a stroll in carriages, throw tantrums, play on playgrounds too small for them, pull hair, and make a mess of everything. The film’s colorful style and clever sound design make this role-reversal thought-provoking while portraying how weird adulthood can feel, especially from a child’s perspective. Created at the Bristol School of Animation, it went on to screen at festivals worldwide, earning a Special Jury Mention at ANIMA Córdoba and Best Animation Film at the Overcome Film Festival.
Watch “Flipped” now →
Sierra
Creator: Sander Joon
Winner of a Vimeo Best of the Year Award, Sierra was the curation team’s favorite animation of 2024. It’s a challenge to describe this one in words: a boy’s relationship with his competitive father is tested during a bizarre car race, but when the child’s body becomes part of the car, the race turns surreal, forcing the pair to confront their strained connection. The colors, the shapes, the sound design, and hypnotizing frog songs are really something like you’ve never seen before, yet beneath the absurdity is a sincere story about trying to live up to expectations. Don’t skip this one!
Watch “Sierra” now →
Straight to the Morning
Creator: Réalité
Categories: Music Video
Straight to the Morning drops us into a chaotic, joy-filled girls’ sleepover where junk food, karaoke, dancing, dress-up, and Nerf battles all collide. Shot in a playful combo of live action and stop-motion, the video captures the carefree energy of staying up too late and making a glorious mess with friends. Equal parts wild and nostalgic, it’s a celebration of girlhood, freedom, and the delirious fun of a night that no one wants to end.
Watch “Straight to the Morning” now →
Double King
Creator: Felix Colgrave
Categories: Animation, 2D, Comedy, Narrative, Narrative Animation
Double King is a wild, wordless ride through a strange kingdom where a greedy character collects and steals crowns in absurd and gruesome ways. Bursting with imagination in the unique style of animation legend Felix Colgrave, the animation conjures the psychedelic flair of The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine.” Despite its darker moments, the story’s absurdity and endearing creatures keep it playful rather than frightening. Kids and adults alike will find different layers of meaning, or just enjoy the rollercoaster. With 112,000 plays and 3,000 “likes” on Vimeo, it is a Vimeo Staff Pick cult fave.
Watch “Double King” now →
Opulent Round Edible Object
Creator: Otherworldly Productions
Categories: Fresh Ideas, Experimental
Opulent Round Edible Object takes viewers on a bizarre, playful journey of how an Oreo comes to be, not through straightforward steps, but through a chain of surreal, absurd scenarios. Mixing live action with bits of stop-motion, the short follows ingredients and objects as they tumble through unexpected detours before finally delivering the cookies into the hands of a kid. It’s weird, funny, and oddly satisfying, turning something as ordinary as a beloved cookie into an experimental adventure.
Watch “Opulent Round Edible Object” now →
The Scared is Scared
Creator: Bianca Giaever
Categories: Experimental
How do we overcome our fears? This iconic short is based on a story told by a 6-year-old, brought to life through the whimsical live action and animation of Bianca Giaever, who is a master at combining sound and images in the most creative way possible. The result is a poetic and unpredictable journey involving a bear named Asa, cookies shaped like pianos, a big pool, a mouse, and much more. “The Scared is Scared” captures childhood logic in a way adults will find poignant and kids will get a kick out of. It became a viral Vimeo Staff Pick and remains one of the platform’s most celebrated family films.
Watch “The Scared is Scared” now →
(OO)
Creator: Seoro Oh
(OO) transforms the all-too-familiar experience of being sick into a riot of imaginative visuals. Through metaphor and quick-fire imagery, everyday symptoms of sneezing, a runny nose, congestion, and dryness become chaotic scenarios that swing between absurd and alarming. Bursting with creativity, (OO) captures the messy arc of illness and the euphoric relief of finally breathing freely again.
Watch “(OO)” now →
Vimeo is your destination for creative, clever, and heartwarming family-friendly shorts
Whether you’re watching with little ones or just looking for something joyful, these shorts are rich with personality and crafted with care. Their inventive storytelling and charming styles remind us that great filmmaking speaks across ages. Visit Vimeo’s Kiddo Cinema to discover more inspiring content for the whole family.
