Summer vacation just started and already Shine Parenting is feverishly offering ideas to keep the kids busy. We think a movie or two (or three?) is a great way to kick off the season—and have picked five winners that your kids will find irresistible.

1. WALL-E

WALL-E from Disney/Pixar may be the most eagerly awaited family film of the year. It's certainly one of the most popular on Yahoo! Kids, where its trailers and clips are immensely popular. Surprisingly endearing WALL-E is a robot left alone on the future vacated Earth. When a sleek female robot visits, smitten WALL-E launches into swashbuckling space adventures where he finds his destiny. Rated G.

Trailers and clips at Yahoo! Kids
Common Sense Media review
Showtimes & Tickets

2. Kung Fu Panda

Kung Fu Panda is the early summer box office favorite and for good reason. This creative treat from DreamWorks Animation features Po, an oh-so-huggable panda destined to save ancient China from the evil snow leopard, Tai Lung. Trouble is, Po isn't the perfect picture of a kung fu warrior—so it's up to master Shifu and a menagerie of assistants to whip him into shape. There's lots of fast action along with a feel-good message about believing in oneself. Rated PG.

Trailers and clips at Yahoo! Kids
Common Sense Media review
Showtimes & Tickets

3. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

If there are girls in your family, you already know about Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, based on the American Girl brand of dolls, books, DVDs and destination stores. The surprising news is that this sweet tale is not over-commercialized and features a fine performance from media darling Abigail Breslin in the title role. Set in the Great Depression, the story follows Kit (an aspiring reporter) as she investigates a citywide crime spree that touches close to home. True to the American Girl sensibility, there's even an educational streak in this film-just don't tell the kids. Rated G. In limited release June 27 and wide release July 2.

Trailers and clips at Yahoo! Kids
Common Sense Media review
Showtimes & Tickets

4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

For boys, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a slam-bang feast of special effects, heart-pumping action scenes and Saturday afternoon serial heroics. Indy is back in classic form, older and slower to be sure, but still battling the forces of evil for the fate of the world. While the story drags between the adventure scenes-and the final act seems a bit too "out there" even for Indy—this is excellent escapist fare appropriate for aspiring tween Indies. Rated PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images.

5. Space Chimps

Space Chimps (coming July 18) looks to be an ideal, easy-going movie for whiling away a hot summer day. This animated adventure follows three latter-day chimp-o-nauts as they pursue a lost NASA probe—only to find themselves the only hope for a peaceful planet under attack by the evil Zartog. Along the way, hero Ham III discovers his hidden destiny. (Stop us if you've already heard this.) With producer John H. Black (Shrek) and director Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black) at the helm, we have hopes Space Chimps will transcend potential monkeyshines. Rated G.

Of course, the summer's still young and there are plenty of films still to come.  We'll feature five more family-friendly flicks later in the season.