A trip to the movies is a fab way to stimulate their imagination. We check out the hippest, hottest and most highly anticipated children's films for the coming year

Chicken Little (U) Released February 2006
This is Disney's latest 3D animation - their first without the help of Pixar (the people behind Toy Story and Finding Nemo). Young Chicken Little becomes the town's laughing stock when he mistakenly thinks an acorn that falls from a nearby oak tree is a piece of sky - evidence that the sky is falling . He spends his time coming up with ways to regain the town's favour. Just as things start getting back to normal a piece of sky really does land on his head. It's now up to him and his gang of oddball friends to save the world. Scrubs actor Zach Braff provides the voice of Chicken Little.

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Cars Released July 2006
Expectations are high for Cars another animated feature film, this time from animation veterans Pixar. Featuring the voices of Paul Newman and Owen Wilson, Cars promises to be a visual and comic delight for children and adults alike. The story of McQueen, an ambitious and impatient racing car who, after spending a few days in the sleepy town of Radiator Springs (on Route 66) discovers that there's more to life than crossing the finish line.

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Superman Returns
After the success of Spiderman, 2006 sees the resurrection of another superhero franchise. Superman Returns stars newcomer Brandon Routch as the Man of Steel who returns to Earth after several years only to find that his sweetheart Lois Lane (played by Kate Bosworth) has moved on with her life and that old enemy Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) is just as keen to render the red-underpants-wearing-one powerless. Crikey.

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2006 - the year of the sequel

Pirates of the Carribean 2: Dead Man's Chest
Another swashbuckling caper for Johnny Depp, Bill Nighy and Keira Knightley. This time Captain Jack Sparrow must resolve a blood debt or be cursed to an afterlife of eternal servitude and damnation. Ooh arr me hearties!

Garfield 2
After the surprise success of his first feature film, Garfield the world's laziest cartoon cat - the voice of Bill Murray - returns with even more fat feline capers. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Billy Connolly also star.

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (U)
Manfred the woolly mammoth, Sid the sloth and their trusty sidekick Diego discover that the end of the Ice Age isn't all it's cracked up to be. The miles of melted ice will flood their valley, and they must warn the other animals and figure out a way to escape the coming deluge.

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The Little Polar Bear 2 (U)
The second animated film, based on Hans de Beer's famous picture books. This time Lars, the little polar bear travels to the Galapagos islands. Perfect viewing for the under sevens. Older viewers will find it a tad babyish.

X-Men 3 Released May 2006
Expect an intelligent and stylish sci-fi adventure from director Brett Ratner. The discovery of a cure for their genetic mutations causes friction among our favourite genetic mutants Wolverine, Storm, Magneto and co.

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