Plenty of family-friendly fare will hit big screen

With all the time off you’ll have this summer, chances are good that you’ll head to the movies with friends or family at least once or twice.

There are lots of movies with a PG-13 rating that are meant for older kids, but just because younger ones can’t see “The Avengers” or “Dark Knight Rises” doesn’t mean there aren’t some great movies that you’ll want to catch this summer. Below are some particularly kid-friendly offerings.

“Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted”

Rating: PG

Opening: June 8

What it’s about: The lovable gang including Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo are still trying to get back to their home in the Central Park Zoo. This time, they wind up in Europe, where they join a traveling circus.

“Brave”

Rating: PG

Opening: June 22

What it’s about: This movie from Pixar (the studio behind “Toy Story,” “The Incredibles” and others) tells the story of a strong-willed princess who rejects her parents’ effort to marry her off. Her strong-willed ways bring a curse upon her kingdom. This movie is getting a lot of attention because it’s the first time a Pixar movie has had a girl as a hero (although we think Jessie from “Toy Story 2” and “Toy Story 3” was quite the hero).

“Ice Age: Continental Drift”

Rating: PG

Opening: July 13

What it’s about: This is the fourth movie in the “Ice Age” series, and this one is in 3-D. When their continent breaks off from another land, Manny, Diego and Sid set sail on an iceberg and wind up on an adventure where they meet pirates. We’re pretty sure that mastodons and pirates never actually lived at the same time, but it’s just a movie, right?

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days”

Rating: PG

Opening: Aug. 3

What it’s about: This is the third movie based on the hugely popular books by author Jeff Kinney. Of course, the books are better (that’s the official KidsPost position on all movies made from books), but the first movies were pretty fun.

“ParaNorman”

Rating: PG

Opening: Aug. 17

What it’s about: OK, we have to confess that the trailer for this looks a little creepy. Which isn’t so surprising when you realize that it’s a story about Norman, who sees dead people. Actually, given that this is a kids’ zombie movie, that will probably come in handy.