Best Halloween Movies for Kids

This is the quintessential, gentle Halloween starter kit. It perfectly captures the anticipation and innocent hope of the holiday without any actual scares. Linus's unwavering faith in the Great Pumpkin is heartwarming, and the simple animation holds a nostalgic charm that reassures parents. It's short enough for the youngest viewers, making it the ideal palette cleanser before bigger features.

The reigning champion of family Halloween viewing. The Sanderson Sisters are gloriously over-the-top, providing more campy comedy than genuine terror. The mix of 90s kids on a mission and classic witch lore makes it fun for all ages, though younger ones might be wary of the witches' slightly mean antics. It’s spooky atmosphere achieved through fantastic costume design and killer musical numbers.

A visually stunning masterpiece that expertly blends the gothic with the whimsical. Jack Skellington's existential crisis provides an interesting narrative core, making it smart as well as spooky. The aesthetic is pure Halloween, but Jack's well-meaning confusion over Christmas tones down the horror. Older elementary kids will love the stop-motion artistry and the dark, yet beautiful, world-building.

This is pure, high-energy, monster-themed comedy. It satirizes classic horror tropes, turning scary figures like Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman into relatable, goofy characters dealing with family issues. The scares are nonexistent, replaced entirely by slapstick humor and fast-paced gags, making it safe for almost everyone.

This stop-motion gem tackles bigger themes like prejudice and overcoming fear, using ghosts and zombies as the vehicle. It has moments that are genuinely creepy—especially the witch's curse sequence—but the ultimate message about understanding 'the other' is deeply resonant. Mark this as the entry point for kids ready for a slightly darker, more emotionally complex story.

This is where the 'spooky' level ramps up—this film embraces real suspense and a few effective jump scares. It’s a fantastic adventure about neighborly peril, but the heart is strong. The twist ending explains the horror in a way that demystifies the monster, so it’s scary fun, not trauma-inducing horror. Definitely save this for the older elementary crew.

This movie meta-references R.L. Stine's books by unleashing the actual monsters onto the town. It’s a high-octane, popcorn flick that knows exactly how to balance action with Stine’s signature tone. It is definitely on the higher end of our scare scale due to creature variety, but the constant motion keeps things fun.

Casper is the OG friendly ghost, making this film inherently safe while providing a classic haunted house setting. The scares are derived from his mischievous, shape-shifting uncles, the Ghostly Trio, who provide slapstick chaos. It’s more a story of friendship and loneliness than outright horror.

The creepiest on this list, but a stop-motion masterpiece worth watching with older, braver kids. The Other Mother is genuinely unsettling, and the button eyes are a memorable, slightly disturbing visual. It’s fantastic psychological fantasy that rewards maturity with a great story about appreciating reality, but parental discretion is required for sensitive viewers.

This film proves that 'creepy' and 'kooky' can be synonymous with 'loving' and 'wholesome.' The scares are non-existent; the fun comes from the family’s proud embrace of the morbid and macabre. It’s a wonderful celebration of being yourself, even if your idea of fun involves torture devices and graveyard picnics.

This Aardman classic wraps a mystery, a chase, and a genuinely spooky (but silly) monster plot around a very British, very charming core. The Were-Rabbit moments are exciting, but the film’s claymation style keeps everything light and humorous. It’s a brilliant example of building suspense through excellent pacing and character reaction.

A Disney Channel original that established a holiday viewing tradition for a generation. It’s pure magic about discovering your heritage, set in a town where all the monsters are just eccentric neighbors. The villain has a menacing design, but his actions are more bumbling than terrifying, offering low-stakes supernatural conflict.

Loosely based on the beloved Disney ride, this film is heavy on theme park nostalgia and Eddie Murphy's slapstick genius. The ghosts are numerous and varied—from the ballroom dancers to the Grim Grinning Ghosts—but they are mostly comical obstacles rather than actual threats. It’s a great visual tour of a haunted house without true emotional peril.

For the absolute youngest viewers, this is the peak of 'spooky-not-scary.' It’s a simple adventure where talking puppies fight an evil, cartoonish warlock. The stakes are low, the tone is overwhelmingly cute, and the Halloween elements are very surface-level costumes and props. Perfect for introducing the holiday concept.

This Roald Dahl adaptation is infamous for its genuinely terrifying witch reveal, thanks to Jim Henson's incredible effects. It *is* scary, so it’s for the high-end of our target age range. However, the story is ultimately empowering, with the transformation being the climax of the peril, followed by a triumphant, unconventional victory.

A modern story steeped in classic mystery, featuring an eccentric magician uncle (Jack Black) and a house that is a character unto itself. The clock mechanism creates great suspense, and the film leans into magical whimsy, even when the villain's motivations are dark. It successfully balances genuine suspense with a warm, found-family core.

Another Tim Burton/Henry Selick collaboration that uses dark aesthetics to tell a deeply romantic, poignant story. The Land of the Dead is more a quirky, melancholic community than a hellscape. The themes of duty versus true love make it incredibly rich, though the gothic visuals require older viewers to appreciate the beauty over the gloom.

It successfully reintroduces the franchise to a new generation, focusing on mystery, science, and legacy. The scares are rooted in classic Ghostbusters lore (Zuul, Gozer) but are handled with an adventurous, Spielberg-ian touch. The climax is thrilling, but the focus remains on the kids using their wits and gear.

While older than the others, Tim Burton’s original is essential dark fantasy comedy. It’s chaotic, visually imaginative, and truly oddball, but Beetlejuice himself is more obnoxious ghoul than terrifying demon. The PG-13 rating is due to some dark themes and mild language, so reserve this for families with teens who appreciate subversive humor.

Based on the Ray Bradbury novel, this animated film is a fantastic, educational journey into the *history* and worldwide traditions behind Halloween. It’s spooky when necessary, but its primary goal is to inform, offering a wonderful alternative to pure fantasy. The quest to save their friend gives the spooky exploration a real purpose.