11 Halloween Movies That Aren’t so Scary to Watch With Kids
If you’re looking for a Halloween movie to watch with your kids, but don’t want to traumatize them with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre , here are the best scary-but-not -too- scary movies you can watch right now. This is not toothless nonsense; I tried to find films that had enough real horror to be entertaining, but not so much that they would scar someone for life. Like everything with children, it depends on your child’s tastes and sensibilities.
Coraline (2009)
Based on the children’s book by Neil Gaiman, Coraline leaves a timeless message for children: be careful what you wish for. The protagonist’s discovery of a strange door in her new family’s new home leads to an eerie mirror world that, at first glance, seems better than the real thing, but ultimately turns out to be frightening. It’s not very scary, but for kids under 10 (especially those with those creepy button eyes) it might be too much.
Where to watch : Roku, Tubi, Apple TV+.
Witches (1990)
There’s a newer, more awesome version of The Witches available on Max, but I prefer the 1990 adaptation. There’s nothing better than the combination of Roald Dahl’s story, Jim Henson’s puppetry, Nicolas Roeg’s direction and Anjelica Huston’s villainous performance. The Witches strikes the perfect tone for kid-friendly horror: it was made for kids, but it doesn’t demean them or try to sugarcoat the horror. Although this may be too disturbing for children under 10 years of age.
Where to stream: Criterion Channel
Goosebumps (2015)
” Ermagerd, Gersberms !” In this meta-version of the wildly popular Goosebumps teen horror novel series, a young hero accidentally releases all the villains from author R.L.’s books. Stine “Goosebumps” into the real world. Children who read Stine’s books will enjoy seeing the depictions of the ghouls and monsters from the books, although the film leans more on slapstick and action than the quieter, creepier books. Either way, Goosebumps is a better movie than one might suspect.
Where to watch: Prime
Corpse Bride (2015)
This story of a marriage between a living man and a dead woman is filled with atmosphere—the gothic meter is turned up to 11. It’s very Tim Burton-esque, and Burton’s infectious affection for all things macabre makes even the creepiest walker seem lovable. . Despite all the skeletons, Corpse Bride is a story about love and family, and the scariest characters are ultimately the living ones.
Where to stream: Max
Ghostbusters (1984)
You can’t beat this iconic 1980s horror comedy film for Halloween viewing. Watching Ghostbusters is an annual October tradition in our house, and we don’t want to know about any sequels or reboots. The PG-13 rating is well deserved for some quite scary moments (the special effects bringing the creepy librarian and hellhounds to life are still scary), as well as some very adult situations and racy humor.
Where to watch: Starz
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
The relevant part of this two-for-one feature is a comic retelling of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow . The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad tells the story of a lanky and superstitious schoolteacher in Colonial America who gradually becomes scared to death by a “headless horseman” who may or may not be his romantic rival Brom. The scene where Ichabod is chased by a horseman is a classic of horror filmmaking, and the film’s conclusion settles the situation into an “it’s okay” vibe that should reassure little ones. Plus, Mr. Toad is a great, non-scary palate cleanser.
Where to watch: Disney+.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Kids will love this playful take on Halloween ghosts, and adults will love watching stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy chew the scenery as three witch sisters. Hocus Pocus provides enough thrills to be entertaining, but there’s nothing too scary, and the script’s infrequent ambiguities are likely to fly over young people’s heads.
Where to watch: Disney+.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Director Tim Burton is a master of creepy-but-not-too-creepy films, and this stop-motion ode to the joys of the dark and creepy is his best work. If you’re raising a little goth, you’re contractually obligated to show him The Nightmare Before Christmas , a delightfully creepy musical that overlaps the holidays of Halloween and Christmas.
Where to watch: Disney+.
Frankenstein (1931)
If you have a child who has the patience to cope with the slower pace of films from the early days of talkies, Frankenstein rewards that patience with a deeply familiar central character and some mildly scary moments. Even though the film was made almost 100 years ago, children still see themselves in the Monster because he is like a child himself – a child made from corpses and killing people.
Where to watch: Peacock, Criterion Channel.
Coco (2017)
There are a lot of skeletons in Coco , but it’s not a scary movie. This Day of the Dead story takes viewers (and its protagonist) across the border from the world of the living to the Land of the Dead, where stylish sugar skull skeletons inhabit a world parallel to our own. Instead of being horrifying and tragic, Coco portrays death as something we should accept without fear, and adults could probably use that message too. Fair warning: since this is a Pixar film, it will make you cry.
Where to watch: Hulu, Disney+, Fubo.