Each year, as it gets closer to Halloween, we begin our “must watch” Halloween movie list. It is a fun tradition I enjoy with my kids. I asked them to help me make a list of the best Halloween movies for kids.
When Halloween comes around, kids love to watch Halloween movies. However, there are plenty of them out there that I would never want them to see. Rather than sift through the endless lists of movies, I’ve created this list of the best Halloween movies for kids!
Keep in mind that some of these are for those are are a bit older, so parental guidance is still suggested. Make sure you create some of these fun Halloween treats to enjoy while watching your movie:
THE BEST FAMILY HALLOWEEN MOVIES
HOCUS POCUS
Three wildly crazy witches return from 17th-century Salem after they’re accidentally conjured up by some unsuspecting pranksters! You’ll enjoy crazy and hilarious chaos when the witches attempt to cast a spell on the town so they can reclaim their youth. But the first must outsmart three kids and a talking cat.
Ages: 8+
SPOOKLEY THE SQUARE PUMPKIN
Poor Spookley is a pumpkin that is not quite like the others. He’s born square rather than round. He gets teased frequently by other mean round pumpkins. But, he gets help from three funny spiders, two bat sidekicks, and one crazy scarecrow.
Ages: All Ages
SPOOKY BUDDIES
The five puppy buddies have a scary Halloween adventure. A legend comes back to haunt the town on Halloween Eve and the puppies help capture it. (Some scenes may be scary for younger viewers).
Ages: All Ages
E.T. (The Extra-Terrestrial)
E.T. is a classic movie from the 1980s. One of the movies most famous quotes is “E.T. Phone Home.” It is about an alien whose family leaves him on earth and his adventures with a boy named Elliot.
Ages: 6+
IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN CHARLIE BROWN
Charlie Brown and the gang celebrate Halloween in classic Peanuts style. Charlie Brown gets some treats that no kid will like, while Linus awaits the Great Pumpkin’s arrival.
Ages: All Ages
SHREK’S THRILLING TALES
Shrek, Puss, Donkey and B.O.B. get the frights of their lives in three spooktacular stories that will keep you howling with laughter. It’s a Shrektastic Halloween treat that’s ogre-the-top fun for the whole family.
Ages: All Ages
HALLOWEEN TOWN
Marnie and her kids return to Halloween town, where they find out they come from a family of witches! Not only does she find out she is a witch, but that she and her family are involved in a fight against the evil that is threatening to take over the world.
Ages: 7+
GHOSTBUSTERS
Check out the original Ghostbusters movie where 4 zany guys fight ghosts in New York City. It all leads to the return of an evil spirit that they must fight before he takes over.
Ages: 10+
THE LITTLE VAMPIRE
Tony Thompson has moved to a small, remote village in Scotland and shortly thereafter, starts having nightmares about vampires. He holds the key to the vampires greatest wish: to regain their humanity. Tony and his new friends may succeed if they can stay one step ahead of a relentless vampire hunter in this delightful supernatural family adventure.
Ages: 8+
THE CORPSE BRIDE
Stop-motion animation of a young man taken away to the underworld and wed to a mysterious Corpse Bride, while his real bride waits in the land of the living.
Age: 10+
THE HAUNTED MANSION
Workaholic real estate agent Jim Evers is accused by his wife of neglecting his kids, so he takes them all on a vacation. They stop at a sinister mansion that Jim has been asked to sell, only to discover it’s haunted by several ghosts who need help breaking a curse.
Ages: 8+
TOY STORY OF TERROR
Bonnie and toys find themselves in a roadside motel after their car has a flat tire. Mr. Pototo Head goes missing and the search to find him, but end up finding themselves caught up in an adventure to find him.
Ages: All Ages
THE ADAMS FAMILY
This quirky TV family is back, this time in a movie! The family has to determine if Uncle Fester is a fraud before they take all of the family’s money.
Ages: 7+
MONSTER SQUAD
Dracula is alive and wants to rule the world with the help of other monsters. But, they’ll have to get through some kids first!!
Ages: 13+
DOUBLE DOUBLE TOIL & TROUBLE
The Olsen twins try to trick their evil aunt out of a magic spell so they can save their family home.
Ages: All
BEETLEJUICE
When the Maitlands pass away, unbearable guests move in. They attempt to scare them away but are unsuccessful and ask for Bettlejuice to help — but that leads to dangerous repercussions.
Ages: 10+
MONSTERS, INC.
Join Sully and Mike as they have to find a way to get a little girl back into her room after she escapes into the halls of Monsters, Inc.
Ages: All
HARRY POTTER
Harry Potter learns he is a wizard and attends the Hogwarts school where he has adventures to learn about his past.
Ages: 10+
WINNIE THE POOH HUFFALUMP
Winnie the Pooh and his friends learn that things are not always what they appear to be.
Ages: All Ages
DON’T LOOK UNDER THE BED
A teenager doesn’t believe in the boogeyman or supernatural — until she is confronted by one.
Ages: 8+
PARANORMAN
Meet Norman who must use his ability to see and speak with the dead to save his town from a centuries-old curse.
Ages: All
UNDER WRAPS
Three twelve-year-old kids encounter a 3,000-year-old mummy who needs to get back to his resting place by midnight on Halloween — or he’ll never find his long lost love.
Ages: 8+
NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Jack Skellington stumbles upon Christmastown and gets a new lease on life, as he tries to kidnap Santa and take over the role.
Ages: All
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (1 & 2)
Follow Dracula as he tries to keep his daughter from growing up and leaving home in the first movie. The second is just as fun as he wonders if his grandson is a vampire or not.
Ages: All
GOOSEBUMPS
The tales in the series start to come to life and the author and teens have to get them all back into their books.
Ages: 8+
FRANKENWEENIE
After a young boy’s dog passes away, he tries to bring him back to life by conducting a powerful science experiment.
Ages: 8+
CASPER
James Harvey and his daughter try to communicate with some ghosts, one of whom is Casper. Casper falls in love with Kat but their relationship is not as easy as it may seem.
Ages: 8+
MONSTER HOUSE
Kids discover that their neighbor’s house is not only haunted but a living, breathing monster.
Ages: All
GREMLINS
The cute little cuddly creature is fine — until he gets wet and eats after midnight. Then, he creates creepy gremlins who are taking over the city.
Ages: 10+
BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS
An amateur witch and three kids have to save England from an invasion
Ages: All
There you go! Thirty of the best family-friendly Halloween movies you will want to watch with your kids (again and again).
