When the weather turns chilled, and the leaves begin to fall, everyone knows that Halloween is right around the corner. Get in the spirit of spook with any of these kids' Halloween movies, perfect for any October Friday night. No matter the ages of your offspring, there are plenty of Halloween-inspired movies to snuggle up and bond over.
Animated Halloween Movies for Children
The thing with Halloween movies is that they range from simple, sweet seasonal sentiments to a bit of fright and fun. If you have young children or kids who easily scare, turn to an animated movie for plenty of Halloween magic, but none of the terror and scare.
It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown might be known for his Christmas special, but in this pumpkin-centric movie, Charlie Brown awaits the arrival of the Great Pumpkin. Much like Santa Claus, Charlie Brown and Linus assume the Great Pumpkin will arrive on Halloween's eve. Are they right?
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Wallace and Gromit might be known for their stop animation selves, but when the Giant Vegetable Competition produces a frightening Were-Rabbit character, it becomes their job to stop it before things get too far out of hand!
Coraline
Similar to Tim Burton claymation films, Coraline tells the tale of a young and eerie little girl. One day, she finds a door that brings her to a magical place full of love and affection, but the door becomes locked! How will she ever get back to where she needs to be?
The Corpse Bride
The Corpse Bride follows a man who marries a woman of the unliving while his true bride awaits him back in the world of the undead. Can he reach his true love before she marries the villainous Barkis Bittern?
Hotel Transylvania
There is nothing scary about the fun-loving monsters in the Hotel Transylvania flicks. These animated movies are excellent options for young kids or children who are prone to the spooks. If your kids end up loving the first film, good news! There are four Hotel Transylvania movies in the series.
Scoob!
Learn all about the origins of the Mystery Inc. gang and how they came to be in the movie Scoob!. The entire family, young and old, can join in the Halloween fun with Scooby and the gang. The plot and animation will easily capture the attention of viewers new to Scooby-Doo, and parents won't be able to help smiling as they reminisce over the Hanna-Barbera classic cartoon.
Super Monsters Save Halloween
Younger children may not be able to sit through an hour and a half-long Halloween movie, no matter how great it is! Thankfully, there are several shorter shows for tiny Halloween lovers to enjoy come October 31st. Super Monsters Save Halloween is a Netflix production and is only about a half-hour long. It teaches tots that much of Halloween is make-believe, and there is nothing to truly be scared of. Thank you Netflix, please keep raising these kids for us!
Toy Story of Terror
In Toy Story of Terror, Mr. Potatohead goes missing, and it is up to Woody and his friends to find their pal and solve the spooky mystery surrounding his sudden disappearance. Like the other Toy Story movies, this film is funny, entertaining, and great for younger children who want to get into the Halloween spirit without having their pants scared straight off by too-spooky a movie.
Monster House
Monster House is an entertaining story of three friends who stumble upon a shocking truth regarding their neighbor's home. It is a real live monster! They must ban together to put an end to the houses' doing before their entire neighborhood ends up in peril. Can they do it by Halloween night, keeping the town's Trick-or-Treaters safe from harm?
Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest
Little kids will love the delightful classic with a Halloween twist. Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest plays on plenty of Halloween fun and theme without ever scaring tiny audience members. There is nothing frightful here, just an easy-to-watch movie with everyone's favorite mischievous monkey friend taking center stage.
Live-Action Halloween Flicks for the Entire Family
If animated movies don't capture the interest of your children, turn on one of these live-action Halloween-based movies. From classics to new releases, these films will earn a spot in any family's yearly Halloween celebration.
Double, Double, Toil & Trouble
Nothing beats a good throwback film, and the notorious Olsen twins will transport parents into yesteryear with Double, Double, Toil & Trouble. Kids will get a kick out of watching the main characters take a crack at saving the family biz with a little bit of wizardry. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen really were Queens of the Cute Movies, and your kids deserve to experience at least a few Olsen twin movies while they are still young.
Beetlejuice
Let your kids watch Beetlejuice over and over again; just don't encourage them to say the name three times! This classic movie is based on the hauntings of well-intentioned deceased folk and the ever sneaky ghoul by the name of Beetlejuice. It's a great movie for kids (not very young ones,) teens, and adults (who probably watched it decades ago when it was first released.)
Ghostbusters
Nothing to watch on October 31st? Well, who ya gonna call? The answer is any one of the three Ghostbuster movies! Whether you watch the original, the second movie, or the newer one that showcases a band of badass leading ladies, these action-packed flicks are made for fall family fun.
Casper
Casper is known as the friendly ghost. In this 1995 comedy, Casper and Kat (a young girl played by Christina Ricci) have a lot of fun while trying to keep Casper safe and sound. Ghosts might have a bad rap for spending their time scaring the daylights out of everyone who comes across their path, but this little boo reminds kids that not all spirits are spooky.
The Addams Family
In this fright-filled, slightly kooky film, the Addams family tries to make the rest of the world accept them and their morbid ways. They are an eccentric bunch, to be sure, but when it comes to sticking together, the Addams family proves that family values are at their quirky core.
The Witches
Based on the book by the famed children author Ronald Dahl, the movie involves a woman looking to eliminate all of the children in the world. Her method? Turning them all into mice! Will she succeed? Only the movie can tell! It's a fun watch for kids, but little ones might scare at the mere thought of being transformed into a rodent.
Edward Scissorhands
This is yet another cult classic that parents will want to introduce to their teens and older kids to come at Halloween time! Johnny Depp plays a well-intentioned yet misunderstood young man, who is all human when it comes to heart, just not so human when it comes to his hands. Tim Burton is, of course, the mastermind behind the film, and decades later, it is still a favorite family film during October.
Cruella
Cruella DeVille, Cruella DeVille, if she doesn't scare you, nobody else will! New release, Cruella, is based on the villain in the classic movie 101 Dalmations. While this movie isn't your standard Halloween film, it has an edgy, gothic vibe that meshes well with the season of spookiness and scare.
A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting
Older kids can kick back with friends and watch this lesser-known movie, all about a group of babysitting teens who devote their time to defending the kids they watch over from evil monsters and ghouls. While the kids are all ready to trick or treat the night away, the band of monster-mashing babysitters is ready for action!
The House With a Clock in Its Walls
When a ten-year-old orphan boy goes to live with his eccentric uncle, he discovers an entirely new world full of witches, warlocks, and wizardry. Based on a popular young adult read, The House With a Clock in Its Walls is entertaining for children who can readily follow the plot and the character development.
Spooky Buddies
If your kids love Halloween and love dogs, then this movie is bound to become a favorite film during the spooky season. The movie is the fifth installment to the Air Buddies Disney franchise, and it follows the rescue mission of five stolen pups, who are about to be sacrificed to the Halloween Hound. Can the crew save the little canines in the knick of time? It's a nail-biter but nowhere near bone-chilling scary, so kids of all ages should be able to watch the movie without having to crawl in bed with mom and dad later that evening.
Build Family Movie Night Into Halloween Traditions
Trick-or-treating and costumes are often the highlights of any October 31st soiree, but so much fun can be had outside of the holiday's main events. Pack your Halloween full of fun crafts for kids, delicious treats for the family, and a few fun and frightening films for the whole gang to enjoy.
