Halloween movies for children
My boys have always loved a movie night. When they were younger, we used to have one most Fridays as a treat to mark the end of the school week. We’d get cosy on the sofa with some snacks and settle down to watch a film together.
Halloween was always a good excuse to put something a bit spooky on!
Of course, finding a film everyone wants to watch isn’t always easy. Some kids love being scared, while others will be hiding behind a cushion the minute a ghost appears. And some of the films aimed at children are actually quite frightening!
So I’ve put together 12 Halloween movies for kids and families, from funny animated films for younger children to some slightly scarier ones for older kids and tweens.
There are a few favourites from when the boys were little, along with some films I remember watching myself growing up.
Updated October 2026 with more family Halloween film recommendations.
Best Halloween movies for kids at a glance
Not sure what to watch? Here’s a quick look at all 12 films and roughly how scary they are.
| Halloween Movie | Scare Level | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Transylvania | Gentle | Younger children who love monsters |
| Casper | Gentle to medium | Family movie nights |
| Toy Story of Terror! | Gentle | Younger Toy Story fans |
| Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit | Gentle to medium | Families who enjoy comedy |
| The Addams Family (2019) | Gentle to medium | Animated Halloween fun |
| ParaNorman | Medium | Kids who enjoy spooky adventures |
| Goosebumps (2015) | Medium | Older kids and tweens |
| Hocus Pocus (1993) | Medium | A family Halloween classic |
| Monster House (2006) | Medium to scary | Kids who enjoy a good scare |
| Corpse Bride | Medium | Fans of darker animation |
| The Witches (1990) | Quite scary | Older kids who don’t scare easily |
| The Nightmare Before Christmas | Medium | Fans of spooky musicals |
The scare levels are just a rough guide based on the films’ content. Every child is different, so it’s worth checking the age rating and content guidance before watching.
1. Hotel Transylvania (2012)
Imagine a hotel where monsters can go on holiday without having to worry about humans turning up. That’s basically Hotel Transylvania.
Dracula runs the hotel and has invited all his monster friends along to celebrate his daughter Mavis’s 118th birthday. Everything’s going swimmingly until an actual human manages to wander in. And then falls in love with Mavis. As you can imagine, Dracula isn’t exactly thrilled! There’s Frankenstein, werewolves, mummies and all sorts of other monsters, but they’re more funny than frightening.
A good one for younger children who want to watch something Halloween-themed without being scared half to death.
Scare level: Gentle
2. Casper (1995)
I couldn’t put together a list of Halloween films without including Casper. I used to love this when I was younger and I still can’t resist watching it whenever it’s on TV.
Casper is a friendly ghost who lives in Whipstaff Manor with his three rather annoying uncles. Unlike them, he’s not particularly interested in frightening people. He’d much rather have a friend. When Kat and her dad move into the mansion, Casper finally gets the chance to make one. Of course, his uncles have other ideas.
It’s funny and sweet, although there are some sad moments too, particularly when you find out more about Casper’s past. Definitely one of those films I have a soft spot for.
Scare level: Gentle to medium
3. Toy Story of Terror! (2013)
If your kids love Toy Story, this Halloween special is worth a watch. Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the gang are on a road trip with Bonnie when they end up stopping at a rather dodgy-looking motel. Then one of the toys disappears. And before long, the others start going missing too. It’s got the usual Toy Story humour, but with a spooky little mystery thrown in. It’s also only around 20 minutes long, which is handy if you’ve got younger children who aren’t going to sit through a whole film.
Scare level: Gentle
4. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
You can’t really go wrong with Wallace and Gromit, can you? This time they’re running a pest-control business, helping the locals protect their vegetables ahead of the annual giant vegetable competition. But something rather large is causing havoc in everyone’s gardens at night. And it’s definitely not your average rabbit. There’s all the usual Wallace and Gromit silliness, plenty of clever jokes and a few spooky moments thrown in.
I love that it’s got that slightly old-fashioned monster movie feel without being too scary.
Scare level: Gentle to medium
5. The Addams Family (2019)
The Addams Family are a bit different from your average family. Actually, that’s probably putting it mildly. Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley and the rest of the family are quite happy living their unusual lives until their new neighbours decide they don’t really fit in. Not that the Addams family are particularly bothered. There’s plenty of dark humour, strange characters and spooky goings-on, but it’s all fairly light-hearted. Wednesday is probably my favourite character. She’s so wonderfully unimpressed by everything!
Scare level: Gentle to medium
6. ParaNorman (2012)
ParaNorman was one of my eldest son’s absolute favourite films when he was younger. He loved it so much that one Halloween he asked me to carve a ParaNorman pumpkin for him. Which was quite a challenge, I can tell you!
Norman is a young boy who can see and speak to ghosts. Unfortunately, nobody really believes him and he’s treated as a bit of an oddball. Then a curse threatens his town, zombies start appearing and suddenly Norman is the only one who can save everyone. It’s a brilliant film, with some really funny moments mixed in with quite a lot of creepy stuff. And despite all the zombies and ghosts, there’s actually a lovely message behind it.
Some scenes are pretty dark though, so probably not one for very young children.
Scare level: Medium
7. Goosebumps (2015)
Did anyone else read the Goosebumps books when they were younger? This film brings some of R.L. Stine’s monsters to life, quite literally.
Teenager Zach discovers that his mysterious neighbour is actually the famous author himself. Unfortunately, the monsters from Stine’s books end up escaping into the real world and causing chaos. There are all sorts of creepy creatures, including werewolves, zombies and a particularly horrible ventriloquist’s dummy called Slappy.
I don’t know what it is about dolls and dummies, but they always seem so much scarier than they should!
There’s plenty of action and humour too, so it’s not all frightening.
Scare level: Medium
8. Hocus Pocus (1993)
It wouldn’t really be Halloween without Hocus Pocus, would it? The Sanderson sisters are three witches who are accidentally brought back to life in Salem on Halloween night. And they’re not particularly happy about it. They immediately start causing trouble, leaving a group of children and a talking cat to try and stop them. It’s full of magic, silly moments and brilliant Halloween atmosphere. The witches are quite funny, although some of the scenes might be a bit much for younger children. And I don’t think I’d ever get tired of watching Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson!
Scare level: Medium
9. Monster House (2006)
Now this one is definitely a bit scarier. Three children become convinced that the creepy house across the road is alive. Not haunted. Actually alive. And when it starts swallowing anything that gets too close, they realise they need to do something before Halloween night. Despite being animated, Monster House has some genuinely frightening moments. The house itself is pretty terrifying once it gets going!
I’d probably save this one for older kids who already enjoy a good scare.
Scare level: Medium to scary
10. Corpse Bride (2005)
Tim Burton does creepy animation so well, doesn’t he? In Corpse Bride, Victor is practising his wedding vows in the woods when he accidentally puts a ring on what he thinks is a tree branch. Except it’s not a branch. It’s the finger of a dead bride who now thinks she’s married to him. Oops. Victor ends up in the Land of the Dead, desperately trying to get back to his actual fiancée. It’s beautifully animated, with some great music and plenty of dark humour.
There are quite a few references to death and loss, though, so it’s worth bearing that in mind.
Scare level: Medium
11. The Witches (1990)
Does anyone else remember being absolutely terrified by the original The Witches? I watched it when I was younger and some of those scenes have definitely stayed with me! Based on Roald Dahl’s book, it follows a young boy who discovers that witches are real. And they’re planning to turn all the children in England into mice.
Anjelica Huston is brilliant as the Grand High Witch, but when she takes off her mask… Well, let’s just say she’s not someone you’d want to bump into! And don’t even get me started on the transformation scenes.
It’s a children’s film, but I wouldn’t say it’s a particularly gentle one.
Scare level: Quite scary
12. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween film or a Christmas film? I reckon it counts as both. Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, but he’s getting a bit bored of organising Halloween every year. Then he discovers Christmas Town and decides he’d quite like to have a go at running Christmas instead.
What could possibly go wrong? The animation is fantastic and the songs are ridiculously catchy. It’s got some wonderfully strange characters too, although a few of them might be a bit frightening for younger children.
And if you watch it at Halloween, you’ve got a perfectly good excuse to watch it again at Christmas!
Scare level: Medium
Halloween movies for kids that aren’t too scary
If your children want to join in with Halloween but aren’t keen on anything frightening, I’d stick with the gentler films. Hotel Transylvania and Toy Story of Terror! are probably the safest places to start. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is another fun choice, especially if they like a bit of silly humour. And then there’s Casper, although that does have a few sad moments. Of course, what one child finds funny, another might find absolutely terrifying.
I think most parents have experienced putting on a film they thought would be fine, only to find themselves reassuring someone that the monsters aren’t real!
Halloween movies for older kids and tweens
As the boys got older, the friendly ghosts and funny monsters didn’t quite cut it anymore. They wanted something a bit scarier. ParaNorman and Goosebumps are good ones to consider if your children are starting to enjoy spooky films. And if they’re feeling particularly brave, there’s Monster House or the original The Witches.
I’d definitely check the age ratings and content guidance first, though. Some of these films are surprisingly frightening, even for adults!
Where can you watch family Halloween movies?
There’s nothing more annoying than deciding what film you’re going to watch, only to discover it’s not available on any of your streaming services.
Netflix, Disney+ and the others are always changing what they have available, so I haven’t listed where to watch each film here. If you’ve got Netflix, I’ve also put together a separate guide to the best Halloween movies for kids on Netflix UK, which I’ve updated with films available in October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Halloween movies for younger children?
I’d start with Hotel Transylvania or Toy Story of Terror! if you’re after something fairly gentle. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is another good option.
What are some good Halloween movies for 10 to 12-year-olds?
ParaNorman, Goosebumps, Hocus Pocus and The Nightmare Before Christmas are all worth considering. It really depends on how much your child enjoys being scared!
What’s a good first scary movie for kids?
Goosebumps or ParaNorman could be a good starting point for older children who are ready for something a little spookier. Both have a few creepy moments, though.
Are animated Halloween movies less scary?
Not always! Monster House and ParaNorman are both animated, but that doesn’t stop them being quite frightening in places. Just because something’s a cartoon doesn’t automatically mean it’s suitable for younger children.
Ready for a Halloween movie night?
It’s funny looking back at the films the boys loved when they were younger and how much their tastes have changed. These days they’re much more interested in proper scary films than friendly ghosts! But I’ll always have a soft spot for the old favourites, especially Casper. So whether your kids want something funny, a little bit spooky or a film that’ll have them hiding behind the cushions, hopefully there’s something here for your next Halloween movie night. Just don’t forget the popcorn! If you’re planning some more Halloween fun, you might also like our Dinotrux pumpkin carving or these Halloween paper lanterns.
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12 thoughts on “Halloween movies for children”
These are great,had forgotten about some of these!We also like Monster House xx #picnmix
Oh I’ve not heard of Monster House – may have to check that out for next year now!
Wow I love the pumpkin carving! I’ve always loved the film casper as well 🙂 Thanks for linking up to #Picknmix
Stevie x
Casper is one of my favourites Stevie! An oldy but a goody 😉
We love Paranorman and Hotel Transylvania in our house. I like Hocus Pocus too but my children don’t. I end up crying at the end anyway when Binx is released from his cat body and meets his sister so i tend not to watch it haha! Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday.
They are the two favourites in our house – I’d completely forgotten about Hocus Pocus though, I don’t think my boys have seen it.
What a top notch selection of child friendly films – you missed my favourite though, Hocus Pocus which is a cracking film. Thanks for linking up #HelloHalloween
Thanks for hosting!
We have watched all of these movies!! They are great! The one that we like the most is Hotel Transylvania and the Toy story of Terror!! Great list lovely!! Thanks so much of joining me at #KCACOLS!! I love seeing your posts here!! I really appreciate your support. I hope you can join me again on Sunday!! 🙂 xxx
Hotel Transylvania is one of our favourites aswell as Paranorman! The boys got to watch them over halloween!
Our boys LOVE Hotel Transylvania!
Oh yes that is one of our favourites too!
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