Halloween movies for kids should be spooky enough to celebrate the season, but not so scary that everybody winds up sleeping in your bed. Although that rules out anything featuring Freddy Krueger, Chucky, or Leatherface, there are plenty of excellent family Halloween movies out there. From delightfully animated Hotel Transylvania to the hilarious gang in the It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (and everything in between), we’ve got the very best Halloween movies for kids. So break out the candy corn and enjoy some of these (not too) freaky flicks.
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Halloween Movies for Kids That Aren't Too Terrifying
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Monsters Inc.
The bad news: monsters really do live in our closets. The good news: they're funny, furry, and more afraid of us than we are of them. Sully (voiced by John Goodman) and Mike (Billy Crystal) work for the Monstropolis power company, scaring human children and turning their screams into energy. But after a plucky little girl named Boo follows Sully back to Monstropolis, human/monster relations will never be the same.
Photo: Google -
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloweentown, tries to hijack Christmas by kidnapping "Sandy Claws" and taking over his job. Tim Burton's spooky stop-motion animation and wild musical numbers make this Kids' Choice Awards winner a family Halloween movie classic.
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Hotel Transylvania
It's Dracula as you've never seen him before--a doting single dad (he sings "Hush Little Vampire") who runs a monsters-only hotel. This star-studded (Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg) animated comedy delivers monsters who aren't too monstrous for minis. And if your kids are left wanting more, you can cue up the feature length sequel or Disney Channel series.
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It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
While the rest of the Peanuts gang goes trick or treating, Linus stays up all night in the pumpkin patch waiting for the arrival of The Great Pumpkin, whom he writes to every year and believes in with Santa-like devotion. Fifty years since it was created, this beloved special still appears on TV every year, so set your DVR.
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Dear Dracula
After Sam writes a fan letter to his favorite monster, he's invited to Transylvania to meet the one and only Count Dracula (voiced by Ray Liotta), just in time for Halloween. But Dracula has a big problem--he's lost his scariness. Can horror-loving Sam help him get his mojo back? As kids Halloween movies go, this one is sweet and gentle, promoting themes of kindness and believing in yourself.
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The Addams Family
A conman claiming to be long lost Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd) ingratiates himself with the eccentric Addams clan, including Gomez (Raul Julia), Morticia (Angelica Huston) and their creepy kids Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley. Based on the classic TV show. this ghoulishly funny family--remember Lurch and Cousin Itt?--will make yours look SO normal.
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Hocus Pocus
Teenaged Max accidentally releases a coven of wicked witches, although how horrible can they be when they're played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy? Okay, they're actually pretty terrifying, since they kidnap children and suck out their life force. This live action Disney Halloween movie features songs amidst the scares, so it's fun viewing for tweens and their SJP-loving moms.
Photo: Netflix -
The Worst Witch
Mildred (Fairuza Balk) is the worst student at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches--her screw-ups including making her friends invisible and turning a bully into a pig (she totally had it coming). But when some bad witches threaten to take over the school, Mildred has a chance to use her witchcraft for good and save the day. Even mere mortals can relate to Mildred's struggle to fit in and find her niche, because school is school.
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Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie
Little kids feeling left out of the Halloween season? Include them with this charming and harmless Winnie the Pooh movie that introduces Halloween traditions in a totally non-scary way.
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ParaNorman
When his town is taken over by zombies, Norman--a misfit with a talent for speaking to the dead--must summon all his paranormal abilities and courage to fight back. Scary and smart, ParaNorman is one of those kid Halloween movies you might want to watch during the day with the lights on.
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Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of The Were-Rabbit
The annual Giant Vegetable Competition is threatened by a Were-Rabbit who comes out at night to destroy everyone's gardens. Can Wallace and his trusty dog Gromit stop the big, bad bunny? Phenomenal stop-motion animation and humor make this kids Halloween movie fun for the whole family.
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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Not only is this magical Steven Spielberg Oscar-winner about aliens, but it also features a classic Halloween scene, in which the kids disguise E.T. as a ghost so he can go trick or treating. Enjoy with E.T.'s favorite candy, Reese's Pieces!
Photo: Cloud Front
