Every Halloween the question gets asked – what are some of the Top Scariest Halloween Films for Kids? We have answered this question quite a bit so this article will feature both popular Halloween Films for Kids in addition to some lesser-known films your children might enjoy. And fear not, for adult scares and chills, we also have a separate list of Halloween Films for Adults that features some of the scariest films you probably haven’t seen yet.
For our list below, we’re going to target Halloween Films for Kids that fall into a general age range of 5-13 years old. Where noted, we’ll list the film’s rating in addition to a narrower age range to help you decide if it will be appropriate for your children. Also, keep in mind that some older films from the 1970’s and early 1980’s that received a PG rating (before the PG-13 classification came into existence), might be too scary for younger children. Jaws (1975) and Poltergeist (1982) are good examples of great scary, Halloween films that while rated PG, really should be rated PG-13.
Our list of Films for Halloween includes over 142+ films from 1931 – 2021. These films include classic Horror films in addition to some lesser-known films for Halloween viewing. Our list primarily includes subgenre films residing within the Horror, Thriller and Sci-Fi Genres.
Recommended Halloween Films for Younger Kids (5-9): The Watcher in the Woods (1980), Ghostbusters (1984), The Monster Squad (1987), Beetlejuice (1988), The Witches (1990), The Addams Family (1991), Hocus Pocus (1993), Casper (1995), Scooby-Doo (2002), The Haunted Mansion (2003), Goosebumps (2015)
Recommended Halloween Films for Older Kids (10-13): Jaws (1975), Salem’s Lot (1979), Poltergeist (1982), Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983), Night of the Comet (1984), Dreamscape (1984)
Lesser-known Halloween Films for Kids that didn’t make our list: Teen Witch (1989), Ernest Scared Stupid (1991), Under Wraps (1997), Practical Magic (1998), Fun Size (2012), Roald Dahl’s The Witches (2020)
We have embedded a compilation video of our Top Scariest Halloween Films for Kids You Haven’t Seen and more details on these films can be found in the list below. Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
#10
Halloweentown
Plot: On her 13th birthday, Marnie learns she’s a witch, discovers a secret portal, and is transported to Halloweentown – a magical place where ghosts and ghouls, witches and werewolves live apart from the human world. But she soon finds herself battling wicked warlocks, evil curses, and endless surprises.
Content Rating: TV-G
Age: 4+
KBZ’s Take: If you usually turn to Disney for Halloween films, you’ve likely come across the Halloweentown franchise. If not, it’s good fun for the entire family with Halloween ‘monsters’ toned down for the kids and some humor also added in. Older kids will likely find it boring compared to more ‘adult’ PG-13 scares, but younger kids (under 13) will likely enjoy it. Halloweentown is the first in the franchise followed by Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge (2001), Halloweentown High (2004) and Return to Halloweentown (2005).
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Plot: After an American family moves to an old country manor in rural England, one of the daughters is tormented by the spirit of the owner’s long-lost daughter, who mysteriously disappeared 30 years ago during a solar eclipse.
Content Rating: PG
Age: 7+
KBZ’s Take: This is one of the scarier films Disney has produced and is one of the best for kids on Halloween. Though it’s PG-rated fare, some younger kids under the age of 7 might be scared with some of the subject matter. However, it’s a film older kids and adults can enjoy as well as it’s a suspense-filled mystery film.
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Plot: Talking dogs band together to stop Warwick the Warlock.
Content Rating: G
Age(s): 7+
KBZ’s Take: Spooky Buddies is part of the Disney Buddies Franchise and it’s a great film for kids on Halloween. Though some children under the age of 7 might find the content scary, it’s a fun film that children over the ages of 7 and adults will find entertaining. Plus, it has Harland Williams as Warwick the Warlock that makes that film that much more entertaining (and funny).
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3UiGluo
#7
The Witches
Plot: A young boy named Luke and his grandmother go on vacation only to discover their hotel is hosting an international witch convention, where the Grand High Witch is unveiling her master plan to turn all children into mice. Will Luke fall victim to the witches’ plot before he can stop them?
Content Rating: PG
Age(s): 6+
KBZ’s Take: There’s two versions of Roald Dahl’s classic novel – this film and Roald Dahl’s The Witches (2020). We went with this version for a few reasons. First, it’s a much better film. While both films are based on the same novel, the 1990 version is more entertaining. Second, Anjelica Huston as the lead witch, is better than Anne Hathaway’s version. Third, it’s not as scary as the 2020 film. The pivotal ‘scary’ scene is toned down a bit in the 1990 version compared to the 2020 version.
As for the film and story itself, there is a pivotal scene where the witches ‘appear’ that might frighten younger children. But, overall, this film has the same tone and content as another Dahl story – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. If your child wasn’t scared watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), there’s a good chance they’ll make it through this film as well.
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Plot: Tony who wants a friend to add some adventure to his life. What he gets is Rudolph, a vampire kid with a good appetite. The two end up inseparable, but their fun is cut short when all the hopes of the vampire race could be gone forever in single night. With Tony’s access to the daytime world, he helps them to find what they’ve always wanted.
Content Rating: PG
Age(s): 6+
KBZ’s Take: This a great film from 2000 that’s been lost to time a bit. At its core, it’s a film about a child wanting a friend to play with – and that comes in the form of a vampire child. From there, it’s an introduction – in a kid friendly way – to everything about vampires. This isn’t a scary film per say but more of an adventure film as Tony and his new friend Rudolph race to find a medallion to save Rudolph’s vampire family. It’s a film that adults as well as children will enjoy – especially Richard E. Grant’s performance as the ‘father’ Vampire.
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Plot: Mill Valley, Pennsylvania, Halloween night, 1968. After playing a joke on a school bully, Sarah and her friends decide to sneak into a supposedly haunted house that once belonged to the powerful Bellows family, unleashing dark forces that they will be unable to control.
Content Rating: PG-13
Age(s): 13+
KBZ’s Take: This is the first film on our list that’s definitely for older kids in the ages 13-17 range. There are some genuinely scary stories and sequences in this film that will frighten kids under the age of 13. There are various stories in this ‘anthology’ that will remind you of Goosebumps (but for an older audience). It’s a film adults can watch with their kids, but adults likely won’t find much of the content scary.
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Plot: In a small American town, a diabolical circus arrives, granting wishes for the townsfolk.
Content Rating: PG
Age(s): 12+
KBZ’s Take: Leave it to Disney to create one of the best and darkest Fantasy films of the 1980’s. If you were a child in the early 1980’s, you’ll likely remember your parents taking you to this film thinking it was a ‘kids’ movies. But boy were they wrong. While it’s not ‘scary’ by today’s standards, there are quite a few themes and scenes in this film that will scare children under the age of 12. Based on the Ray Bradbury novel of the same name, the film toes the line between Horror and Fantasy – especially with one of Jonathan Pryce’s best performances as the evil Mr. Dark. If you liked the Stephen King novel and/or film Needful Things, you’ll likely enjoy this film as well. Highly recommend for fans of the subgenre.
Additional Lists: Top Dark Fantasy Films You Haven’t Seen 1970 – 1989 #1
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Plot: Count Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman, The Mummy and The Gillman are in search of an amulet to rule the earth with the Monster Squad the only thing standing in their way.
Content Rating: PG-13
Age(s): 11+
KBZ’s Take: Other than Waxwork (1988), this is one of the only films that brings all of the “Big 5 Classic Monsters” together. Though it’s aimed at a teen male audience, it was (and still is) a classic film of the Monsters subgenre. This is a film that transcends generations and will elicit the same excited reaction whether it’s a teenage boy from the 1980’s or 2000’s. It has equal amounts of comedy and scares for younger audiences and is a great “Introductory Monster Film” on Halloween for the youngsters. Note: while this film is suitable for teenage audiences, children under the age of 11 might find some of the content too scary.
Additional Lists: Top Films About Mummies You Haven’t Seen #1
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Y2mwuz
Plot: This classic Peanuts tale focuses on the thumb-sucking, blanket-holding Linus, and his touching faith in the Great Pumpkin. When Linus discovers that no one else believes in the creature, he sets out to prove that the Pumpkin’s no myth – by spending the night alone in a pumpkin patch.
Content Rating: NR
Age(s): 3+
KBZ’s Take: If you’re an adult in the Gen X or Boomer generation, then you likely watched this every Halloween as it was always on TV. It’s a film that defined Halloween for kids in the 1960’s – 1980’s and became a tradition to watch. We haven’t included animated films on our lists as of yet, but this is one film we made an exception for. It’s a great film for younger audiences that aren’t yet ready for more scary and spooky Halloween fare. And why not continue the tradition of this Charlie Brown classic with your own children?
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#1
Goosebumps
Plot: After moving to a small town, Zach Cooper finds a silver lining when he meets next door neighbor Hannah, the daughter of bestselling Goosebumps series author R.L. Stine. When Zach unintentionally unleashes real monsters from their manuscripts and they begin to terrorize the town, it’s suddenly up to Stine, Zach and Hannah to get all of them back in the books where they belong.
Content Rating: PG
Age(s): 7+
KBZ’s Take: Yes, Goosebumps is popular and likely a film most families have seen. But, after discussing some of the films on this list with parents that have children of various ages, we were surprised at how many people have not yet seen Goosebumps (2015) or Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018). Though some of the content might be too scary for children under the age of 7, it’s a great family film for Halloween and has enough scares and laughs for a wide variety of ages. Plus, it’s also a great film to get your youngsters interested in the Goosebumps novels for children and off their phones and tablets. Common Sense Media rates the Goosebumps book series at age 8+.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3uiZyBA
