Don’t get us wrong, we love to dress up, carve pumpkins and eat candy—but when it comes to getting kids into the spooky holiday spirit, a family-friendly movie night selection is an excellent way to set the right mood. Good news: We scoured all our favorite streaming services—Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime—for the best Halloween movies for kids.
HOCUS POCUS (1993)
Some of the themes and references here will likely be too much for younger kids. Still, the spooks are not so scandalous, and the entertainment is big enough to thrill a tween.
TOY STORY OF TERROR (2014)
Everyone loves Toy Story, right? If you agree, tune into this Halloween television special with your little goblin.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993)
Tim Burton at its best. Even the younger ones can enjoy the stop-motion animated magic.
SPOOKLEY THE SQUARE PUMPKIN (2005)
Based on a children’s book by Joe Trolano, Spookley’s story is highly relatable—Halloween or not—because it’s basically about just wanting to fit in.
CASPER (1995)
Young Christina Ricci and her animated ghost buddy Casper make a fine pair in this humorous and only moderately spooky film.
GOOSEBUMPS (2015)
An action-packed monster flick based on the best-selling children’s books from R.L. Stine, Goosebumps.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY (1991)
Gothic, black comedy with just the right balance of slapstick—this one is sure to please a younger audience.
IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN (1966)
This classic covers all the Halloween bases: costumes, trick-or-treating, and the anticipation of a great pumpkin.
TWILIGHT (2008)
A loyal adaptation of the exceedingly popular book, the screen version of Twilight brings to life a vampire-human romance in a way that can best be described as candy for teens.
CORALINE (2009)
Coraline offers a visually stunning viewing experience, owed to the stop-motion mastery of Henry Selick. This movie is both beautiful and thought-provoking.
