14 Not-Too-Scary Halloween Movies for Kids

If you want to watch something with witches and werewolves, here’s how to do it without giving the kids nightmares for weeks.

Halloween movies for kids
istockphoto.com / Dean Mitchell

If you want to watch something with witches and werewolves, here are 14 spook-free Halloween movies for kids.

​Ghostbusters

If the kids haven’t seen this one, you’re clearly not doing your job as a Halloween-loving parent.  And don’t wait for the remake to come out. They’ll love Slimer, the Stay-Puft Marshmallow man and start running around saying “who ya gonna call?” (Sorry.)

The Nightmare Before Christmas

This might be for 5 and up as good-guy Jack Skellington can be a slightly spooky sight for littler ones, but this stop-motion movie is a classic for a reason. The pumpkin king gets tired of his own holiday and goes in search of the magic of Christmas.

Hocus Pocus

This movie about witches was a flop when it hit theaters, but this is a campy, cult classic. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy star as witches who aren’t really all that threatening or scary.

Halloweentown

Ask any young adult about this movie and they’ll light up. This Disney Channel original (which spawned several sequels) is a kid fave. A young witch apprentice has to battle a demon, but there are also good lessons to be learned. Set your DVR for the multiple airings on the Disney Channel (or Disney XD).

The Haunted Mansion

If your kids can handle the Haunted Mansion ride at Disney, then they can probably handle this movie. There are some grim, grinning ghosts to give you a few small scares, but it also includes funnyman Eddie Murphy as the frontman. The biggest threat in this movie is a glowing spectral ball and dancing ghosts.

The Worst Witch

Long before Harry Potter, there was this ’80s movie about ”Witch Academy.” Your kids may roll their eyes at not-so-new Halloween movies for kids, but they definitely won’t have nightmares.

The Little Vampire

The cutest bloodsucking vampire you ever did see. OK, so the adorable Jonathan Lipnicki (of Jerry Maguire fame) isn’t really a vampire, but he dresses like one and befriends one when he moves to a new town and gets lonely.

The Addams Family

This is one of many super iconic Halloween movies for kids. The 1991 film adaption of the black-and-white TV show stars Morticia, Wednesday and the Uncle Fester as they try and stop their family home from being robbed. Not scary so much as creepy, kooky and altogether spooky.

Coraline

There are a few slightly scary moments in this stop-motion one (particularly involving the Mother from the “Other World” with her button eyes), but this wicked twist on a fairy tale is great for those seven and up who are looking for something slightly spookier than It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Gremlins

Don’t get them wet. Don’t feed them after midnight. Don’t expose them to sunlight. Rules for taking care of those adorable little Mogwai should be passed down to the next generation, especially when they see the trouble those destructive Gremlins can cause. Good for the big kids, since parts are genuinely frightful.

Monster House

This is an animated tale of twelve-year-olds who venture into a haunted house in order to “kill it” and dismember it from its haunted elements. It is a visually thrilling picture, shot in the same vein as Polar Express (performance capture technology) and it also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.

Hotel Transylvania

The sequel is in theaters, but this original animated cartoon is perfect for those who like their monster movies on the silly side. When a human wanders into Count Dracula’s monster retreat, the Count must prevent his daughter from falling in love with the visitor in order to  keep the hotel from losing its allure and credibility.

Beetlejuice

This classic Tim Burton movie will have the kids running around the house screaming, “Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!”  to see if the namesake character will show up to wreak havoc in their own homes.

The Witches

Based on a book by Roald Dahl, this movie has a long and convoluted plot that’s sure-to-please with its twists and turns. And these not-too-scary witches are perfect for the your kids.

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