Halloween Films for the Whole Family: Spooky, Not Scary
Eight Halloween films with witches, ghosts and monsters that won't keep anyone awake afterwards.
Halloween is the one night of the year when children want to be a little bit scared. The trick is finding a film that delivers the cobwebs and the cackling without the nightmares.
These eight do exactly that. They are listed from gentlest to spookiest, so start near the top for the youngest viewers and work down as they get braver.
Eight films, gentlest first
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
Count Dracula runs a five-star resort where monsters can relax far away from humans, until a backpacker wanders in and falls for his daughter. Fast, silly and packed with visual jokes.
Best for: the youngest monsters in the house.
More about this film on TMDB
Casper (1995)
A lonely young ghost who haunts a mansion in Maine befriends the daughter of a ghost therapist hired to clear the house. Gentle and sweet, with three troublemaking uncles for laughs.
Best for: children who want a ghost they can be friends with.
More about this film on TMDB
Hocus Pocus (1993)
On Halloween night in Salem, a teenager accidentally brings back three witch sisters who were hanged three hundred years earlier, and has until sunrise to stop them. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are clearly having the time of their lives.
Best for: a mixed-age room. Parents enjoy it as much as the kids.
More about this film on TMDB
The Addams Family (1991)
A man claiming to be long-lost Uncle Fester turns up at the Addams mansion, and the gloomiest, happiest family in America welcomes him home. Dark jokes, delivered with a completely straight face.
Best for: kids old enough to enjoy sarcasm.
More about this film on TMDB
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas and decides to take it over, with the best intentions and disastrous results. A stop-motion musical that works in October and December alike.
Best for: families who like songs with their skeletons.
More about this film on TMDB
Corpse Bride (2005)
A nervous groom practicing his wedding vows in the woods accidentally marries a dead bride and is pulled into the Land of the Dead, which turns out to be livelier than the world above. Short, sweet and beautifully made.
Best for: children who liked The Nightmare Before Christmas.
More about this film on TMDB
Monster House (2006)
Three kids become convinced that the creepy house across the street is alive and eating anything that lands on its lawn. It turns out they are right. A proper adventure with a few real jumps.
Best for: ages eight and up who want a real thrill.
More about this film on TMDB
Coraline (2009)
A girl finds a small door in her new home that leads to a better version of her life, with one catch: the Other Mother there has buttons for eyes. The scariest pick here, and one of the most beautiful.
Best for: older children and brave parents.
More about this film on TMDBScores are TMDB user ratings recorded on October 8, 2026, and can change over time.
Making it feel like Halloween
- Watch after trick-or-treating, not before. Nobody can sit still with an empty candy bucket.
- Keep one small light on. A pumpkin lantern or a string of lights takes the edge off for nervous viewers without spoiling the mood.
- Let the kids choose from two. Offer two films you are happy with and let them vote. Our guide on how to pick a film fast has more ways to avoid an argument.
- Stay in costume. It costs nothing and they will remember it.
Once the children are asleep, the grown-ups can move on to the 10 best Halloween films of all time. For the rest of the year, see our family movie night list.
Questions and answers
What is a good Halloween film for very young children?
Hotel Transylvania and Casper are the gentlest picks on this list. Both are bright, funny and free of real scares. Check the age rating in your country first.
Is Coraline too scary for kids?
For some, yes. The Other Mother is properly creepy. It suits older children best, and it is worth watching it yourself first if you are unsure.
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween film or a Christmas film?
Both. It begins in Halloween Town and ends at Christmas, which is why many families watch it twice a year.
