Halloween is one of the best holidays for children. They can pretend to be someone else, have lots of candy, and watch some fantastic movies. The best costumes can be made from supplies at home, and there is nothing like curling up on the couch for some spooky fun! This year, many Halloween activities may not happen the way they have in the past. Your child may not get to spend time trick-or-treating. However, even if your area is still trick-or-treating, your child may think he or she is too old! Let’s look at some fun movies that you can watch as a family.
Toddlers and Preschoolers
Movies for this age group need to be silly rather than scary. Some of your child’s favorite characters have Halloween specials.
Curious George Boo Fest
It seems that all little kids like George. He’s a fun monkey that gets into many hair-raising adventures. This Halloween tale is no different. The super-scary villain in this one is a scarecrow that steals hats. George’s imagination is usually the culprit! The Halloween festival is one to be remembered.
Monsters Inc.
Who doesn’t love the brightly colored one-eyed Mike? Sully is also the perfect lovable monster in the closet. Not only is this a sweet movie, but it also reinforces that the thing in the closet isn’t as scary as it seems. Children learn that they can often overcome the fear themselves.
Elementary Age Children
As children get a little older, they understand things that little kids just find silly or funny. Sometimes, kids’ movies can help them find ways to cope with things or teach them valuable lessons.
Frankenweenie
One of the coolest Tim Burton films is Frankenweenie. Many children have experienced the loss of a pet. Pets are often just smaller members of our families. In this story, a young, curious boy completes an experiment to bring his sweet dog back to life. However, this is not the best idea.
Hotel Transylvania
This movie is told from a completely different perspective. Rather than seeing the tale from everyone else, the movie is through the monster’s eyes. Transylvania is a popular destination for vampires. Many tales have been told from the Romanian countryside. This time, it’s the vacation spot for many creatures.
Older Elementary/ Middle School
The older children get, the more they want to be scared or hear “weird” tales. There are many odd tales that are not frightening, but they offer a few thrills. These tales are often about odd things or weird occurrences.
Coraline
Coraline was made by Oregon-based Laika. This movie is about a little girl and a parallel universe. It is a bit scarier than the previous movies on this list, but it still has a happy ending.
The Haunted Mansion
This Eddie Murphy film has inspired attractions at Disney World and is full of fun and shenanigans. The house seems to come alive as Murphy’s comedic timing has fans laughing. The hijinks in this movie are unparalleled. It is much less scary than most live-action films.
Middle/ High School
As children get older, they like scarier movies. However, there are things they want to laugh or cry about as well. There are movies about family, friends, and even houses. No matter what you choose, there is always something amazing to watch.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Here’s a Tim Burton film for the whole family. This fan-favorite tells the tale of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, who runs Halloween’s frightful activities for the boys and girls of the world. He gets a little bored with his regular Halloween chills. That’s when he discovers Christmas and wants to relieve Sandy Claws of his duties. The whole family will enjoy this film.
Hocus Pocus
Children of the 90s will assert this is the best Halloween movie of all time. Whether or not that’s true is up for debate, but the Sanderson sisters are full of Halloween fun and adventure. It is a more suspenseful movie than a scary one.
High School
Your oldest children are probably not afraid of a good horror movie, but rather than just letting them watch any horror movie, how about finding one with a Halloween theme?
Halloween
There is a whole franchise named Halloween. Michael Myers is the villain in this movie, and Jamie Lee Curtis is the heroine. It is as much a psychological thriller as it is anything. Jamie Lee Curtis began her career in the first movie. You will want to make sure that only the most mature high schoolers watch this movie. It is not the lighthearted fright some of our other films might be.
The Blair Witch Project
This film is either loved or hated. It has a cult following for sure, but it is set in October of 1994. When the tale was woven, it was presented as a “found footage documentary” that some people did not realize was fiction. This legend was loosely based on other ghostly tales like the Bell Witch of Tennessee.
Final Thoughts
Be sure that any movies you show your children are appropriate for their age levels and maturity. While we may have put something in an older category or younger one than your children, it does not mean that they cannot watch it. You should, however, avoid showing your children scary scenes.
