Halloween Movies For Kids – The darker nights are drawing in, and the weather is beginning to cool. Pumpkin season has arrived, and witches, goblins, and ghouls are roaming the streets at night… So, why not gather the family for some seriously spooky Halloween entertainment?
When you’ve finished carving your pumpkins, bobbling for apples, and scaring each other, sit down with a few well-deserved Halloween treats and watch one or all of these top 10 Halloween movies for kids we recommend here.
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The Nightmare Before Christmas
One of the best kid movies for Halloween is The Nightmare Before Christmas, created by Tim Burton, tells the story of Jack Skellington, the “King of Halloween,” who, tired of staging Halloween festivities year after year, discovers a door to Christmas Town as well as decides to try his hand at that holiday instead. We dare you not to remember the songs from this musical film for days after watching it. “This is Halloween” ought to be the unofficial October theme song! Best of all, it also works well as a Christmas film.
Hocus Pocus
If the Black Flame Candle had been in my backyard when I was a kid, I would have followed Max Dennison’s (Omri Katz) lead and lit it up, even if it meant resurrecting the Sanderson sisters. Hocus Pocus is a Halloween classic for the whole family.
With an alluring urban legend, tasty performances from Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, and only enough of a creepy, threatening kick to give the scenario some real suspense, the film very successfully captures the spirit of the holiday. This has been a Halloween must-see in my opinion since its release in 1993, and you can bet I’ll be watching it with my niece the first chance I get.
The Black Cauldron
This coming-of-age drama is ideal for young fantasy fans. Taran, an adventure-seeking assistant pig farmer, must protect his magical pig from the evil Horned King, who plans to use the animal to discover a cauldron that can bring the dead back to life. Parents may find Princess Eilonwy a welcome change from the typical damsel in distress found in other animated films, despite the fact that it is slightly darker than standard Disney fare.
Coraline
One of the many reasons I love Halloween is that it celebrates individuality through costume, whether it’s dressing as someone completely different from you or dressing as a personal favorite character. And do you know which film nails its method of recognizing individuality? The character Edward Scissorhands. Tim Burton, as usual, paints a lively, detailed picture with just the right amount of eerie and heart. It’s a lush fantasy romance full of highly creative curiosities at every turn, but at its heart is the importance of simple human kindness and acceptance.
Coraline, one of the best Halloween Movies For Kids, based on Neil Gaiman’s popular “children‘s horror” novel, is similar to Alice in Wonderland—only creepier. Unhappy about moving to a new house as well as leaving all her friends behind, the brave heroine stumbles upon a portal to another world. She discovers attentive, adoring versions of her real parents as well as other exciting wonders. However, this new world is far more dangerous than it appears, and Coraline must find a way to save both her family and herself.
Labyrinth
Are you dealing with sibling rivalry? Labyrinth is a must-see for anyone who has ever been annoyed by a younger sibling. When Sarah wishes for goblins to take her baby brother, the King of the Goblins appears and whisks him away to the Labyrinth. Sarah must go inside and solve it within 13 hours in order to reclaim her younger brother. This film is filled with fantastical Jim Henson stooges and has enough magic to enchant the kids. Plus, David Bowie is ideal as the brooding, dissatisfied Jareth.
Casper
If you’re looking for fun, family-friendly Halloween Movies For Kids, look no further than Casper, a 1995 live-action/computer-generated animation film. Based on Seymore Reit and Joe Oriolo’s Harvey Comics character Casper the Friendly Ghost, this film kept the character’s core conceit while darkening the tone significantly. It’s family-friendly, but there are still some scary moments.
The plot revolves around a conceited heiress who wishes to rid her inherited house of Casper as well as his obnoxious (and dangerous) uncle, the Ghostly Trio, in order to access the treasure hidden within its walls. The treasure hunt is quite amusing. The father-daughter dynamic between Dr. Harvey (Bill Pullman), as well as Kat (Christina Ricci), is told better than the young love story that evolves between Kat and the title character. Its still-impressive technical effects may be showing signs of wear after more than 20 years, but its story remains a delight.
Halloweentown
To her mother’s chagrin, Marnie Piper has always been obsessed with Halloween. But it turns out her mother is hiding something from her—she’s a witch! Marnie follows grandmother Aggie to a strange place called Halloweentown when she arrives for her annual Halloween visit. This is the first in a magical trilogy, so be sure to check out the sequels.
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It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, arguably the Halloween Movies For Kids is a true classic for all ages, brimming with that sweet seasonal spirit. The Peanuts have always been a little deeper than they appeared, and this gem is no exception. It’s a moving parable of faith that ended up playing out in the pumpkin patch with sweet little Linus, who waited patiently and dutifully for the Great Pumpkin while his friends go trick-or-treating.
Sincere without being saccharine, delightful without being saccharine, and just downright heartwarming in the end, bursting at the seams with All Hallows spirit and that classic Peanuts charm that has entertained us for generations.
The list of Halloween Movies For Kids can be longer. So if you have any film to highly recommend, let us know in the comment section below.