20 Best Scary Movies for Kids That Won't Keep Them (And You!) Up at Night

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Almost everyone loves a good scary movie now and then—even the younger members of your family! But how do you know your pick isn't going to keep the kiddos (and thereby you, too) up all night? If you're looking for a few family-friendly scares, look no further than our list of the best scary movies for kids. While many of these picks feature classic horror movie villains like vampires, ghosts, and monsters, they are all rated G or PG, so you can rest assured that any spooky elements are mild and unlikely to give your children nightmares.

In fact, many of these could be considered funny scary movies, like Hotel Transylvania or Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. And just because the majority of these are animated films doesn't mean there aren't plenty of fun scares and jokes for everyone in the family, including teens and adults. After all, who doesn't love The Goonies?! While these films can be enjoyed on family movie night anytime of the year, they also make excellent choices for kids' Halloween movies whenever the spooky season rolls around.

Muppets Haunted Mansion

The Haunted Mansion is the scariest place on earth, but the renowned daredevil The Great Gonzo isn't afraid—until he meets the mansion's ghostly residents.

Hocus Pocus

Hocus Pocus put a spell on an entire generation of children when it debuted in 1993, and it continues to deliver kid-friendly chills and thrills to this day.

Hocus Pocus 2

What did we tell you?! Hocus Pocus is still so beloved that it was, shall we say, resurrected for a sequel almost 20 years later. The Sanderson sisters have still got it!

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride

Leave it to Tim Burton to make an animated film that's just as unique and otherworldly as his live-action films—and only slightly less spooky, making it perfect for family viewing.

Coraline

When little Coraline discovers a parallel universe behind a secret door in her new home, she thinks it's the answer to all of her problems... until she discovers the dark secret hiding within the mysterious other world.

Twitches

This Disney original is sure to bewitch kids of all ages. It stars Tia and Tamera Mowry as twins who were separated at birth and discover each other–and the fact that they both possess magical powers—on their 21st birthday.

ParaNorman

To say Norman Babcock isn't your average 11-year-old boy is quite an understatement—considering he can communicate with ghosts! Now he must use his powers to save his small town from an ancient curse.

The Goonies

This beloved adventure follows a motley crew of misfits known as The Goonies on an action-packed treasure hunt to save their homes.

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas

Pumpkin King Jack Skellington has had enough of Halloween. This year, he wants to celebrate Christmas but his plans go awry and threaten to ruin the holiday for everyone.

The Addams Family

The first animated comedy about the famously creepy and kooky Addams Family offers tons of kid-friendly frights and fun. This is a great alternative for kids who are interested in the new hit show Wednesday but still a little too young to watch.

Hotel Transylvania

Dracula's daughter is turning 118 and he invites all of his best monster friends to celebrate at his five-stake hotel. But things take a troubling turn when a human shows up to the monsters-only resort.

Scoob!

Scooby-Doo and the gang are back and this time they're trying to save the world from a ghost dog named Cerberus. As his best friend Shaggy would say, "Zoinks!"

The Boxtrolls

To the rest of the world, they're scary trolls who must be destroyed. But to a human boy named Eggs, they're family. Now Eggs must save his kin from an evil exterminator who wants to wipe them out.

Frankenweenie

Victor is thrilled when he is able to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life. But when his classmates try their hand at resurrection, things get frighteningly out of hand.

Monster House

This house is more than just haunted—it's a living, breathing monster! When three young friends uncover this truth, they set out on a mission to save the town's children from the house's evil clutches.

Goosebumps

Lots of '90s kids grew up getting their scares from the pages of the horror book series Goosebumps by R.L. Stine. In this 2015 film, the author (played by Jack Black) and his family must save their hometown from certain death when all of the monsters escape from his works.

Beetlejuice

It's showtime! A couple of ghosts enlist a bio-exorcist named Beetlejuice to banish a living family from their home, but they soon realize that Beetlejuice has his own disturbing agenda.

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Two unlikely heroes, an inventor named Wallace and his dog Gromit, must save their town from a giant rabbit in this funny parody of classic monster movies.

Toy Story of Terror!

Calling all Toy Story fans! In this spooky short film, Buzz, Woody, and Jessie must solve the sudden disappearances of their friends before it's too late for them all.

Spirited Away

A 10-year-old girl named Chihiro is whisked away to a spirit world when she and her family visit an abandoned theme park. Now it's up to her to save her parents from a frightening fate.

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