It’s almost Halloween! Parents might be looking forward to a late night snuggle on the couch watching scary stuff like Nightmare on Elm Street or Scream, but you need something a little more friendly for your kids!
(Oh, this post contains affiliate links.)
Need some inspiration? Here’s a list of my 13 favourite movies for an awesome Family Halloween Movie Night!
Note: I’ve added a * to all movies that I think may be a bit too much for littler children. I’m no expert because I love scary movies, as does my daughter. These are all PG, but only you will know how your kids will respond to scary stuff.
The Nightmare Before Christmas*
Tim Burton’s beautiful stop-motion film about Christmas-loving Jack Skellington, king of Halloweentown, and how he tries to take over Christmas. Full of beautiful music and songs. This is also a great Christmas movie!
Available from Amazon.
Goosebumps movies*
Featuring characters from the classic Goosebumps kids’ books, discover the chaos that ensues when they accidentally come to life! Starring Jack Black as the real-life author R. L. Stine.
Available from Amazon.
You can also see the original TV series on Netflix UK.
The Addams Family
Meet the creepy and kooky Addams Family, and what happens when a mysterious stranger claiming to be a long-lost relative shows up at their door.
Available from Amazon.
Coraline*
Another magical stop-motion. 11 year-old Coraline discovers in her new home a strange door that appears to lead nowhere. Or does it?
Available from Amazon.
By the way, my daughter is also a huge fan of the utterly magical book, which came before the movie. She says you should read it at once. Grownups as well as kids.
Labyrinth*
Join Sarah as she tries to solve the mysterious labyrinth, and rescue her baby brother from the land of the Goblins. And who can resist David Bowie as the baby-stealing Goblin King? Music and puppets feature in the 80s classic.
Available to stream on Netflix UK.
Corpse Bride*
Another dose of Tim Burton magic, this time we meet Victor, who accidentally marries a corpse bride rather than his real fiancée. It’s not as gruesome as it sounds, and has a good measure of romance with the chills.
Available from Amazon.
Hotel Transylvania
This is a terrific comedy cartoon set in the Dracula’s very own Hotel Transylvania, a holiday resort for all manner of ghosts and monsters to hang out.
Currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.
You can also get the triple box set of DVDs on Amazon.
Casper
Casper is a little ghost who just wants a friend. He teams up with Kat (Christina Ricci) to get rid of mischevious spirits intent on driving Kat and her father out of their home.
Currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.
Ghostbusters*
The original and best! Follow the four parapsychologists as they work to banish the ghosts rampaging through New York City. Also includes one of the catchiest title songs ever.
Available from Amazon.
You can also make it a double bill with Ghostbusters 1 & 2!
It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
The Peanuts TV holiday specials are American classics, and this one, with Linus’s all-night vigil to finally meet The Great Pumpkin, is just as sweet now as it was 50 years ago.
Available from Amazon.
Monsters, Inc.
One of Pixar’s best! Monsters Scully and Mike accidentally let a little girl, Boo, into their world, and they have to get her home before their arch-rivals discover her!
Available from Amazon.
If you fancy a double bill there’s also the sequel, Monsters University.
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
The man and dog duo set out to discover the beast that is destroying the town’s precious vegetable plots. Is it a giant rabbit?
Available on Amazon.
Room on the Broom
This tale about a friendly witch is based on the charming children’s book from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Perfect for the youngest family members!
Currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.
And that’s your 13 movies!
One more thing before you go.
If your watching a movie, you need popcorn.
Please, please make it yourself. It’s very easy, delicious, and SO much better than anything you’ll buy in a package. Or worse, microwave popcorn <shudder>.
Happy haunting!
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If you’d like to read more Halloween-related stuff, click here for some cool Halloween greeting cards and crafts, and here for a great pumpkin-themed recipe box for kids!
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