The 10 Greatest Horror Movies for Kids, Ranked
When it comes to the realm of horror, most films are distinctly made for adults, as they often include blood and gore, or heavy topics like horrific murders or tragedies. Also, their primary purpose is to scare people, so obviously, it’s not a good idea to take children, who are typically easily frightened, to see a super scary film. But surely kids need something to watch during the Halloween season, right?
If you’re a parent with kids and you’re looking for something spooky to watch, which will slightly scare your kid while being age-appropriate, look no farther, because there are many films that have come out offering just that. Note that these aren’t just dark fantasy films–they’re often classified as horror from various sources, they just happen to be family-friendly. Also note that some films, like The Nightmare Before Christmas, aren’t goihg to be considered because of this (never mind the fact that that movie’s place as a Halloween film is still up for debate).
10
‘The House With A Clock in its Walls’ (2018)
The House With A Clock in its Walls is a peculiar little film that didn’t raise much of a buzz, but that is perfectly worthwhile, if not the greatest film ever made. The movie is about an orphaned boy named Lewis (Owan Vaccaro), who is sent to live with his eccentric uncle in an elaborate mansion. Strangely, no matter where Lewis goes in the house, he hears a strange ticking noise that sounds like it’s coming from within the walls themselves, hence the title.
Before Lewis knows it, he and his uncle are on a quest to save the world, using magic and fighting nightmarish creatures. While this is primarily a fantastical adventure movie, there are some visuals in it that are likely to frighten children, or at least creep them out, so it’s easy to call this one a horror movie for kids. It’s not the best on this list by a mile, but if you’re into dark fantasy, mystery, or Jack Black films, this is definitely worth a watch.
9
‘Goosebumps’ (2015)
R. L. Stine is pretty proficient at writing kids’ horror. The horror writer is best known for his long-running series of Goosebumps books, which inspired multiple TV adaptations, and are a nostalgic piece of many a childhood. No matter which decade you grew up in, it’s likely that the Goosebumps books likely had some part to play in your youth. The series explores a wide range of topics from ghosts to monsters, all presented through a kid-friendly lens.
The 2015 Goosebumps movie was actually very good, contrary to the expectations of the general public. To be blunt, the original TV show wasn’t very good, so hopes weren’t high for the movie. That said, it was a perfect bit of nostalgia, bringing back all of Stine’s most popular and recognizable characters from the books, and implementing them into a brand new story. It’s sort of a mish-mash of the best of the books, and is a film that, like much of Stine’s work, is spooky, yet perfeclty palatable for young audiences.
8
‘Wendell & Wild’ (2022)
Wendell & Wild is inspired by classic Gothic horror literature, so expect it to be suitably macabre, with a dreary mood that hangs over the entire film. The story itself is about the two titular demon brothers, who are imprisoned in the Land of the Dead. In classic demon fashion, they decide to escape the Land of the Dead by manipulating a young child, in the hopes that she will be able to summon them in the flesh to the Land of the Living, allowing them to wreak havoc on the world.
While the movie did get good reviews, it isn’t really super popular, which is a real shame because there is some genuinely creepy content in there for kids. Sure, it’s an overall goofy movie filled with comedic moments, but considering the fact that there are unsettling moments and that it derives much of its plot from Gothic horror, it can still be considered a horror film, just one meant for kids. If you haven’t checked this one out yet, you totally should.
7
‘Nightbooks’ (2021)
Nightbooks is a Netflix original film that sadly never really got the attention that it deserves. The film follows a young boy named Alex (Winslow Fegley), who is obsessed with horror and scary stories. He is enjoying his time in New York City when he is abruptly captured and help prisoner by an aspiring young witch, who hopes to use him in her nefarious schemes. But her motivations remain unknown–all she demands of Alex is that he read a new story to her from his favourite horror books each night, or he will die.
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Nightbooks is purely fictional, of course, but there is a pretty poignant narrative in there about stranger danger, which makes it an important film to watch for youngsters. Apart from that, the unique premise and live-action techniques set it apart from other films on this list, mosrt of which are animated. Nightbooks isn’t the best horror movie for kids out there, but its themes of isolation and witchcraft are classic tropes of Gothic horror. On top of that, any child who loves horror will surely see a piece of themselves in Alex.
6
‘Frankenweenie’ (2012)
So everyone knows the original story of Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein, right? You know, a scientist by the name of Dr. Frankenstein gets a wild idea to create life by stitching dead body parts together and animating the creature using electricity, only for the monster to turn on its creator? It’s a classic sci-fi/horror story that revolutionized the genre, and that has been in circulation for over two whole centuries. Well, what if there was a movie that presented the classic story in a new way that kids would be able to understand?
Enter Frankenweenie, a monochrome stop-motion animation directed by Tim Burton. Tim Burton is known for his twisted and dark films, many of them geared towards kids, and while this isn’t his finest effort, this is definitely one of the creepiest. The movie puts a twist on the story, where Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) is a child and uses his scientific knowledge to bring his beloved pet pooch back to life after the poor thing is hit by a car. It’s a movie that deals with loss and the nature of life, but in a family-friendly way, and is accompanied by plenty of mild spooks and scares to keep young viewers on their toes.
5
‘ParaNorman’ (2012)
Stop-motion animation film ParaNorman plays out like a Tim Burton film, but Burton actually had nothing to do with the film. Set in a sleepy town in New England, the protagonist is the titular Norman, (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a social outcast who is commonly seen as the “weird kid” due to his supernatural ability to communicate with the dead. Halloween is approaching, a time when the town commemorates their annual “season of the witch,” in memory of the witch trials that occured there in the Puritan Era.
As the date approaches, the town is faced with the vengeful ghost of a witch, and it’s up to Norman to stop her and save his town. Filled with a charming cast of characters, an intriguing premise, and some visuals that will definitely creep kids out, this is a highly underrated movie for young horror fans to watch. There are some scenes that younger children will most certainly find frightening, so it’s best to wait until your kids are a little bit older for this one.
4
‘The Witches’ (1990)
1990’s The Witches is not to be confused with the 2020 remake, which was a catastrophe that many would sooner forget. The original film is based on a children’s novel by Roald Dahl, a writer who became known for making whimsical, yet twisted stories for children. The story follows two children staying at a hotel in England, who accidentally stumble upon a coven of witches. They overhear that the coven is planning to use a potion to turn all the children in the hotel into mice, and become determined to stop them.
Since it was 1990, much of the film was made using practical effects rather than CGI, and delivers some really disgusting visuals that are sure to make anyone squirm in their seats, regardless of age. There aren’t any traditional jumpscares or anything like that, but the visuals are so gross that it feels like a body horror film, just one that’s suitable for kids. There’s no blood or gore or anything, so the visuals have to resort to other kinds of grossness in order to leave a lasting effect. This allows it to evolve into a kid-friendly horror movie with some of the most freaky imagery in the genre.
3
‘Corpse Bride’ (2005)
Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride is set in an unnamed British town in the 1800s. Inspired by classic Gothic horror, the film follows the wealthy Victor (Johnny Depp), who is engaged to marry an heiress for social and political reasons rather than love. The wedding preparations are going poorly and Victor is understandably apprehensive, so while he is out in the woods, clearing his head, Victor decides to practice his vows. He puts the ring on what he thinks is a gnarled tree branch, but is actually the hand of a corpse, who comes back to life and agrees to marry him.
With a star-studded cast, creepy, yet beautiful stop-motion animation, and a return to the conventions of Gothic horror, Corpse Bride is one of Tim Burton’s finest works, and is a superb introduction to the genre for younger viewers. From the suspense to the mild jumpscares, the movie introduces a lot of concepts that kids can expect to find in horror on a larger scale in more mature films, so it’s no surprise that many who loved this movie eventually found themselves loving horror as adults, too.
2
‘Monster House’ (2006)
Monster House follows DJ (Mitchel Musso), a pre-teen boy grappling with his nearing adolescence as his parents leave him home alone for the weekend of Halloween. DJ is particularly interested in the cantankerous old man across the street, Mr. Nebbercracker (Steve Buscemi), who constantly steals any toy or item that lands on his precious lawn. Nebbercracker is rushed away in an ambulance one evening, and before long, his house literally comes to life. Things are subtle at first, but as DJ and his friends seek to prevent the house from attacking trick-or-treaters that Halloween, the unravel the mystery behind the home and the old man inhabiting it.
This movie has some pretty big names in the supporting cast, including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Catherine O’Hara, Jon Heder, Nick Cannon, and Kevin James, to name just a few. If you haven’t seen this one yet, this is your sign to do so, because the movie has some hilarious punchlines and is suitably scary for children. It’s a fantastic movie if you’re an adult, and a fantastic movie if you’re a kid, which is why it’s become a Halloween classic for many families around the world.
1
‘Coraline’ (2009)
Coraline really is the ultimate family movie to watch during Halloween, because it terrified an entire generation of ’00s kids, and many adults still find it incredibly unnerving. This is another stop-motion film that feels like it should have been made by Tim Burton, but surprisingly, isn’t. The main character is, of course, Coraline (Dakota Fanning), an 11-year-old girl who is moving into a new home with her parents. She finds a hidden crawlspace in the home, and upon entering, realizes that it leads to an alternate dimension, one where everyone has creepy button eyes, and where nothing is as it should be.
Within are copies of Coraline’s family, and a near-perfect reflection of Coraline’s world. But things quickly spiral out of control and get much darker than anticipated. Coraline was a favourite for many critics, and is still a hit for families over a decade later. The fact that even adults find it creepy means it’s pretty much the perfect film for families to watch when spooky season rolls around, especially if said families have children.
