Light the jack-o’lanterns, grab a blanket, and settle in - Halloween movie night is here! From gentle ghost stories for the youngest viewers to thrillers that older teens can handle, the right film sets the perfect autumn mood.
We’ve organized some recommendations by age so you can find just the right level of spooky for your crew.
Halloween movie/show picks by age group:
- Preschool & Early Elementary
- Older Elementary
- Tweens
- Teens
Preschool and Early Elementary
Just enough “spooky” without nightmares
- It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Linus waits in the pumpkin patch for the Great Pumpkin while the Peanuts gang celebrates Halloween.
- Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie: Roo and Lumpy learn about bravery and friendship during a Hundred Acre Wood Halloween.
- Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest: George and friends join a fall festival with silly scares and farmyard fun.
- Spookley the Square Pumpkin: A square pumpkin proves being different can save the day.
- Hotel Transylvania: Dracula runs a monster resort that’s turned upside down when a human boy shows up.
Older Elementary
Goofy scares, adventure, and just enough tension
- Casper: A friendly ghost befriends a girl while mischievous spirits haunt their new home.
- Coco: A boy journeys to the Land of the Dead to uncover his family’s past and chase his musical dream.
- Monster House: Three kids discover their neighbor’s house is literally alive.
- Frankenweenie: A boy brings his beloved dog back to life with spooky science.
- Goosebumps: Monsters escape from R.L. Stine’s books, and teens must trap them again.
Tweens
Easing into the more legit creepy
- Hocus Pocus: Teen siblings accidentally resurrect three wicked witches in Salem.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas: Jack Skellington tries to take over Christmas with ghoulish results.
- Coraline: A girl discovers a magical “other world” that quickly turns sinister.
- Ghostbusters: A team of quirky scientists fight ghosts invading New York City.
- Beetlejuice: A team of quirky scientists fight ghosts invading New York City.
Teens and Adults
Full on horror & thrillers
- The Conjuring: Paranormal investigators help a family terrorized by a dark force.
- Zombieland: Survivors of the zombie apocalypse fight, joke, and hunt for Twinkies.
- The Others: A mother suspects her eerie house hides ghostly secrets.
- Fear Street Trilogy: Teens across three time periods fight to break a centuries-old curse haunting their town.
- Scream: Teens in a small town are hunted by a masked killer who loves horror movies.
SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE!
Love this article? Want more like it and to get the latest on local Greater Derry & Nashua area events? Subscribe below to receive our free, weekly Macaroni KID newsletter in your inbox every Friday. Our goal is to bring you all of the best family-friendly events, activities, and businesses in our area. Have a small business and want to reach thousands of local families? Advertise with us! Contact us anytime (karynm@macaronikid.com) with your ideas, event listings, and suggestions.
Macaroni KID Greater Derry proudly serves Derry, Londonderry, Hampstead, East Hampstead, Windham, Salem, Chester, Candia, Atkinson, Auburn, Sandown, Pelham and Plaistow! SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive our free, weekly Macaroni KID Derry newsletter.
Macaroni KID Greater Nashua proudly serves Nashua, Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Milford, Merrimack! SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive our free, weekly Macaroni KID Nashua newsletter.
