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6 Halloween movies that won’t give you nightmares

Dannielle Beardsley
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Most people like a good fright now and then, especially around Halloween. But if you like your excitement on the milder side or are looking for seasonal family-friendly movies that won’t wake the kiddies — and by extension, you — with nightmares check out these six that we found.

A group of kids watching a movie.

The Book of Life

The Book of Life walked so Coco could run. This adorable movie tells the story about love, life, and relationships, but in a kid-friendly way. It follows a group of school kids being told a story that takes them through the Day of the Dead and many adventures and ends with a cute plot twist.

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The slapstick comedy will keep everyone laughing, the parents will get all of the dry humor, and the songs will keep the kids happy. The whole family will get sucked in by the stunning imagery.

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Watch The Book of Life | Full Movie | Disney+ (disneyplus.com)

Hotel Transylvania

If your whole family wants to laugh for pretty much the whole movie, Hotel Transylvania is where it’s at. Told from the monster’s point of view, your family will be rooting for the humans to go away right along with them. For the parents, most of the characters are voiced by your favorite SNL members like Adam Sandler and David Spade.

This is one of those movies that you can watch over and over again and catch a new joke every time. With all of the laughs, your kids will want to watch it all season long. There are a few sequels out so if your family enjoys it, you’ll have your movie nights for October all setup.

Watch Hotel Transylvania Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial)

A dad and son watching a movie together.

The Addams Family

The 1991 family favorite The Addams Family is the perfect Halloween movie. The kids will love it, the language is G-rated, and the timeless good fun gives you comfort every October.

It’s a family movie at heart, so it’s best watched all together. But the darker humor is also there to keep the parents entertained. It’s always part of Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween (whose schedule for 2021 is still not released yet, but you can look over the 2020 lineup) so you will have a few chances to catch it. Make a weekend out of it and watch Addams Family Values.

The “31 Nights of Halloween” Schedule | Freeform Updates

Pluto TV – Drop in. Watch Free.

Casper

Everyone’s friendliest ghost has some pretty funny ghost uncles. Combining live-action and some pretty amazing visual effects for 1995, Casper will make you laugh, cry, and want your house to be haunted.

From dealing with normal teenager high school drama to being the new kid to trying to fit in, Casper deals with childhood themes that your kiddos will relate to. Parents will relate to the constant frustration of Cat’s dad. Enjoy the movie as a family and then dance together during the end scene and credits.

Watch Casper | Prime Video (amazon.com)

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Whether you call this a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas should be watched every year. The brilliant stop-animation work and beautiful story of finding what makes you happy in life will resonate with kids and grownups.

The beautiful imagery will keep kids and adults glued to the TV. Have fun laughing at Sally getting away from the doctor and the Mayor never knowing what to do. Kids will love the songs and music and parents will love singing along with the kids. Plus, Zero always keeps the kids focused on what’s important. We love the numerous quotes from Jack and Oogie and his henchmen. The movie also makes a great family Halloween costume idea.

Watch Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas | Full Movie | Disney+ (disneyplus.com)

A family on the couch about to watch a movie.

Hocus Pocus

Twist the bones and bend the back and enjoy this family Halloween movie. Kids will love to follow Danny on her and Max’s journey through a new school and a new town. Parents will lean into Winnie and Billie’s feelings throughout the movie.

With songs peppered throughout and adult-friendly jokes that the kids won’t get yet, this movie has fun for the parents and delight for the kiddos. Plus, if you don’t dress up as the Sanderson sisters for Halloween, are you even in the autumn spirit? Read the book because the sequel is coming in 2022.

Watch Hocus Pocus | Full Movie | Disney+ (disneyplus.com)

Make some popcorn, grab a blanket, let everyone snuggle up on the couch, and get in the Halloween spirit. If you don’t want to get too spooky, or your kids aren’t at the age to introduce them to the scarier side of things, then these six Halloween movies for kids will still get you all in the mood without leaving any little ones (or yourself) screaming out in the middle of the night.

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