Not-so-scary Halloween films for kids

There are countless horror films for adults to choose from – or Ghostbusters to fall back on (the original version, of course!). Here, though, are some suggestions of Halloween movies for the little ones, so they don’t miss out. And for the not so brave among the adults!

Movie classics

• Recent release Goosebumps is based on R.L. Stine’s children’s book series. It’s not overly graphic and will be fun for kids aged five and above.
• Hotel Transylvania and its sequel will get your kids giggling with their host of eccentric monsters (and, not forgetting, one loveable human) and their crazy antics.
• Take your kids on a spooky adventure with Scooby-Doo and friends as they solve mysteries and come across monsters, ghouls and more.
• Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride are animated movies that have appropriately eerie themes, along with song and dance. Great for kids aged seven and up.

• Monsters, Inc. is charming, funny and exciting all in one. The two main stars are monsters, but not the really scary kind, so it’s perfect for little kids. Anyone over the age of four is sure to love this one.
• Casper offers the perfect mix of Halloween and kid-friendliness. Casper the Friendly Ghost and Kat, a normal teenage girl, quickly become friends and go on adventures together.
• Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie is suitable for all ages; after all, honeyloving Pooh would never scare anyone!
• Hocus Pocus is perfect for pre-teens. It features three witch sisters on the path of revenge.
• “I still think Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is the best not-so-scary scary movie out there – it’s a perfect one for the whole family as it’s got lots of secret adult humour sprinkled through out. It’s about Wallace & His dog Gromit starting a pest-control business, when they receive a call to try and stop the dreaded Were-Rabbit from eating the town crops.” – Michaela 

• Monster House – No adults believe three youths’ (Mitchel Musso, Spencer Locke, Sam Lerner) assertion that a neighbouring residence is a living creature that means them harm.
• Harry Potter Movies – Maybe this is pushing the Halloween movie vibe but surely wizards, Death Eaters and giant snakes count as spooky?! A favourite is the Chamber of Secrets or Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
• Frankenweenie – Young Victor Frankenstein is a science nerd and outsider at school, but he does have one good friend: his dog, Sparky. But then, tragedy strikes, and Sparky shuffles off this mortal coil. His science teacher (Martin Landau) gives him an idea of how to jolt old Sparky back to life.
• The Haunted Mansion – Workaholic real estate agent Jim Evers (Eddie Murphy) is accused by his wife, Sara, of neglecting his son and daughter, so he takes the family on a vacation. Along the way, the family stops off at a sinister mansion that Jim has been asked to sell only to discover it’s haunted.
• Coraline – While exploring her new home, a girl named Coraline (Dakota Fanning) discovers a secret door.  Behind it lies an alternate world that closely mirrors her own but, in many ways, is better, but they all have buttons for eye (obviously not a red flag).
• The House with the Clock in the Walls is a great blend of humor and age-appropriate spine-tingling horror. Ten-year-old Lewis goes to live with his truly odd uncle (Jack Black) in a creaky house with a mysterious ticking heart in its walls. The magical adventure is good for kids 10+.

To watch in the cinema

• The Addams Family is at the cinemas from the 10th of October in Singapore

Get ready to snap your fingers! The first family of Halloween, the Addams Family, is back on the big screen in the first animated comedy about the kookiest family on the block. Funny, outlandish and completely iconic, the Addams Family redefines what it means to be a good neighbor!