10 Best Halloween Movies for Kids in 2022 (Tim Burton, Kenny Ortega, and More)

This stop-motion animated movie tells the story of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town. Jack becomes bored with his annual Halloween duties and decides to take over Christmas. Unfortunately for Jack, Christmas doesn’t come as naturally to him as Halloween does and things don’t go to plan!

The Nightmare Before Christmas is suitable for children of all ages and has many adult fans as well, due to its colorful characters and creepy aesthetic. The movie has 11 songs and is spooky without being scary.

Many reviewers state that it is part of their annual Halloween (and Christmas!) routines and that they enjoy singing along. They especially love the variety of characters and the relationships between them.

Three sisters who were convicted of witchcraft and executed 300 years ago are resurrected by some unknowing teenagers and wreak havoc on the town of Salem, Massachusetts. It’s up to the same children that brought them back to ensure that they don’t succeed in stealing the souls of the town’s children. 

Hocus Pocus has an all-star cast led by Bette Midler and is a comedy with a few light frights sprinkled in. A particular highlight for reviewers is Bette Midler’s rendition of “I Put a Spell on You” at a Halloween dance.

Reviewers say that Hocus Pocus is very entertaining, but may be a little too frightening for younger children. The three witches—the Sanderson Sisters—are well-liked by reviewers for the lively characters and how well the three actresses work together. 

The Addams’ are a rich and eccentric family with a taste for the macabre. When long-lost Uncle Fester arrives on their doorstep with his psychiatrist, is all really as it seems? Is this really Uncle Fester or an imposter determined to get his hands on the Addams Family fortune?

There have been many versions of The Addams Family since the characters were created in 1938, but the version in this 1991 movie is arguably the best. Reviewers who remember the popular TV show of the 1960s consider this to be a very faithful and loving remake. 

However, you don’t have to be a fan of the TV program to enjoy this movie. At the heart of the movie is a family that, although odd, is very loving. The chemistry between both the characters and the actors that play them is highly praised. Reviewers say that the movie is humorous and heartwarming.

A single father and his teenager move into a beautiful mansion. This is no ordinary mansion, and he’s no ordinary father, however—the mansion is haunted by mischievous spirits and he is a ghost therapist. It’s the father’s job to expel the ghosts from the mansion, but three mischievous spirits aren’t willing to leave. 

While her father is struggling with the trio of ghosts, Kat befriends a fourth—the friendly ghost, Casper. It’s up to father and daughter to help the ghosts cross to the other side. Christina Ricci plays Kat and her acting is praised, especially as many of her scenes are with Casper the ghost.

Reviewers state that this movie is suitable for children of all ages. They like that underneath the obvious comedy of the movie is a message of how to process the loss of someone you love. The character design of the ghosts is praised by reviewers as they have a cute, transparent design created with CGI that aged just fine. 

A young girl named Coraline moves house with her family. Feeling bored and lacking attention from her family, Coraline finds a secret passage in her new home. One night, she enters the passage and finds herself in a parallel universe where everyone has buttons for eyes and has loving, attentive parents. 

Her Other Mother in the parallel universe tries to get Coraline to stay with her but Coraline soon realizes it’s a trick and that she has to return to the real world. This stop-motion animation movie effectively creates a dark and nightmarish alternate world and reviewers state this may not be suitable for young children.

They praise the quality of the animation and the design of the movie, as both the characters and the settings are beautifully realized. The voice cast also comes in for particular praise, especially Dakota Fanning who voices Coraline.

In the 1800s, a young man is engaged to be married. When the wedding rehearsal doesn't go as planned, he decides to practice his vows in a nearby forest. Unfortunately for him, the finger-shaped stick on the ground that he slips the wedding ring onto isn't a stick at all—it's the finger of a deceased bride! 

This stop-motion animated movie is too dark and creepy for little kids, but older kids should enjoy it. 

Reviewers love the imaginative world and how it is realized. They say that all of the characters are interesting and fun, regardless of whether they are the main character or a minor one. Reviewers also praise the core message of the movie and say it is enjoyable to watch.

Based on the popular children's book series of the same name, the Goosebumps movie sees teenager Zach move to a new town. His next-door neighbor is R. L. Stine, the author of the Goosebumps books. 

The monsters of Stine's imagination are real, but he's able to keep them locked up by writing them into his books. Zach unintentionally releases Stine's monsters from his manuscripts and they terrorize the town.

The ambiguous ending can leave younger viewers frightened, so this movie may not be suitable for them. Reviewers found this movie to be funny and praise Jack Black's performance as Stine. They also like the child actors and the chemistry between the characters. Reviewers say that the monsters are well-realized and the story is fun.

Thirteen-year-old DJ has suspicions about the house across the street. When the old man that owns it dies of a heart attack, DJ discovers that the house is a real, living monster. Along with his friends Chowder and Jenny, it's up to DJ to stop the house and they can only do that from inside it.

This animated movie is recommended for older children as it can be too scary for the youngest. Reviewers say that it is a good mix of scares and comedy. The quality of the animation is highly praised, with the facial expressions of the characters being especially singled out.

Loosely based on the Disneyland attraction of the same name, this movie sees a workaholic real-estate agent played by Eddie Murphy take his family on vacation to Louisiana. It isn't just a vacation, though; he's looking to close the deal of his career by selling a beautiful mansion. 

A thunderstorm traps the family in the mansion and they soon find out that the mansion is inhabited by many people, both alive and dead.

Reviewers liked the humor of this movie. They say that Eddie Murphy is amusing as expected, but that the child actors also play their parts well. The movie is creepy without being overtly scary and many reviewers say that their young children were able to watch the movie without any issues.

Now a successful franchise, this is the first in the series. Dracula opens a hotel in Transylvania as a safe place to raise his daughter, Mavis. Monsters from around the globe come to stay at the hotel as it is hidden safely away from humans. 

When Dracula throws a party to celebrate Mavis' 118th birthday, a human boy discovers the hotel. Dracula disguises the boy as a monster to keep him safe, but Mavis soon falls for him.

This animated movie is suitable for children of all ages. Reviewers like the message of acceptance that is present in the movie. They also love the humor, as they say it is funny for children but there are also enough jokes for adults to find funny, also. Reviewers like the cast of characters and say that the animation is nice and colorful.