Have Halloween-loving kids? Well, they're in luck. As the spooky, candy-centric holiday draws near, we've been discovering more and more kid-friendly Halloween movies and specials on Netflix for kids to enjoy over the next couple of weeks to really get in the spirit. From animated Halloween shorts for toddlers and preschoolers, to live-action spooky flicks for middle schoolers and young teens, there are cute, spooky, and mysterious options for kids in nearly every age group available to stream on Netflix this October.
We love that there are so many movies and shows for our little ones — and their older siblings — to watch to help them get in the Halloween spirit, especially because the fall holiday may look a bit different this year. Because many families may be skipping the trick-or-treating, Halloween dances, and haunted hay rides this year, movies and other festive things we can do at home are kind of a big deal.
So pop some popcorn, grab a handful of candy corn, pour up a mug of apple cider, and cozy up with the kiddos for a Halloween-themed Netflix session that everyone can enjoy. These 17 spooky-not-scary movies and Halloween specials should provide plenty of hours of viewing pleasure for any young or young-at-heart All Hallows' Eve enthusiasts.
'Super Monsters: Dia de los Monsters'
The adorable friendly mini-monsters that preschoolers love are visiting their friend Vida's hometown for a Dia de los Muertos celebration. They'll meet some new little monsters and get to attend a traditional "Dia" parade. The beautiful animation on this seasonal special alone is enough to make it worth watching — maybe even more than once.
'Spookley the Square Pumpkin'
Also ideal for the younger ones is Spookley the Square Pumpkin. It's a short movie about a pumpkin named Spookley who just doesn't fit in … because he's square and not round, like most pumpkins. When he becomes the victim of some bully round pumpkins, his scarecrow, bat, and spider friends come to his aid.
'Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island'
Can't go wrong with a classic crew of bad-guy busters. In this 1998 animated film, Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, and Fred travel to Moonscar Island in the hopes of tracking down a true villain — and not just a bad guy in a mask. They find exactly that on Moonscar Island, which appears to be inhabited by terrifying werecats, spooky zombies, and evil ghosts!
'Room on the Broom'
In this fun animated short perfect for younger viewers, a friendly witch invites a dog, a bird, and a frog — who've all helped her find lost things — to ride on her broom, much to the ire of her pet cat. When the broom becomes too heavy to quickly escape a fire-breathing dragon, it is destroyed, and the witch's furry friends must save her from being eaten by the dragon.
'Dear Dracula'
In this quirky animated short, when Dracula realizes that people are no longer afraid of him, he decides to attend a Halloween party in his suburban neighborhood. He doesn't just want have fun with friends, though. Dracula wants to spook them into once again fearing him, and so he can restore his ghastly image.
'Ghost Patrol'
Along with their dog, brother and sister duo Gabi and Spence are known as their town's ghost fighters. The thing is, they've never actually encountered a real ghost on any of their missions, but that soon changes when they are called to Geist Manor, which is in need of a supernatural extermination before it can be sold.
'The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-A-Ween'
In this Captain Underpants Halloween special — based on characters from the popular graphic novels and feature film — Melvin attempts to cancel the holiday, but Harold and George aren't having it. Instead, they decide to create a brand-new holiday in the spirit of Halloween that they dub Hack-A-Ween.
'The Little Vampire'
The Little Vampire is a feature-length animated Halloween movie that the younger elementary crowd is sure to love. It's about a vampire-obsessed middle schooler who ends up meeting a vampire his same age. When he finds out his new buddy's family is in danger, he embarks on a quest to save them.
'StarBeam Halloween Hero'
StarBeam is a super-cute cartoon about an elementary schooler who also happens to be a superhero boasting super speed. In its second season, there's a really fun Halloween episode during which StarBeam and her sidekick have to stop a greedy pirate from stealing all of the children's Halloween candy. It's a perfectly wholesome Halloween show for little ones.
'A Go! Go! Cory Carson Halloween'
Go! Go! Cory Carson is another Netflix Original series for preschoolers and like StarBeam, it features a cute Halloween-themed episode suited to the youngest TV viewers. The episode sees Cory and friends (they're toy cars) head to the "spooky" side of town on a mission to find the very biggest Halloween candy bars.
'The Boy Who Cried Werewolf'
Starring Nickelodeon personality Victoria Justice, The Boy Who Cried Werewolf, is a slightly scary movie that upper elementary kiddos and middle schoolers can get into. It's about an American family that inherits a Romanian castle. On the family's first visit, strange events occur, and one family member ends up turning into a werewolf.
'True Tricky Treat Day'
The Netflix cartoon True and the Rainbow Kingdom released an adorable Halloween special in 2019, titled True Tricky Treat Day. In the 20-minute episode, True and her friends must save their entire town when a Yeti sneaks tricky treats to everyone, turning them into "Howling Greenie" monsters.
'Pocoyo Halloween: Space Halloween'
Pocoyo is an animated program for toddlers out of Europe that has taken hold of American tots as well. The program features a little boy who learns through play and exploration. In the Pocoyo Halloween: Space Halloween special, little Pocoyo and his friends participate in a costume contest while they learn about the planets and stars.
'DreamWorks Spooky Stories Volume 2'
DreamWorks Spooky Stories is a multi-part collection of eerie and mysteriously animated shorts featuring some of DreamWorks Animation's most beloved characters — including B.O.B., Megamind, and even Shrek. Think titles like, The Ghost of Lord Farquaad, and Megamind: The Button of Doom to name a few.
'Goosebumps 2'
While the first Goosebumps film, starring Jack Black, has disappeared from Netflix, the sequel is still available. This follow-up film is of course based on the book series of the same name and is about two friends who recruit the help of one's older sister when the scary stories they're reading in a book they found start coming to life.
'A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting'
A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting is a brand-new Netflix Original about a young babysitter who is recruited into a babysitting secret society. When one of her charges goes missing while she's sitting him on Halloween night, she sets out on a mission to find and save him from the dangerous Boogeyman.
'Hulk: Where Monsters Dwell'
Kids who are Marvel fans will go nuts for this animated Hulk Halloween movie. It follows Hulk and Doctor Strange on Halloween night as they fight off the villain Nightmare, Ruler of the Dream Dimension. As Hulk and Doctor Strange battle monsters terrorizing New York City, they realize Nightmare has an evil plan that must be thwarted before it's too late.
