A marathon of scary movies and shows is an October must-do for gearing up for trick or treating and getting into the Halloween spirit. But when some of the couch squad are young kids (or older kids and adults who aren't big fans of gore and blood) it can be hard to choose Halloween-themed things to watch that won't lead to nightmares.
Of course, watching a scary movie with your hands covering your eyes is always an option, but no one wants to be on high alert the whole time, waiting for a monster to pop out of the closet. Plus, it's impossible to eat any popcorn that way. Fortunately, there are tons of Halloween movies and shows to stream this month that are perfectly spooky without being too scary.
We've rounded up the best spooky movies and shows to stream with the family this month on Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix. There are spooky thrills that will please everyone including cartoons featuring preschoolers' favorite characters, old-school classics to share with the kids, and kid-friendly supernatural series to binge on. Make it a new family tradition to watch something spooky together each weekend in October as part of a Halloween countdown, or spend a weekend streaming everyone's top creepy pick while painting pumpkins and snacking on the Halloween candy that was supposed to be saved for the trick or treaters. (We're all guilty of it.)
Halloween movies don't have to be terrifying or gory to be fun, and we've got the list to prove it. Enjoy streaming these just-scary-enough shows and movies with the family, and feel better knowing there's there won't be a single chainsaw or hockey mask haunting everyone's dreams afterward.
SUPER MONSTERS
This cartoon series on Netflix follows six little monsters who "transform" at night and attend school together, learning the ways of the monster world (and important social skills along the way). It's a super cute Halloween pick for preschoolers and littles who aren't into scares.
CORALINE
Tweens who keep pestering their parents to watch Stranger Things might be into Coraline, streaming on Netflix. This stop-motion animation film follows the story of an 11-year-old girl who discovers an alternate dimension that looks much like her own world but with its own dark secrets.
MONSTER FAMILY
A family finds itself cursed by a witch and transformed into monsters in Monster Family, streaming on Netflix. The plot line is involved enough to keep parents engaged on a Friday night, but a few fart jokes will help keep the kids laughing.
MICKEY'S HOUSE OF VILLAINS
Disney fans will adore Mickey's House of Villians, streaming on Netflix. It's a classic battle of Mickey and his friends versus Jafar, Ursula, and some of their worst cohorts. Don't worry: Mickey and his pals win in the end.
SPOOKY STORIES
Kids who love the Shrek films should add Dreamworks' Spooky Stories to their October watch list. These short cartoons offer spooky laughs. Both volume one and two are streaming on Netflix right now.
ROOM ON THE BROOM
Pop over to Netflix to see this short film that brings the classic Halloween kids' book to life. Just don't be surprised if the kids request watching and reading Room on the Broom on repeat from now until Halloween.
SUMMER CAMP ISLAND
Older kids and parents will get a kick out of Cartoon Network's Summer Camp Island. Witches are camp counselors and magic is everywhere at this camp — even the marshmallows are alive.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Kids won't want to stop watching The Nightmare Before Christmas just because Halloween is over, but that's fine because Jack, Sally, and their friends can still work as a winter holiday movie too! Find it on Hulu.
VAMPIRINA
This sweet cartoon follows a little vampire as she moves from Transylvania to Pennsylvania and makes new friends.
CURIOUS GEORGE: A HALLOWEEN BOOFEST
The perfect cartoon to pop on when there are dishes that need to get done, littles will love watching Curious George in this special Halloween themed adventure on Hulu.
JUST ADD MAGIC
Tweens and moms alike will find themselves hooked on this Amazon series about amateur young witches and the magic in their small town.
THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT HALLOWEEN
Looking to add a little learning to Halloween viewing? This Cat in the Hat Halloween special on Amazon combines seasonal fun with education. It's a pumpkin-spiced win.
SIGMUND AND THE SEA MONSTER
A remake of the 1973 classic, Sigmund and the Sea Monster is the story of two brothers who find and befriend a sea monster. They teach him the ways of the human world while keeping him out of the clutches of a captain searching for him. No scary sea creatures here! Look for it on Amazon Prime.
DOUBLE, DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE
The Olsen twins classic we all watched every Halloween is on Hulu, just in time to stream it with our own kids. Fingers crossed they love it as much as we did.
SESAME STREET: A MAGIC HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE
Kids who plan to dress as Elmo for Halloween will love this *Sesame Street-*themed Halloween special with everyone's favorite characters. Pop over to Amazon to stream it now.
THE WORST WITCH
Fans of Harry Potter will love Netflix's series The Worst Witch. Watch Mildred Hubble learn her way through witches' school, learning spells and making friends along the way.
SPOOKY BUDDIES
Yes, Spooky Buddies has a plot — pups making their way through a haunted house. But it's puppies in cute costumes, so really that's all you need to know. Call it screen time that double as self-care, thanks to Netflix.
COCO
This visually stunning and heartwarming movie, now streaming on Netflix, tells the story of young Miguel, who crosses over to the Land of the Dead in search of his great-grandfather, a famous musician.
MONSTER HOUSE
Tweens and young teens who think they might be ready for a slight scare but don't want to make the jump to a true horror film can check out Monster House on Hulu. This cartoon movie tells the story of a haunted house come to life.
ALL HALLOW'S EVE
Sure to be a Halloween family movie night classic, All Hallows Eve tells the story of Eve, a girl who finds out she's a witch and has evil relatives to contend with. File it under oddly relatable, and find it on Netflix.
