I was 6 when the now-classic movie Hocus Pocus was released. We went to theater to see it. My mom was a huge Bette Midler fan, so I’m pretty sure she was the one who was actually the most interested in going to see the movie. Now, at 36, I love Hocus Pocus and try to watch it every year in October. But 6-year-old Sara was traumatized by it. I was convinced that witches would come back from the dead and suck out my soul.
Needless to say, I won’t be screening Hocus Pocus with my almost 4-year-old and 1-year-old. But I do want to get my kids in the Halloween spirit. So I set out to find some videos and movies that give the Halloween vibes, but that largely take the spooky out of spooky season. Happily, I found 10 really good options. Some of these are shorter videos perfect for the youngest of the younger crowd, some are full-length films that require a bit more of an attention span, and one is an unconventional wild card that I loved as a preschooler (but your mileage may vary).
So grab your popcorn (or Pirates Booty for kids under 3), dim the lights, and get excited for Halloween!
1. Toy Story of Terror
Run Time: 20 minutes
Availability: Disney+
Woody, Buzz, and the gang get caught in a horror movie farce that involves a pet iguana, an action figure that is missing a hand, and an Ebay scam. It’s got the familiar characters your kids love, is funny, and has just the right amount of suspense to keep your little ones engaged but not scared. Bonus if your kids have Toy Story character friends at home, they can watch too (we had Woody himself join us when we watched)!
2. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Run Time: 25 minutes
Availability: Apple TV+; free for non-subscribers October 21-22
I miss this playing as a Halloween special on broadcast TV. It was a defining moment of the Halloween season when I was growing up. Linus is intent on meeting the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown gets rocks instead of candy, and Snoopy shows up as the Red Baron. All you could ask for in a Peanuts holiday special.
3. Room on the Broom
Run Time: 25 minutes
Availability: Rent on Apple TV or Prime Video
If your kids are like mine, they love the illustrated children’s book by Julia Donaldson. They love seeing their favorite storybooks come to life, so this is a hit! The story follows a witch and her cat as they make friends with a dog, a bird, and a frog to join them as they travel on the witch’s broomstick.
4. Muppets Haunted Mansion
Run Time: 49 minutes
Availability: Disney+
I know I have so many childhood muppet memories, and I bet you do too. This short-ish special is a perfect way to pass a love of the muppets down to the next generation AND get them in the mood for Halloween. Two birds, one stone (or two Camillas, one Gonzo?)! This movie has Gonzo and Pepe the King Prawn (my personal favorite muppet) entering Disney’s Haunted Mansion. Everything you love about the Haunted Mansion is there, from Will Arnett as your Ghost Host to the ghost muppets dancing in the ballroom to the iconic wallpaper. It’s a real treat to see if Gonzo and/or Pepe become the Haunted Mansion’s 1000th resident.
5. Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest
Run Time: 1 hour
Availability: Buy on Apple TV or Prime Video
My toddler is currently obsessed with Curious George, and my preschooler really loves him too. They’re major fans of the books and the TV program, so this Halloween themed Curious George movie was a no brainer in my household. You and your kids will love watching George try to catch No Noggin the scarecrow and come up with a Boo Festival-winning costume. The only drawback here is its length. At an hour long, it’s a bit of a stretch for the youngest amongst us.
6. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Run Time: 1 hour, 16 minutes
Availability: Disney+
The age-old debate: is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? I think you can probably say both, but in my mind, a movie starring the Pumpkin King definitely has a place on your Halloween viewing list. Follow the Pumpkin King as he tries to take over Christmas and realizes he should just stick to what he knows best – Halloween! This is a Tim Burton movie, so it’s weird, and might be a bit much for some littles. You know your kids best!
7. Halloweentown
Run Time: 1 hour, 24 minutes
Availability: Disney+
I’m showing my age here. Halloweentown was a classic Disney Channel movie from my childhood. I was 11 when it first aired, and clearly the exact demographic for this movie. Perhaps that’s why I’ll always have a soft spot for this particular Halloween movie, which revolves around Marnie discovering her family’s big secret – they’re witches!
8. Monsters, Inc.
Run Time: 1 hour, 32 minutes
Availability: Disney+
Ok, Ok, Monsters, Inc. is not technically a Halloween movie. But hear me out, here. It’s entirely about monsters, so it counts! Join Mike and Sully as they gather screams from human children to power Monstropolis. The hijinks ensue when one of those children manages to come back to Monstropolis with them. I mean Billy Crystal is a small, one-eyed, bright green, wise-cracking monster. That’s endorsement enough.
9. Coco
Run Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Availability: Disney+
Coco is another movie that’s not technically Halloween themed. Instead, it centers around the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, which takes place the next day, on November 1st. This is a great way to introduce your kids to a culture that might be different from your own. Follow Miguel to the Land of the Dead and watch as he uncovers a family secret. The visuals alone are enough reason to watch this movie – they are absolutely stunning!
10. E.T.
Run Time: 1 hour, 54 minutes
Availability: Peacock
I told you there was a wild card on this list, and here it is! I loved E.T. as a kid. My best friend and I would watch it all the time when we were preschoolers. The VHS box was an absolute wreck because of how often we slipped the cartridge in and out. There was just something about that little alien and his quest to phone home. Your kids may also connect with him and cry over the bond between E.T. and Elliott just like I did 30+ years ago.
Happy Halloween!