Planning a Halloween movie night with younger audiences can feel like a challenge. The good news is there are tons of horror movies that the whole family will enjoy! Below, we outline our favorite scary movies for kids of all ages! All of these best horror movies for tweens are available to stream on Amazon Prime as well!
Watching a scary movie is a great way to celebrate Halloween! But when you have tweens at home, finding a good horror movie can be difficult.
While kids in this age group may be ready for a little more horror than kid-friendly classics, full-fledged horror films aren’t the best option. When your preteen is ready for a good scare without all the gore, try watching one of these best horror movies for tweens.
Below we’ve included a range of scary movie options — we’ve tried our best to start with the less scary options at first and build to more mature movies that parents will need to use their discretion on.
The Best Horror Movies for Tweens (10-13 Years Olds)
When you’re looking for a good Halloween movie for your tween, there’s a fine line between spooky and scary.
These pre-teen friendly movies feature enough scares to satisfy your tweens without the violence and gore found in adult-oriented horror movies.
PG-Rating Movies
If you're looking for a spooky movie for your younger kids, the good news is there are plenty of (slightly) scary movies little kids will love that are rated PG!
This story of three witches on a hunt for children to eat may sound like a scary plot, but the comic relief throughout this classic movie balances out the zombies and kidnapping.
We also have a full Hocus Pocus movie night with recipes, activities, and trivia planned out for you!
The Nightmare Before Christmas is suited for younger kids up to tweens. It's a Tim Burton classic, and everyone loves Jack Skellington!
A young science enthusiast, Victor Frankenstein, heartbroken by his dog Sparky's death, successfully revives him. But when classmates misuse the secret to resurrect other animals, chaos ensues.
After not seeing each other for 2 years, Mystery Inc.'s members reunite when individually summoned to Spooky Island, investigating paranormal incidents at the trendy Spring Break destination.
Your tweens will love watching the characters from their favorite R.L. Stine horror books come to life in this fun kid-friendly horror movie.
While the monsters that star in this 80s classic are adorable, their antics are anything but cute. That makes this fun horror movie perfect for tweens!
Based on the Disney World ride, this spooky movie takes place in a Haunted House. But thanks to Eddie Murphy, this horror movie is more of a comedy.
While this movie is technically a comedy, the ghosts and jump-scares will make your young tween feel like they’re watching a horror movie. It's also just such a fun movie for the whole family!
A single mother and her kids relocate and unearth a link to the original Ghostbusters and their grandfather's hidden legacy in their new town.
In this Disney Original Movie, 3 twelve-year-olds, Amy, Marshall, and Gilbert, awaken an ancient mummy while investigating. To reunite him with his lost love, they must return him to his tomb before midnight on Halloween.
A young boy becomes friends with a vampire, and they go on the ultimate adventure together!
Hotel Transylvania is a cute animated movie perfect for young viewers. It tells a story of where monsters and their families live.
A bunch of scary witches hope to rid the world of children in this spooky 90s horror movie.
The mix of horror and comedy in this classic ghost movie is perfect for tweens. In this scary movie, a group of ghosts try to escape their house with the help of a comical demon.
This fun horror movie takes the idea of a haunted house to a new level. And since it’s animated, the scary elements of this fun horror movie are tame enough for younger tweens.
One of our favorite animated movies, is Tim Burton's Coraline. This kid-friendly scary movie follows Coraline as she finds a secret, spooky, new world. We also have a fun Coraline Movie Night Menu you might like!
You can’t go wrong by watching one of the most loveable spooky families on film! This classic movie follows the Addams Family as they plan a celebration to wake the dead.
Another fun animated film is ParaNorman. While the main character of this animated horror movie can see and speak with the dead, the scares and thrills are tame enough for younger children to enjoy.
When the main character of this tween-friendly horror movie finds out his uncle is a powerful magician, he accidentally awakens the dead.
While this adventurous movie is more fantasy than horror, The Spiderwick Chronicals does offer plenty of scares as the characters uncover a hidden world of magic.
A young man is whisked away to the underworld to marry a Corpse Bride while his real bride waits for him in the land of the living.
WARNING: PG-13 Horror Movies for Tweens
Older tweens may can take their horror to the next level with some PG-13 rated thrills. With that said, these recommendations should be reviewed by you, the parent, before letting your tween watch.
We've tried our best to list the following movies from pre-teen appropriate to suitable for older audiences.
These movies are also options for older teens who are mature enough to handle those bigger scares.
A group of young teenagers attempt to save their small town from monsters.
This classic horror movie is set in a haunted house and follows a family as they uncover the strange mysteries behind the home’s history. While Poltergeist is rated PG, it does have some scarier scenes including depictions of ghosts, making it a good option for older tweens.
Aliens are at the center of this supernatural thriller starring Mel Gibson. This M. Night Shyamalan thriller is perfect for older tweens hoping for a scare.
An eight-year-old boy is the center of this classic horror movie. And the scariness of this film centers around the unknown more than violence or gore.
After losing her man to a movie star, a novelist ends up in a psychiatric hospital. She returns, looking radiant, revealing a mysterious drug granting eternal life. Immortality, however, comes with a dark cost.
When the stories in a book start to become real for the teens reading them, they must uncover the mysterious secrets the author of the book is trying to hide in this horror movie.
A video tape has the power to cause the death of anyone who watches it in this spooky story filled with supernatural frights.
Watch as a killer shark terrorizes a beachside town in this Steven Spielberg hit. While this classic horror movie is technically rated PG, it does contain some nudity, making it a better option for older tweens.
While this musical centers around a killer plant, the fun song and dance numbers balance out the violence in this classic horror movie.
If your preteen is itching to watch a classic horror movie, give this horror twist on Groundhog Day a try. While Happy Death Day does depict murder and suicide, the scenarios are portrayed without showing much blood or gore.
This suspenseful thriller is a great intro to the horror genre for tweens. The film follows a family who must live their life in silence as they run from mysterious creatures who hunt by sound.
Another M. Night Shyamalan classic, The Village depicts an unknown evil inhabiting a forest that surrounds a turn-of-the-century village.
Any tween with a fear of spiders will find this horror movie scary as they watch John Goodman fight against an infestation of killer spiders.
While living in a secluded island mansion, a family encounters a ghostly presence in their home in this scary thriller starring Nicole Kidman.
Rebecca, once haunted by childhood fears, returns home to find her brother experiencing the same terrifying events. A supernatural entity tied to their mother threatens their safety.
Kind-hearted nurse Caroline quits her job to care for her ailing husband, Ben, in a mysterious New Orleans mansion. Exploring its secrets, she uncovers Violet's sinister role in Ben's illness.
A year after Dr. Norman Spencer's betrayal, his wife Claire experiences mysterious occurrences at home. Initially dismissed, these events reveal a haunting truth that threatens their perfect life.
Common Sense Media recommends this one for 15+ year olds, but many parents chimed in that some 12 year olds enjoyed it as well.
On Halloween night 1963, 6-year-old Michael Myers killed his sister. After 15 years in confinement, he escapes, returning to Haddonfield to hunt for new victims on October 30, 1978.
Common Sense Media mentions that the choking scenes can be graphic for younger kids, and there is some sexual content in the movie. So if your child is not aware of sex or can't handle violence, skip this one.
Teenagers face nightmares as they are hunted by Krueger, an undead child killer seeking revenge through their dreams, targeting them in retaliation against parents who once burned him alive.
Like Halloween, this scary movie may be too much for tweens. It has lot of over-the-top gore and violence; with that said, many parents on Common Sense Media said they'd recommend it for 11+ year olds.These are great options if you’re planning a Fun Halloween Movie Night Party (For Kids or Adults!) as well!
Looking for something less scary? Check out our list of not scary movies to watch in October or stream a classic like It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
You may also like our Harry Potter Snacks, Ghostbusters Ice Cream, Witch Hat Cookies, or Nightmare Before Christmas Brownies!
Want more Spooky? Get our Free Halloween Movie Checklist!
Our bloody intestines treats recipe is the perfect snack for a horror movie party or on Halloween night!
What are your favorite horror movies for tweens?
Make the night complete with one of these horror movies for tweens and 27+ Halloween Movie Night Snacks!
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