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.
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!
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 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.
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.Â
PG-13 Horror Movies for Tweens
Older tweens can take their horror to the next level with some PG-13 rated thrills. These tween-friendly movies are perfect for older pre-teens who are mature enough to handle those bigger scares.
A group of young teenagers attempt to save their small town from monsters.
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.Â
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.
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.
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.
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.
While this musical centers around a killer plant, the fun song and dance numbers balance out the violence in this classic horror movie.
Want more Spooky? Get our Free Halloween Movie Checklist!
These are great options if you’re planning a Fun Halloween Movie Night Party (For Kids or Adults!) as well!
If you have tweens in your house, you’ll also love our list of comedy movies for tweens!
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!
You may also like our Harry Potter Snacks, Ghostbusters Ice Cream, Witch Hat Cookies, or Nightmare Before Christmas Brownies!