# Good, scary movies for younger kids **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 29, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970 "2015-09-29T18:51:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/1 "2015-09-29T18:51:44Z")
I have two daughters, 9 and 7, they both seem to enjoy scary type stuff, especially the 9 year old. They’ve watched Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark and enjoyed them. Since it’s the season I’d like to find some scary movies for them. From what I’ve gathered they’ve seen Poltergeist and maybe Gremlins. I know they’ve seen Ghostbusters and Temple of Doom. Other then that I don’t know exactly what they’ve seen. I’ve seen that Something Wicked This Way Comes is supposed to be good, but after that don’t really know of any. My oldest says she’s scared of clowns, though I’m not sure if that’s something she just thinks she is or not. Not looking for slasher or torture stuff either. Best if it can be found on Netflix, or Amazon Prime. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/2 "2015-09-29T19:48:53Z")
Not really a scary movie as a whole, but that [truck driver scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzolCu-QLw0) from “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” has stuck with me a long time . . . ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/3 "2015-09-29T19:59:23Z")
One movie that we loved when we were kids was Watcher in the Woods. Compellingly spooky, no gore, happy ending. Now, keep in mind that the last time I saw this I had no idea how wince-inducing most Disney films were, but I’m pretty sure there’s no bizarre racism in this film at least. It should probably be a sleepover classic just as much as Labyrinth or Top Secret. Those are still popular sleepover films, right? Speaking of Pee Wee’s – Beetlejuice (by the same director) has some spooky elements, albeit played for laughs. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/4 "2015-09-29T20:01:10Z")
Likewise, two scenes in _Darby O’Gill and the Little People_ scared the heck out of a lot of us. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/5 "2015-09-29T20:05:55Z")
How about Hocus Pocus? > **[Hocus Pocus (1993) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107120/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)** > > Hocus Pocus: Directed by Kenny Ortega. With Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Omri Katz. A teenage boy named Max and his little sister move to Salem, where he struggles to fit in before awakening a trio of diabolical witches that were... ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/6 "2015-09-29T20:09:23Z")
From 1983 is Ray Bradbury’s story [Something Wicked This Way Comes](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086336/), which they should be able to follow (rated PG). There are some scenes that will be more scary to adults frankly (the pages of the book for example). ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/7 "2015-09-29T20:11:22Z")
I seem to remember The Cantervile Ghost being good but it has been many years since I’ve seen it. Animated movies like ParaNorman, Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride should be fine if they were ok with Ghostbusters. I guess the non-animated Edward Scissorshands could be thrown in there. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Bee… too. I think most of the movies I mentioned except CanterVile were PG, so take that into account. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/8 "2015-09-29T20:20:14Z")
Not a movie but they’d probably enjoy _[Eerie, Indiana](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPQW4yGeUZs)_. ---
**Author:** ![Gothic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gothic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gothic)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/9 "2015-09-29T20:24:23Z")
Hocus Pocus, Monster House, House, Tremors. Coraline may be too much, those dead eyes, like a shark. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/10 "2015-09-29T20:36:46Z")
Netflix: PG _Labyrinth_ _Jumanji_ _Explorers_ PG-13 _Men in Black II_ _Big Trouble in Little China_ _The Addams Family_ Amazon: _Mystery Men_ (PG-13) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/11 "2015-09-29T20:41:54Z")
If you can take the 7yo to a PG-13 movie, you might want to try _The Visit_, currently in theaters. Here’s a chance to plug a good site for questions like this: [http://kids-in-mind.com/](http://kids-in-mind.com/) . It essentially looks for stuff that will offend pretty much about anybody and breaks down these “objectionable” items into 3 categories: Violence, Swearing, & Sex. Here’s their review for [The Visit](http://kids-in-mind.com/v/visit.htm), to get an idea as to what the site offers. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/12 "2015-09-29T20:52:53Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > If you can take the 7yo to a PG-13 movie, you might want to try _The Visit_, currently in theaters. I suggest waiting for _Goosebumps_, starring Jack Black as R.L. Stine. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/13 "2015-09-29T20:56:38Z")
Strongly recommended is the half of Disney’s _Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad_ that features Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. The chase scene is thrilling, and animated, and scary, but I wouldn’t think they’d need therapy afterward. I also recently discovered that _Creature From The Black Lagoon_ is rated G, but the pacing might be a bit slow for them. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/14 "2015-09-29T21:16:36Z")
_[Return to Oz](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CklyKCKFtwE)_. (Metal, man.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/15 "2015-09-29T21:16:49Z")
If you don’t get enough good suggestions here, try [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=382105) or [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=613196). ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/16 "2015-09-29T21:20:02Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Not a movie but they’d probably enjoy _[Eerie, Indiana](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPQW4yGeUZs)_. That was a bit after my time, but it looks good, and the DVDs are cheap, $22 at Amazon, I’ll try it. > [@Gothic](#): > > Hocus Pocus, Monster House, House, Tremors. Coraline may be too much, those dead eyes, like a shark. You mean House from the mid 80s? That’s rated R, though I don’t really remember stuff from it. I’ve also forgotten what Tremors is like at all. > [@Skywatcher](#): > > Netflix: > _Labyrinth_ > _Jumanji_ > _Explorers_ > > _Men in Black II_ > _Big Trouble in Little China_ > _The Addams Family_ I remember Explorers from when I was a kid, I’m going to have to watch that one with them. They’ve seen Labyrinth and enjoyed it, though they couldn’t make it through The Dark Crystal. Big Trouble was a WTF kind of movie for me, don’t know if they’d like it at this age. > [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#): > > Strongly recommended is the half of Disney’s _Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad_ that features Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. The chase scene is thrilling, and animated, and scary, but I wouldn’t think they’d need therapy afterward. That might work if I can find a copy. Looks like I’m off to Amazon to order a few things. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/17 "2015-09-29T21:22:22Z")
Reading those other threads prompted me to think of [Planet 51](http://www.amazon.com/Planet-51-Dwayne-Johnson/dp/B00371VHDS/ref=sr_1_1_ha_dvt_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1443561681&sr=1-1&keywords=planet+51). ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/18 "2015-09-29T21:25:29Z")
The original _Night of the Living Dead_. C’mon! Let’s get real, here! ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/19 "2015-09-29T21:34:23Z")
No, no, _Monster House_ is a scary animated movie. Spooky, but suitable for children. Actually, now that you mention it,\* ParaNorman\* wasn’t bad, either. The eighties comedy horror movie _House_, on the other hand, wasn’t TOO scary, but it wasn’t kid stuff, either, and had some themes that your kids might have a tough time understanding (survivor’s guilt, PTSD from war, and so on.) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/20 "2015-09-29T21:44:34Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > You mean House from the mid 80s? That’s rated R, though I don’t really remember stuff from it. **Gothic** might have meant _House II: The Second Story_, which is PG-13. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970.md?page=2)