Best Halloween movies for kids on Netflix

Kelly Ferguson thought she was signing up for a simple babysitting gig on Halloween night. Well, it turns out she was recruited into a secret society of babysitters who need to be sheltered from wicked monsters. How's that for a scary Halloween? Now, she just has to figure out how to defeat  the Boogeyman known as "The Grand Guignol." Rated PG. 

This dark fantasy film based on the children's book of the same name by JA White follows Alex Mosher, a boy from Brooklyn who loves to write scary stories. After his parents express concern for his mental health, he swears to never write another one before deciding to burn his self-penned collection of scary yarns, which he calls his ‘Night books’. However, after sneaking out of his apartment to destroy his story collections in the apartment building’s furnace, Alex becomes prisoner to a witch who insists that he must write her scary stories or, you know, she’ll kill him. Together with another captive called Yazmin, Alex must figure out how to escape the evil witch’s clutches and return home.

After a run of acclaimed shorts, Aardman Studios’ beloved stop-motion duo made their feature-length debut in this lovably daft horror parody. When cheese-devouring inventor Wallace and his trusty dog Gromit start a pest control business, they get much more than they bargain for when they’re hired to exterminate a giant rabbit devouring a town’s vegetable crops. The references to classic horror films will likely fly over youngsters’ heads, but the sheer goofiness will have them laughing all the same. Look for a sequel on Netflix next year. Rated G.

Sometimes, seeing dead people isn’t such a bad thing – at least, not when the apparition is everyone’s favourite friendly ghost. In this surprisingly star-studded live-action adaptation of the popular children’s cartoon, a young Christina Ricci – in the ’90s, the go-to actor for anything that qualified for ‘gently spooky’ – befriends the amiable spirit, who haunts a rickety house in Maine that may contain hidden treasure. Bill Pullman, Eric Idle and Dan Aykroyd also star, with cameos from Mel Gibson, Clint Eastwood, Rodney Dangerfield and even Casper’s direct supernatural opposite, Tales From the Crypt’s Crypt-Keeper. Rated PG.   

In this meta-adaptation of the ’90s elementary-school book-fair staple, young Zach discovers that his new neighbour is none other than the reclusive author himself, RL Stine (Jack Black). When Zach begins hanging out with the writer’s young daughter, he makes a shocking discovery: the creatures in his books are real, and he keeps them locked away in his basement. And when one of them accidentally gets loose, it’s up to all of them to save their small town from destruction. Rated PG. 

Howard hates Halloween – so imagine his chagrin when his own daughter accidentally raises an evil spirit that causes all the holiday decorations in their quaint small town to come to life and wreak havoc. Marlon Wayans and Stranger Things’ Priah Ferguson star in this mischievous mix of sassy comedy and just-spooky-enough horror. Rated TV-14.

In 19th century Norvenia, citizens live in fear of a species of subterranean, trash-loving monsters known as boxtrolls. Young orphan Eggs knows better. Having been raised among them, he’s aware that they are, in truth, kind, caring creatures – and when a villainous exterminator sets out to rid Norvenia of the so-called ‘pests’, Eggs must step up to save them. Rated PG.

Moving to a new house is not without its challenges, but could you imagine what it would be like if said house is being ambushed by underground beasts? One teen soon finds out that only ones who are able to stop this madness are the gnomes. Talk about an intersting move! Rated PG. 

When the Sands family inherits a creepy castle in Romania, no one is more stoked than monster-obsessed 14-year-old Hunter – but he gets a bit more than he bargained for when a lab accident transforms his nerdy sister into a werewolf. What’s a boy to do?! Rated PG. 

This horror comedy starring Adam Sandler is definitely one for older kids given it contains some crude language, sexual references and jokes not suitable for youngsters, but if you’re in the market for an old school comedy then it delivers. Sandler plays kind hearted Hubie, a local busybody who is the victim of bullying in his hometown of Salem in Massachusetts. As the official Halloween Helper, he is responsible for monitoring the city for any weird goings on during trick or treat season. And with a new suspicious neighbor, an escaped convict on the run and people disappearing mysteriously, Hubie has his hands full this Halloween.

Perfect for your teeny monsters this Halloween, Spookley the Square Pumpkin is a story that's more heartwarming than frightening. He and a few pals learn to accept and embrace his different looks from the other pumpkins in the patch. Rated G. 

Grumpy nerd Melvin tries to cancel Halloween, but best buds Harold and George have a plan to stop him – with the help of a certain diaper-wearing superhero. Rated PG.

A gaggle of pint-sized monsters use their spooky-powers to help their non-monstrous friend get into the Halloween spirit in this short spinoff of the Netflix animated series – and they’ll likely do the same for the smallest tykes in your home. Rated TV-Y.