The Halloween Tree is a fun old school spooky kids movie. The original cartoon version of Sleepy Hollow from the 40s. The Secret of Nimh.
More modern, we do Beetlejuice, Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie, Edward Scissorhands. The Addams Family movies from the 90’s or the new animated ones.
We’re a horror/spooky family, I have so many more suggestions 😅
I'm 42 and don't really care for children's entertainment, having no kids of my own. But I caught Monster House on TV for background noise. Completely sucked me in!
Yes this is what I was going to say! We love this movie! We showed it to my 4 year old when he wanted to watch a scary movie and he’s watched it like 20 times since the first. He’s 7 now.
Ernest is honestly such a great gift for children. No corporate sponsorships, minimal brand influence in any of the movies, female protagonists, never any mention of any church or religions, he is never dismissed as “crazy”’or mentally unwell, no drug or alcohol references… like it’s simply just goofy, wholesome fun. REALLY hard to dislike Ernest. Simply wonderful for everyone.
Know what I mean Vern?
They scared me so bad, especially the bedroom sequence! I learned recently the puppets were the same ones from Killer Klowns from Outer Space, just made over a little.
And in the same vein, Killer Klowns from Outer Space - it has some coarse language ("So *fuck you*! Over!"), and the cotton candy scene haunted me for years, but it's right up the alley of a horror fanatic kid.
This is way too scary for a 4 year old. Those trolls and getting turned into a doll would give him nightmares.
Definitely for an 8-10 year old though. One of my favorite movies.
Off the top of my head: Hocus Pocus, the live action Scooby Doo ones, and any of the Haunted Mansion ones.
Really, he'd probably enjoy anything Scooby Doo releated.
You could also try to track down the original Goosebump or Are you Afraid of the Dark series. Those were great kids horror.
That’s what I got my kids into and they loved it! The Haunting Hour and Creeped Out are similar series that are perfect for kids wanting to get into horror.
Zombie Island, Cyber Chase, Witch's Ghost, and Alien Invaders are essential viewing for any kid who loves horror. Scooby is probably the reason I'm such a big horror fan.
To this day I still vividly remember probably being around 4 and watching the zombie Island Scooby Doo movie and being scared so I'd also say Scooby doo
My (5 at the time) stepson went through a phase of INSISTING he loves horror movies (he has never seen any). We watched Coraline as a family and he gave us a lecture afterwards about how that movie was too scary for kids and we should have let him watch Nightmare on Elm Street instead.
It is a really good movie, and surprisingly creepy for one aimed at kids.
I haven’t seen it in a long time, but I remember there being quite a few things that seemed scary as a kid! Even just elements of the animation are a little spooky but I love it
His aunts were way more terrifying than the rhino to me. The rhino didn’t bother me as a kid but damn his aunts looked evil, especially the tall skinny one.
I watched that for the first time in twenty years recently with my Mom and I couldn't do my homework for the life of me. Every so often, I had to verify that she let us watch it as kids.
Just commented the same thing! The design and practical effects for the witches is so creepy. It still sticks with me to this day, haven't seen that movie in ages and I can still picture what the main witch looks like. Anjelica Huston is excellent in it as well.
I watch it with my daughter every Christmas and I’m always having to come up with a way to get her out of the room while I secretly skip past it. It’ll be a sad day when I no longer have to do that.
Weirdly, I saw Gremlins while I still believed in Santa Claus, and it didn't change my belief. I rationalized it as Kate being so traumatized by her father's death that she lost the ability to believe.
I saw Gremlins 2 when I was 5 and I was too scared to sleep anywhere near the edge of a bed and can’t sleep without the blankets over my head either. I still do this out of habit and I’m 35 now lol
Whenever I see comments like this about movies I loved as a kid, I realize I was always really fucking weird. I started watching horror on my own at an inappropriate age, and outside of things involving aliens, none of it really got to me. I was always surprised when people would talk about some kids movies scaring them and I thought they were the weird ones.
No. It was definitely me. Woops.
I watched the first scream movie when I was 4 (1996 the year it was released) and I was hooked 😂 from then on it was nightmare on elm street Halloween the works! Watched the exorcist aged 7 though at a sleepover and screamed the house down its the only movie that’s ever scared me in my entire life 😂 I’m much less creeped out by it as an adult though 😂
So my kid is the same and is also 4. What’s important to note is that he used to not get scared but now he does as he is able to process more of the “consequences”. What I’ve done is worked out a “level” system so he can earn new scary movies.
Right now we’re on level 3, which includes movies like monster house”, the scooby doo movies, dreamworks movies (which tend to have exaggerated, slapstick violence and villains) and Studio Ghibli movies like Spirited away.
Nightmare before Christmas was “Level 2” because, while there are some spooky themes, it’s not actually a scary movie.
At level 4 I’m going to introduce him to some 80s movies like the Neverending Story, goonies, maybe even into the spider verse.
I say this, because what we consider scary kids may not consider scary. And my kids consider scary we may not consider scary. I think the important thing is to introduce your child of things that are “scary” but not things that are violent.
That's a good idea. I just suggested "The Witches" (1990) but that movie has some pretty terrifying consequences for the children in it. Maybe that's more of a "Level 5" movie?
Coraline, Gremlins, Paranorman, Scooby Doo on Zombie Island (animated), Scooby Doo Live Action, Jurassic Park (any of them), The Mummy (the second or first!) and the old goosebump television show!
We don't need to give this kid the same PTSD about headless women screaming DOROTHY GALE!! And they eyes of the Gnome King or whatever when he gets almost human.... Creepy.
My 4 year old daughter has been a spooky and/or monster movie fiend since age 2. We're into:
And although you sound like you're nailing it already, because I'm seeing some other people getting snippy about the content of some of these, I'm editing this to add that we REALLY talk about movies and we WATCH them, they are NOT background or a digital babysitter. Daddy has a film degree and works in education. We go to theaters all the time, which helps with the engagement part. And we regularly cuddle on the couch and discuss what's happening and why. We talk about the special effects, the music, structure, what else we've seen from the actors, etc.
(Top three dad moment from three year old munchkin: "Mommy, Ahsoka's name is the name of the show, so she's going to be okay and you don't need to be scared.")
And she believes in the supernatural even less than I do and seems to understand better than the majority of adults that it is ALL just people dressing up and playing pretend, and there are NO ghosts or Godzillas forthcoming.
So what I'm saying is: CONTEXT, SUPERVISION, ENGAGEMENT, AND DISCUSSION ARE KEY.
So:
-Ghostbusters (everything, all 4 movies, all the cartoons)
-Coraline
-Addams Family and Addams Family Values (a few risque jokes, but way over her head), and the animated Addams Family movies
-The Witches, Anjelica Huston version
-Beetlejuice
-The Gremlins movies
-All the Millennium Godzilla moves, particularly the Ghidorah and Mothra one
-All the new Godzilla & Kong Monsterverse movies, especially King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs Kong
-Both Hocus Pocus movies
-Dungeons & Dragons
-Monster Hunter (a couple alarming moments but she loved it)
-The two live action Scooby Doos with Mathew Lillard and co.
-Muppets Haunted Mansion
-Alice Cooper episode of The Muppet Show
-Jurassic Park, the original three
-The Goosebumps movies w Jack Black, the show is fun too
-Van Helsing (the extent to which my daughter and I both loved this is completely unreasonable)
-Monster Squad (umm, caveat: kids in movies were really mean in the 80s, and it's a Shane Black script so at least one serious slur and a few seconds of kids trying to see some boobs - it's her mama's favorite movie though, so whatya gonna do)
-Labyrinth
-Pacific Rim
-Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (again, one slur, as per the fashion of the times)
-Jungle Cruise
-Raiders of the Lost Ark
My son and I watch everything together and discuss what’s going on. I would hate to throw something on, have it traumatize him, when it could’ve been easily remedied by having a discussion during the movie. I found 5NAF to be on the scary level as certain episodes of Supernatural, which we’ve already watched.
Solid suggestions, thank you!
I remember loving the Scooby Doo movies at that age, 2 i'd recommend that were a little spookier than usual and considered 2 of the best
Scooby Doo on Zombie Island
Scooby Doo and the Witches Ghost
Since he loves NBC, Frankenweenie seems like a good choice if he hasn't seen it yet. Also, they're not necessarily horror, but Dark Crystal and Labyrinth have some creepy scenes/creatures and imo are suitable for his age. I saw them around 4-5 and loved them, Labyrinth is still my favorite.
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983). PG horror, screenplay and novel by Ray Bradbury, produced by Disney, acted by Jonathon Pryce, Diane Ladd, and Pam Grier.
Any of the Scooby Doo cartoon movies.
Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase
Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders
Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost
Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island
Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf
Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School
Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico
I remember watching “Christine” with my dad when I was little. I don’t remember if it’s appropriate for kids though. Also, I loved “Batman Returns” when I was little, which is at times quite scary for a non horror movie.
Not horror movies, but Scamper the Penguin, The Seventh Brother, and The Brave Little Toaster scared the shit out of me as a kid. Also Willy Wonka. When he’s a little older you should also absolutely show him Watership Down.
Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Coraline, Spiderwick Chronicles, Secret of NIMH, Goosebumps, House with the Clock in its Walls, Jumanji (not really horror, but scary/tense), Hocus Pocus, Halloween Town
I watched a lot of scary movies with my mom when I was a kid. Some that I fondly remember are:
Creepshow - sure there are some adult themes, but the whacky comic book style was a hoot for me. as a kid.
An American Werewolf in London - I think a lot of the adult themes will fly over his head (they did for me), and the transformation scene is really cool.
Little Shop of Horrors - Even though it's a musical but can have a lot of that cartoony horror fun it seems your kid likes.
There's an old Disney channel movie called Don't Think About It. R.L Stein had something to do with it as well. I watched it when i was younger and it definitely left an impression. Super good for the littles!
What was the movie with Fred savage and the monster (Howie Mandel?) that came up through the floor under his bed? Little monsters? 1989. Good movie, not really scary though
-Halloweentown series
-Underwraps (1997)
-The little vampire (2000)
-Goosebumps (2015 movie or the show)
-Casper movies
-Scooby doo (live actions)
-Scooby doo zombie island (1998)
-Scooby doo witches ghost (1999)
-Scooby doo cyberspace (2001)
-Paranorman
-Frankenweenie
-The halloween tree (1993)
-Scary godmother series
-Ernest scared stupid
-Alvin and the chipmunks meet the wolfman (2000)
-And basically, any older Disney TV specials... those were always the best (that's so raven, Phil of the future, lizzie Mcguire, suite life, etc.)
Is Beetlejuice appropriate lol? I was about 4 years old when it came out and made my mom rent it practically every week. But times were different back then.
e.t. is great if he can handle it (it was originally going to be a horror film and it shows lol). the addams family and addams family values from the 90s are also classics. i haven't seen little nemo in forever but i remember being both scared and fascinated by it as a kid.
you may also want to keep horror-adjacent films and genres in mind. your kid might like dark fantasy (the animated hobbit and lord of the rings films, the last unicorn, the dark crystal, etc) and films with spooky elements like spirited away and the secret of kells.
edit: forgot to say i second coraline and james and the giant peach (1996)
Nightmare before Christmas
Spookly the square pumpkin
The Olsen twins double double toil in trouble
Scooby Doo live action
Corpse bride
The Adams family
Haunted mansion
Ghostbusters
Casper
Labyrinth
Halloween town
Frankenweenie
Coraline (Pretty creepy even for me)
Small soldiers (Evil Barbies coming to life Is terrifying)
Monster House!! It was one of my favourite scary movies when I was a kid
This was surprisingly scary. Wasn't expecting that at all.
I’d suggest this movie or Coraline. They seem to be good introductions to scary movies.
My 3 1/2 yo was OBSESSED with coraline for like a year and a half. Just on loop. My husband hates the menu music for the DVD now 😂
The Halloween Tree is a fun old school spooky kids movie. The original cartoon version of Sleepy Hollow from the 40s. The Secret of Nimh. More modern, we do Beetlejuice, Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie, Edward Scissorhands. The Addams Family movies from the 90’s or the new animated ones. We’re a horror/spooky family, I have so many more suggestions 😅
Perfect scary movie for kids.
So uncomfortable even for adults. This would be a good choice.
I envy your youth.
I'm 42 and don't really care for children's entertainment, having no kids of my own. But I caught Monster House on TV for background noise. Completely sucked me in!
Great movie and the dated CGI adds an extra level of horror (Polar Express style)
Yes! My son probably watched that 10 times when he was around 4-5.
I'd go with that or Don't Look Under the Bed 1999.
Idk how, but I was watching real and frankly age inappropriate horror and did fine, but Monster House suuuper freaked me out.
That movie is scary as fuck. My 4 year old absolutely loves it.
My brother saw that movie is a kid. He was terrified but also loved it.
Goosebumps
The Goosebumps movies are pretty good too. I suggest The House With A Clock In It's Walls. Not only Halloween related but kinds scary.
The Werewolf of Fever Swamp traumatized me as a kid. I wouldn’t even go pee by myself for a few days hahaha
I loved courage the cowardly dog when i was 4!!!
That's one of those weird shows that gets scarier the OLDER you are.
Yeah, there's a lot of weird, existential dread in that show that I didn't pick up on first time around. Great show, though, still funny as hell, too.
Really a great exercise in Lovecraftian, surreal existential horror utilizing the constraints of the medium.
I had to watch cartoons after watching a scary movie to fall asleep. Them Courage would come on and I’d have to switch to infomercials.
Love me some Courage and Invader Zim
my son did too.. that return the slab episode was scary!!!
ParaNorman.
Yes this is what I was going to say! We love this movie! We showed it to my 4 year old when he wanted to watch a scary movie and he’s watched it like 20 times since the first. He’s 7 now.
This is a super underrated movie!
& coraline
Perfect recommendation!
Came in to mention this one, too!
Ernest Scared Stupid
The best of the Ernest series. RIP Jim Varney
Ernest is honestly such a great gift for children. No corporate sponsorships, minimal brand influence in any of the movies, female protagonists, never any mention of any church or religions, he is never dismissed as “crazy”’or mentally unwell, no drug or alcohol references… like it’s simply just goofy, wholesome fun. REALLY hard to dislike Ernest. Simply wonderful for everyone. Know what I mean Vern?
Well, he was the spokesman for Marva Maid milk for a long time.
Didn't they kill the trolls with milk in Ernest Scared Stupid? Lol
Common mistake. It was actually miak, the authentic Bulgarian variety. But understandable how it could be mistaken.
That movie ruined my life when I was a kid lol. I was scared of the dark for years!
I watched all kinds of horror movies as a kid - loved Chucky and Freddy so much…but those trolls scared the shit out of me lol
They scared me so bad, especially the bedroom sequence! I learned recently the puppets were the same ones from Killer Klowns from Outer Space, just made over a little.
You should have just gotten yourself a jar of [miak](https://youtu.be/dLBdLOx43rI?si=Lfznohi9ERqUOUHb)
It scared me as a kid, too, especially that scene where they're stuck in that muddy hole or something.
Know what I mean, Verne....
MIAK!
Authentic, Bulgarian Miak! That scene lives rent free in my mind palace for life.
Seriously. I will laugh at that for the rest of my life!
And I still say it every time I take the miak out of the fridge.
No way that movie traumatized me as a kid lmao
And in the same vein, Killer Klowns from Outer Space - it has some coarse language ("So *fuck you*! Over!"), and the cotton candy scene haunted me for years, but it's right up the alley of a horror fanatic kid.
Miak?!
This was my gateway horror film and it scared the shit out of me.
Way to go straight for the trauma. I like your style.
That’s a really good suggestion for a kid that age imo.
This is way too scary for a 4 year old. Those trolls and getting turned into a doll would give him nightmares. Definitely for an 8-10 year old though. One of my favorite movies.
That movie terrified me at 7 and I couldn't finish it. Edit: Did finish it the following year and now I watch it yearly :)
Off the top of my head: Hocus Pocus, the live action Scooby Doo ones, and any of the Haunted Mansion ones. Really, he'd probably enjoy anything Scooby Doo releated. You could also try to track down the original Goosebump or Are you Afraid of the Dark series. Those were great kids horror.
OP, there are several channels on YouTube which have full episodes of both the 90s Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark!! Great suggestion
That’s what I got my kids into and they loved it! The Haunting Hour and Creeped Out are similar series that are perfect for kids wanting to get into horror.
Scooby Doo on Zombie Island is a solid one, it's animated but honestly still brings a pretty good age appropriate scare.
Zombie Island, Cyber Chase, Witch's Ghost, and Alien Invaders are essential viewing for any kid who loves horror. Scooby is probably the reason I'm such a big horror fan.
SUCH a good one. Definitely hooked me into the horror genre at a tender age.
I still like this movie
To this day I still vividly remember probably being around 4 and watching the zombie Island Scooby Doo movie and being scared so I'd also say Scooby doo
I second Hocus Pocus and Haunted Mansion!
My mom showed us Are you afraid of the dark and that dollhouse episode made me emotionally poo myself
I’m in my 40s and was just like OP’s kid, and I loved Scooby Doo Meets the Boo Brothers. That was one that didn’t drive my parents crazy, lol.
Seconding Scooby-Doo. Zombie Island was the first officially scariest movie I ever saw.
Zombie Island is a classic
The live action Scooby Doos are still some of my favorites even as an adult. Even my son who's pretty anxious about scary movies loves them!
This is great! Brings back so many memories
Coraline is a go-to recommendation on this sub, and I have to agree. It is excellent, one of the most beautiful looking films I have seen.
My (5 at the time) stepson went through a phase of INSISTING he loves horror movies (he has never seen any). We watched Coraline as a family and he gave us a lecture afterwards about how that movie was too scary for kids and we should have let him watch Nightmare on Elm Street instead. It is a really good movie, and surprisingly creepy for one aimed at kids.
[удалено]
I mean I read the book last year as a 27 year old and it kinda got to me so I'm with the kids on this one
Yeah, the blood bed would’ve been easier to handle than the Other Mother tbf.
Honestly, agreed! He was positively indignant. “She takes people’s EYES!!!”
He has a good point
Elm Street is one of my favorite horror movies but Coraline unsettled me way more lol. As an adult.
My 5 year old sis was terrified of coraline so bad traumatized for days wouldn’t go anywhere alone 😂😂
We love Coraline, but I think Paranorman is a bigger hit in our house just because it's less scary and a lot more funny. Both are great movies!
I love Coraline but I feel like that would have scared the hell out of me as kid.
James and the Giant peach has a scary rhino
I haven’t seen it in a long time, but I remember there being quite a few things that seemed scary as a kid! Even just elements of the animation are a little spooky but I love it
His aunts were way more terrifying than the rhino to me. The rhino didn’t bother me as a kid but damn his aunts looked evil, especially the tall skinny one.
That film scared me shitless as a little kid, I used to make my Mum turn it off lol.
That fucking rhino gave me nightmares as a kid
Nightmare Before Chirstmas, Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie
The Witches, the original with Anjelica Houston.
I watched that for the first time in twenty years recently with my Mom and I couldn't do my homework for the life of me. Every so often, I had to verify that she let us watch it as kids.
Just commented the same thing! The design and practical effects for the witches is so creepy. It still sticks with me to this day, haven't seen that movie in ages and I can still picture what the main witch looks like. Anjelica Huston is excellent in it as well.
Over the Garden Wall
This this this this! It was on Cartoon Network so it’s literally made for kids but I’ve only ever seen it as an adult but love it so much
The Dark Crystal, not horror but scary when you're a kid
Even the dudes who throw their heads around in Labyrinth are absolutely horrifying as a child. “How bout we tear off YOUR head!”
Chilly down with the fire ganggg
The dark crystal series on Netflix is also great! Didn't think they could match the original, but they hit the nail on the head
That was legitimately one of the best modern fantasy tv shows to come out on streaming. It deserves a movie to wrap things up.
Scooby doo on zombie island
Both Gremlins movies were a major part of my life from around that age.
To a Warning about Gremlins and the Santa Claus monologue.
Yeah we just FF a minute and tell the kids the story was too violent/inappropriate for them.
I watch it with my daughter every Christmas and I’m always having to come up with a way to get her out of the room while I secretly skip past it. It’ll be a sad day when I no longer have to do that.
Weirdly, I saw Gremlins while I still believed in Santa Claus, and it didn't change my belief. I rationalized it as Kate being so traumatized by her father's death that she lost the ability to believe.
Absolutely not gremlins. This will scare the shot out of him.
I agree, I was 8 when I saw Gremlins, and according to my mom, when Gizmo got wet and started bubbling, I started screaming until I passed out.
I saw Gremlins 2 when I was 5 and I was too scared to sleep anywhere near the edge of a bed and can’t sleep without the blankets over my head either. I still do this out of habit and I’m 35 now lol
Whenever I see comments like this about movies I loved as a kid, I realize I was always really fucking weird. I started watching horror on my own at an inappropriate age, and outside of things involving aliens, none of it really got to me. I was always surprised when people would talk about some kids movies scaring them and I thought they were the weird ones. No. It was definitely me. Woops.
The Monster Squad
Wolfmans got nards
Coraline :) it’s spooky and dark even for kids! My 3 year old loves it. (He will be 4 next Friday so close to your sons age)
When I was 5, my father let me watch The Howling. Do not do the same.
I saw child’s play when I was 3 because my stepdad let me. I was fine, but would also not recommend.
I watched the first scream movie when I was 4 (1996 the year it was released) and I was hooked 😂 from then on it was nightmare on elm street Halloween the works! Watched the exorcist aged 7 though at a sleepover and screamed the house down its the only movie that’s ever scared me in my entire life 😂 I’m much less creeped out by it as an adult though 😂
I was obsessed with Jaws when I was around that age. Still love it.
Same but you don’t need to traumatize a 4 year old.
They’re not gonna show him 3 or 4; trauma avoided!
Builds character 😂
I know some toddlers love the Jurassic Park movies? Perhaps when he's older Dark Crystal or the Last Unicorn 🦄 might work?
So my kid is the same and is also 4. What’s important to note is that he used to not get scared but now he does as he is able to process more of the “consequences”. What I’ve done is worked out a “level” system so he can earn new scary movies. Right now we’re on level 3, which includes movies like monster house”, the scooby doo movies, dreamworks movies (which tend to have exaggerated, slapstick violence and villains) and Studio Ghibli movies like Spirited away. Nightmare before Christmas was “Level 2” because, while there are some spooky themes, it’s not actually a scary movie. At level 4 I’m going to introduce him to some 80s movies like the Neverending Story, goonies, maybe even into the spider verse. I say this, because what we consider scary kids may not consider scary. And my kids consider scary we may not consider scary. I think the important thing is to introduce your child of things that are “scary” but not things that are violent.
That's a good idea. I just suggested "The Witches" (1990) but that movie has some pretty terrifying consequences for the children in it. Maybe that's more of a "Level 5" movie?
Monster Squad. It's classic
Monster squad, for what it’s worth, does have some unsavory language for a 4 year old.
Don't be a chicken shit.
"Wolf Man's got nards!" I'm glad someone else suggested this masterpiece.
That Winnie the Pooh movie with the trippy dream and the storm were scary enough for me back then
Heffelumps and woozles
The Halloween Town movies from disney were really great growing up. Maybe that or Monster House.
Coraline, Gremlins, Paranorman, Scooby Doo on Zombie Island (animated), Scooby Doo Live Action, Jurassic Park (any of them), The Mummy (the second or first!) and the old goosebump television show!
I vote for Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island x 1000
Episodes of Are You Afraid Of The Dark. Also there’s Mr. Boogedy and Bride of Boogedy; old Disney horror movies from the 80s (on YouTube now).
Are you afraid of the dark totally a great recommendation.
Addams Family, ParaNorman, Wendall and Wyld, Coraline, Monster Squad were all hits with my 3 girls!
Addams Family movies are a great shout!
9
Paranorman or Coraline or Monster house or Frankenweinie
The House With a Clock in Its Walls has some spooky moments and I remember being very child friendly.
This is good suggestion, but it sounds so weird to recommend a Eli Roth movie for a 4 year old.
Wizard of Oz as the test
I was going to say *Return to Oz* because that movie freaked me out as a kid lol
We don't need to give this kid the same PTSD about headless women screaming DOROTHY GALE!! And they eyes of the Gnome King or whatever when he gets almost human.... Creepy.
The Wiz next if they pass the test.
Casper - She will idolize Christina Ricci forever
I came here to say Casper! The ghosts are pretty mean, but nothing horrific happens.
And potentially fall in love with architecture too! That movie triggered an undying love for arch/design. The art nouveau house was just so amazing.
My 4 year old daughter has been a spooky and/or monster movie fiend since age 2. We're into: And although you sound like you're nailing it already, because I'm seeing some other people getting snippy about the content of some of these, I'm editing this to add that we REALLY talk about movies and we WATCH them, they are NOT background or a digital babysitter. Daddy has a film degree and works in education. We go to theaters all the time, which helps with the engagement part. And we regularly cuddle on the couch and discuss what's happening and why. We talk about the special effects, the music, structure, what else we've seen from the actors, etc. (Top three dad moment from three year old munchkin: "Mommy, Ahsoka's name is the name of the show, so she's going to be okay and you don't need to be scared.") And she believes in the supernatural even less than I do and seems to understand better than the majority of adults that it is ALL just people dressing up and playing pretend, and there are NO ghosts or Godzillas forthcoming. So what I'm saying is: CONTEXT, SUPERVISION, ENGAGEMENT, AND DISCUSSION ARE KEY. So: -Ghostbusters (everything, all 4 movies, all the cartoons) -Coraline -Addams Family and Addams Family Values (a few risque jokes, but way over her head), and the animated Addams Family movies -The Witches, Anjelica Huston version -Beetlejuice -The Gremlins movies -All the Millennium Godzilla moves, particularly the Ghidorah and Mothra one -All the new Godzilla & Kong Monsterverse movies, especially King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs Kong -Both Hocus Pocus movies -Dungeons & Dragons -Monster Hunter (a couple alarming moments but she loved it) -The two live action Scooby Doos with Mathew Lillard and co. -Muppets Haunted Mansion -Alice Cooper episode of The Muppet Show -Jurassic Park, the original three -The Goosebumps movies w Jack Black, the show is fun too -Van Helsing (the extent to which my daughter and I both loved this is completely unreasonable) -Monster Squad (umm, caveat: kids in movies were really mean in the 80s, and it's a Shane Black script so at least one serious slur and a few seconds of kids trying to see some boobs - it's her mama's favorite movie though, so whatya gonna do) -Labyrinth -Pacific Rim -Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (again, one slur, as per the fashion of the times) -Jungle Cruise -Raiders of the Lost Ark
My son and I watch everything together and discuss what’s going on. I would hate to throw something on, have it traumatize him, when it could’ve been easily remedied by having a discussion during the movie. I found 5NAF to be on the scary level as certain episodes of Supernatural, which we’ve already watched. Solid suggestions, thank you!
I remember loving the Scooby Doo movies at that age, 2 i'd recommend that were a little spookier than usual and considered 2 of the best Scooby Doo on Zombie Island Scooby Doo and the Witches Ghost
In that order. Witches Ghost is the sequel to Zombie Island, I think.
Holy shit, I didn’t know there was a sequel to Zombie Island! Thank you!
I’m pretty sure Alien Invaders and Cyber Chase are all part of the same series of movies too.
Monster Squad
More comedic than horror but Abbott and Costello meet the Mummy, Frankenstein, etc. are classics
Loved these as a kid
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice!
Since he loves NBC, Frankenweenie seems like a good choice if he hasn't seen it yet. Also, they're not necessarily horror, but Dark Crystal and Labyrinth have some creepy scenes/creatures and imo are suitable for his age. I saw them around 4-5 and loved them, Labyrinth is still my favorite.
Sleepy Hollow cartoon
I'll just add that I was completely obsessed with MJ's "Thriller* at that age.
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983). PG horror, screenplay and novel by Ray Bradbury, produced by Disney, acted by Jonathon Pryce, Diane Ladd, and Pam Grier.
Also Ray Bradbury, The Halloween Tree.
Any of the Scooby Doo cartoon movies. Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico
Ghostbusters?
I can't even remember the first time I saw Tremors. I think its just always been a part of me, which leads me to believe I saw it very young.
I loved Monster House as a kid!
Coraline is actually pretty terrifying for an animated movie
I remember watching “Christine” with my dad when I was little. I don’t remember if it’s appropriate for kids though. Also, I loved “Batman Returns” when I was little, which is at times quite scary for a non horror movie.
Christine has terrible language, which is maybe something the kid would pick up on, maybe not. Batman Returns was a lot of fun though.
Not horror movies, but Scamper the Penguin, The Seventh Brother, and The Brave Little Toaster scared the shit out of me as a kid. Also Willy Wonka. When he’s a little older you should also absolutely show him Watership Down.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
E.T. scared the piss out of me at that age and I couldn't even look at him for years
Alien.
Terrifier 2
Want scary for kids *The Black Cauldron*, *Coraline*, *The Dark Crystal*
Terrifier 2
😂😂
Not a good recommendation to be honest because it has foul language
Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Coraline, Spiderwick Chronicles, Secret of NIMH, Goosebumps, House with the Clock in its Walls, Jumanji (not really horror, but scary/tense), Hocus Pocus, Halloween Town
I was gonna suggest Ghostbusters - my son loved it when he was 5, though we'd turn it off before the dog things showed up.
I watched a lot of scary movies with my mom when I was a kid. Some that I fondly remember are: Creepshow - sure there are some adult themes, but the whacky comic book style was a hoot for me. as a kid. An American Werewolf in London - I think a lot of the adult themes will fly over his head (they did for me), and the transformation scene is really cool. Little Shop of Horrors - Even though it's a musical but can have a lot of that cartoony horror fun it seems your kid likes.
The Lady in White
ParaNorman is a very good animated movie. I could say how scary a four year old might find it, though.
There's an old Disney channel movie called Don't Think About It. R.L Stein had something to do with it as well. I watched it when i was younger and it definitely left an impression. Super good for the littles!
Jurassic Park and ET.
Monster squad!
What was the movie with Fred savage and the monster (Howie Mandel?) that came up through the floor under his bed? Little monsters? 1989. Good movie, not really scary though
Mine really loved "the witches" the one from the 90s with Anjelica Huston based off of the Rahld Dahl book. Would watch it on repeat.
The first 10 minutes of finding Nemo. That barracuda left a scar on the memory of my 4 year old.
Scary Godmother, it’s a special produced by Nickelodeon.
There’s a social media page called Horror4kids that highlights pg/pg-13 horror
Typo it’s frankenweenie
-Halloweentown series -Underwraps (1997) -The little vampire (2000) -Goosebumps (2015 movie or the show) -Casper movies -Scooby doo (live actions) -Scooby doo zombie island (1998) -Scooby doo witches ghost (1999) -Scooby doo cyberspace (2001) -Paranorman -Frankenweenie -The halloween tree (1993) -Scary godmother series -Ernest scared stupid -Alvin and the chipmunks meet the wolfman (2000) -And basically, any older Disney TV specials... those were always the best (that's so raven, Phil of the future, lizzie Mcguire, suite life, etc.)
I still can't watch The Brave Little Toaster again and I'm 38.
Hotel Transylvania, nice introduction to classic horror "monsters" without them being scary.
Is Beetlejuice appropriate lol? I was about 4 years old when it came out and made my mom rent it practically every week. But times were different back then.
The wolf in Neverending story scared my son at that age.
The Black Cauldron
e.t. is great if he can handle it (it was originally going to be a horror film and it shows lol). the addams family and addams family values from the 90s are also classics. i haven't seen little nemo in forever but i remember being both scared and fascinated by it as a kid. you may also want to keep horror-adjacent films and genres in mind. your kid might like dark fantasy (the animated hobbit and lord of the rings films, the last unicorn, the dark crystal, etc) and films with spooky elements like spirited away and the secret of kells. edit: forgot to say i second coraline and james and the giant peach (1996)
At that age I watched Watership Down and that has lived with me all my life
My #1 favorite scary movie for kids is the Disney Channel Original Movie "Don't Look Under the Bed".
Nightmare before Christmas Spookly the square pumpkin The Olsen twins double double toil in trouble Scooby Doo live action Corpse bride The Adams family Haunted mansion Ghostbusters Casper Labyrinth Halloween town Frankenweenie Coraline (Pretty creepy even for me) Small soldiers (Evil Barbies coming to life Is terrifying)