Remember when we were growing up and we couldn’t wait for the Halloween specials every year? Yeah, me neither. Although, to be fair, we did have It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown which was definitely one of my favorites.
We rooted for Linus as he waited for the Great Pumpkin, something only he believed in but he was so earnest that we just had to hope it was true. Likewise, we sulked with Charlie Brown as he gets rock after rock at each house. Poor Charlie Brown. As an adult, it’s almost painful to watch his rejection.
You’ll still find the Peanuts special showing up one night on network TV but if you miss it (like I did), you just might be done for the season. Unless you have Netflix.
This weekend is the perfect weekend to pop some popcorn and try a scary or spooky show for the kids with some of the family friendly selections on Netflix.*
* Scary and spooky are relative terms as all of the following shows are pretty safe for most kids.
For Halloween and Beyond
These are great shows that aren’t exclusively Halloween in nature but would appeal to most kids without being too scary.
Hotel Transylvania 2
Rated PG, 1 hour 29 minutes
My take: Super cute and not in the annoyingly predictable way. Netflix recommends it for ages 5 to 7 but you could definitely go younger and older (my 9 year old liked it and so did I!)
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated
Rated TV-Y7, 22 minutes each episode
My take: It’s not the Scooby-Doo from your youth. The plot lines are a bit darker and more complex and there’s the annoying love interest between Fred and Daphne and Velma and Shaggy (ewwww). But kids seem to like it. Or my son did anyway.
Masha’s Spooky Stories
Rated TV-Y, 22 minutes each episode
My take: In a word, weird. So weird that I had to look it up. Masha is a character from a Russian show called Masha and the Bear. I think this has been dubbed in English and uses CGI and Japanese animation. The stories aren’t bad but even Masha’s voice is weird. Maybe you like weird, though.
Truly Spooky Stories
As kids move into tweendom, they can handle stories that are a little more scary. Like these.
Goosebumps
Rated TV-Y7, 21 minutes each episode
My take: Not to be confused with the movie of the same name, this is the original series that began in 1998. If your kids like the Goosebumps books, they’ll like these. Scary and a little freaky. I would know. I’ve watched enough of them!
DreamWorks Spooky Stories
Rated TV-PG, 65 minutes
My take: This is a spooky special with three mini episodes totally 65 minutes in length. Just right to occupy kids for 20 minutes, 40 minutes, or all three episodes at 60 minutes. If they like Shrek, they’ll like this.
R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour
Rated TV-PG, 22 minutes each episode
My take: My son won’t watch it. He says it looks too creepy. I don’t think it’s creepy unless you have an issue with DOLLS THAT COME TO LIFE!
Sorcerer’s Tales
This is a separate section because some people (like my mom) don’t want anything to do with witches, sorcery, or wizards. But for those of you who do…
Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie
Rated TV-G, 1 hour 34 minutes
My take: Selena Gomaz and her brothers are back. What could be more fun that some Disney witches? Excuse me. I mean, wizards.
Girl vs. Monster
Rated TV-PG, 1 hour 28 minutes
My take: I haven’t watched this one either but it stars Olivia Holt, she of Kickin’ It fame, so I’m sure it’s good. Uh-oh. I might be revealing a little too much of my Disney TV addiction
Sabrina’s Secret Life
Rated TV-Y7, 21 minutes each episode
My take: Remember Sabrina the Teenage Witch? Same character but she’s back in animated form! Perfect for ages 5 to 7.
Creatures of the Night
Courage the Cowardly Dog
TV-Y7, 22 minutes each episode
My take: A whole season of creepy cartoons. I’m not a fan of Cartoon Network shows (I do have a soft spot for Regular Show, though) so I can’t imagine this one’s for me. But I bet my kid would like it.
R.L. Stine’s Mostly Ghostly: One Night in Doom House
Rated PG, 1 hour 28 minutes
My take: One of a series of Mostly Ghostly movies, this one looks scary but Netflix says it’s appropriate for ages 5 to 10. I saw a clown in one of the photos so I’ll let you use your judgment on that.
Scooby-Doo
Rated PG, 1 hour 26 minutes
My take: I’m a Scooby-Doo purist watching mainly the original cartoons. While this movie basically bombed, if your kids are die hard Scooby-Doo fans, they might like this.
Wizards & Dragons
For those kids that prefer their scares to come from fantasy stories, this category just might do the trick.
Dragons: Race to the Edge
Rated TV-Y7, 22 minutes each episode
My take: I loved How To Train Your Dragon and this series is a nice follow-up. The stories and characters feel movie quality so if you liked the movie, this series is a safe bet.
Mia and Me
Rated TV-Y, 23 minutes each episode
My take: Based on elves, unicorns, and an evil queen, this looks like a sparkly version of Halloween perfect for the Barbie lover in your life. Which means I’ve never watched it and probably never will.
Room on the Broom
Rated G, 26 minutes
My take: Based on the book of the same name, this short feature is perfect for younger kids and is recommended for ages 2 to 7. Don’t worry. She’s a nice witch.
***
Are you all set for the pre-Halloween weekend? Well, at least your kids are. Looking for something more scary? Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. Check out my other Netflix posts on Scary Netflix Movies for Everyone and Halloween Favorites You Might Be Missing on Netflix.
This post is part of my monthly series written for the Netflix Stream Team. All opinions are my own.
