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39+ Slightly Scary Shows for Kids to Watch this Halloween

My son loves scary stories. At age eight, we hesitantly introduced him to my favorite childhood scary books – Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. He was hooked! The two sequels were quickly added to the rotation…then we tapped out the library.

Around this time, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was turned into a movie.

And there he is.

Harold.

Right there on the cover.

If you know, you know. But, if you don’t, let me tell you – Harold is hands-down the scariest story in all three books. It hits all the creep and is definitely the one to skip if some of the more banal stories scare your little one. My son begged to watch it. That was our line. Hard no.

However, there are plenty of great child-friendly mildly scary shows and movies that are perfect for the younger kid’s age group but when your kiddo is ready to upgrade, these shows are perfect for older kids and tweens. Let us know in the comments which your kids like or if you have another great one to include!

Our list is sorted by TV Parental Rating Guidelines. For those that are unrated we placed them as a best guess.

Slightly Scary Shows for Kids

Scary Shows for All Children TV-Y

Shows for Older Children TV-Y7

Shows for a General Audience TV-G

Scary Shows Parental Guidance Suggested TV-PG

Next Level Scary Shows


Scary Shows for All Children TV-Y

1

Creepy Crawlers

Production: 1994-1996

Rating: NR

Based on a line of toys by the same name. It ran for two seasons and followed Chris Carter, a kid working in a magic shop. During a rare planetary alignment his ‘Magic Maker’ device was embued with the power to create strange creatures.

Where to Watch: Series currently unavailable. Miscellaneous episodes can be found on YouTube.

2

Aaahh!!! Real Monsters

Production: 1994-1997

Rating: TV-Y

It’s quirky and fun from Nickelodeon. Three little monsters attend school in New York City learning how to frighten humans. However, it can tend toward the dark, gross, and a bit of potty humor.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

Scary Shows for Older Children TV-Y7

3

Animorphs

Production: 1998-2000

Rating: TV-Y7

Teenagers that can morph into animals and must save the earth from an alien invasion. Based on a book series.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

4

Are You Afraid of The Dark

Production: 1992-1997

Rating: TV-Y7

Creeped out is an anthology series linked together by ‘The Curious.’ It is a character that appears at the beginning and end of each episode as a “collector” of stories.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

5

Beetlejuice

Production: 1989-1991

Rating: TV-Y7

Return to Beelejuice’s netherworld as he and Lydia explore the afterlife, monsters, ghosts, ghouls, and zombies.

Where to Watch: DVD | Find it Free

6

Courage The Cowardly Dog

Production: 1999-2002

Rating: TV-Y7

Courage is anything but. And, unfortunately for him, his elderly owners take him to some creepy places and fall into quite a few supernatural adventures.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

7

Eerie Indiana

Production: 1991-1992

Rating: TV-Y7

Simon is new in town and is a weirdness investigator. Fortunately, his new town is providing plenty of adventures.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

8

Freaky Stories

Production: 1997

Rating: TV-Y7

This animated series ran for three seasons. Each episodes delves into three urban legends or unexplained happening.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

9

Gortimer Gibbons Life on Normal Street

Production: 2014-2015

Rating: TV-Y7

Normal street is not what it appears. Gortimer and his two friends explore something that is just a bit magical.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

10

Gravity Falls

Production: 2012-2013

Rating: TV-Y7

Twins, Dipper and Mabel, are off to spend the summer with Grunkle (Great Uncle) Stan who runs a tourist trap called The Mystery Shack. However, the longer they spend in the town of Gravity Falls the more they realize something is not as it seems.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

11

The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy

Production: 2000-2007

Rating: TV-Y7

A fairly un-scary animated adventure, but one of the main characters is the Grim Reapaer – so there is definitely a bit of a creep factor. He has the unfortunate luck to lose a limbo contest and has to head to the suburbs with Billy and Mandy.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

12

Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids

Production: 2000-2011

Rating: NR

A British production based on a popular series of books where horrible children get their comeuppance in often horrible and gruesome manners. Though unrated in the US it is probably a good fit for 7+.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

13

Growing Up Creepie

Production: 2007

Rating: TV-Y7

Creepie is just an average kid…whose father is a mosquito, mother is a praying mantis, and brother is a gnat. The show gives of major Tim Burton vibes.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

14

Just Add Magic

Production: 2015-2019

Rating: TV-Y7

Based on a book, Kelly and her two friends discover a cookbook in the attic. The book seems to cook up more than muffins – this spells trouble.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

15

The Last Kids On Earth

Production: 2019-2021

Rating: TV-Y7

What does a kid-run zombie apocalypse look like? Treehouses, video games and fighting monsters. #NBD

Based on the insanely popular book series, of the same name by Max Brallier.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

16

The Nightmare Room

Production: 2001-2002

Rating: TV-Y7

Only one 13 episode season of the R.L. Stine show (based on a like-named book series) were produced. The premise is an anthology-style show where the fears that live on the edge of your imagination come to life. Eight episodes were released on two DVDs. It is not currently available to stream.

Where to Watch: DVD | DVD #2

17

The Owl House

Production: 2020-2021

Rating: TV-Y7

Luz, a human teenager, stumbles through a portal to a magical world where she befriends a tiny warrior and a rebellious witch.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

18

The Real Ghostbusters

Production: 1985-1990

Rating: TV-Y7

All the Ghostbusting fun from the movies in ten animated seasons of awesomeness!

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

19

Ruby Gloom

Production: 2006

Rating: TV-Y7

Ruby is a cheerful little goth living in a Victoria mansion and happy to befriend the strange and scary creatures that live in the closet.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

20

Strange Days at Blake Holsey High

Production: 2002-2006

Rating: TV-Y7

Also known as Black Hole High, this show takes place at a boarding school with a wormhole problem.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

21

Tales From The Cryptkeeper

Production: 1993-1994, 1999

Rating: TV-Y7

Also known as Black Hole High, this show takes place at a boarding school with a wormhole problem.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

Scary Shows for a General Audience TV-G

22

Ghostwriter

Production: 2019-2020

Rating: TV-G

A group of friends team up when a ghost haunts a neighborhood bookstore and begins releasing fictional characters into the world.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

23

The Haunted Hathaways

Production: 2014-2015

Rating: TV-G

A family-friendly ghost centric comedy. The scares in this one are low but the Hathaways’ new house in New Orleans is haunted!

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

24

House of Anubis

Production: 2011-2013

Rating: TV-G

A little soapy the story revolves around an American girl, Nina enrolling at an elite boarding school. On the day of her arrival another student goes missing. Strange things are happening and the school’s attic may be haunted but the students band together to solve the mystery of the disappearance of one of their friends.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

25

Moville Mysteries

Production: 2002-2003

Rating: TV-G

In Ouigee Falls strange things happen every day. Mo and his friends encounter the strange and supernatural and investigate the paranormal and down right weird.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

Scary Shows Parental Guidance Suggested TV-PG

26

The A List

Production: 2018-2021

Rating: TV-PG

The A-List is a teen drama that finds our group on a remote island. This sleepaway camp is different than the others it’s filled with a mystery and supernatural drama!

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

27

Are You Afraid of The Dark

Production: 2019

Rating: TV-PG

Revived as a three-part, self-contained limited series. This outing is a little creepier than the original but just as fun!

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

28

Are You Afraid of The Dark: Curse of the Shadows

Production: 2021

Rating: TV-PG

Picking up from the 2019 reboot, the current iteration introduces and all new group of kids as members of the Midnight Society. And, it launches a new mysterious creature, The Shadowman.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

29

Creeped Out

Production: 2017

Rating: TV-PG

Creeped out is an anthology series linked together by ‘The Curious.’ It is a character that appears at the beginning and end of each episode as a “collector” of stories.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

30

Deadtime Stories

Production: 2012-2014

Rating: TV-PG

Every episode has a babysitter telling questionable bed time stories to the children she is watching.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

31

Goosebumps

Production: 1995-1998

Rating: TV-PG

R.L. Stine’s wildly popular book series, of the same name comes to life in four seasons of creeps and scares! Told anthology-style each scary episodes can stand alone as it explores all the things that go bump in the night.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

32

R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour

Production: 2010-2014

Rating: TV-PG

Following in Goosebumps’ footsteps, R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour, is an anthology series that explores the creepy, scary, and unexplained.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

33

The Secret of Sulphur Springs

Production: 2021

Rating: TV-PG

A young boy and his family move to a dilapidated hotel in a small town. The town believes the hotel to be haunted. Along with a new friend they delve into the 30 year old mystery of the hotel and a missing girl.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

34

Over the Garden Wall

Production: 2014

Rating: TV-PG

An animated mini-series produced by Cartoon Network follows tow brothers, Wirt and Greg, when they find themselves in a mysterious forest and must find their way home.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free

35

A Series of Unfortunate Events

Production: 2017-2019

Rating: TV-PG

The series follows the newly orphaned Baudelaire children as they try to uncover the mystery of their parents’ deaths and escape the clutches of the evil Count Olaf.

Where to Watch: Find it

36

So Weird

Production: 1999-2001

Rating: TV-PG

Fiona “Fi” has a webiste, “So Weird,” where she posts the mysterious and supernatural events she encounters. All this while traveling the country with her rock-star mom and investigating her father’s death.

Where to Watch: Find it

37

Spooksville

Production: 2013

Rating: TV-PG

Based on books by Christopher Pike, a new kid in town discovers he is the key to winning the battle between good and evil that has been ravaging his town for centuries.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

38

Truth or Scare

Production: 2001-2002

Rating: NR

Documentary style show hosted by Michell Trachtenberg, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Each episode relates a famous story of hauntings or paranormal activity.

Where to Watch: Currently unavailable – several episodes can be viewed on YouTube

39

Twilight Zone

Production: 1959-

Rating: TV-PG

A series of unrelated stories of the macabre, mysterious, and downright scary.

There is also a 2002 TV-PG version hosted by Forest Whitaker but it is not currently available for Streaming. You can see many of them on YouTube.

Where to Watch: DVD | Stream | Find it Free

40

Wolfblood

Production: 2013-2017

Rating: TV-PG

Werewolf show about 14 year old Maddy. There are secrets to keep in the woods and they all need to stay with the pack.

Where to Watch: Stream | Find it Free


Next Level Scary Shows

Ready to step up the scary? These are rated for older kids for a variety of reasons from scare to romance, to adult themes, to more realistic monsters and violence. Viewer discretion is definitely advised for the following or you may consider watching together as a family.

39+ Slightly Scary Shows for Kids - Perfect for the in between ages, 7-12 year olds.
39+ Slightly Scary Shows for Kids - Perfect for the in between ages, 7-12 year olds.

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