Maybe not a truly scary movie, but it’s a great classic to kick off the spooky season as all the family can enjoy this one together during the Halloween holiday.

Starring Bette Midler, three witches have returned to Salem from the 17^th century only to be welcomed by some unexpected pranksters who accidentally brought them into the current year.

Directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg, Poltergeist is a quintessential haunted house tale that has captivated audiences for decades.

Strange things start happening once a family moves into a house they find out was built over a cemetery in this classic thriller movie. Malevolent spirits invade their home, and the central storyline focuses on the mysterious disappearance of their youngest daughter.

For tweens ready to venture into the world of supernatural horror, “Poltergeist” provides an accessible entry point. The spine-tingling scares and strong emphasis on family bonds are balanced appropriately.

Directed by Tim Burton, Tim Burton, Frankenweenie offers an ideal blend of gothic charm with a heartwarming narrative that resonates strongly with tweens, perfect for

The film’s central theme of resurrecting a beloved pet tugs at the heartstrings, while it’s monochrome palette and quirky characters add layers of eerie allure without being overwhelmingly dark.

“Frankenweenie” strikes the right balance between spine-chilling moments and heartfelt revelations, perfect for a Halloween movie night.

Based on the extremely popular R.L. Stine books, Goosebumps brings all of the spooky characters from the books to life as they terrorize a town. The perfect blend between chills and chuckles, the humor helps keep the scarier moments palatable for a younger audience.

With a mix of fantastical creatures, intriguing plot twists, and relatable characters, “Goosebumps” offers the perfect gateway into the world of light horror, ensuring thrills without the nightmares its an excellent choice for a tween Halloween movie night.

Marnie, along with her grandmother and siblings, take a trip to Halloweentown where they come across some spooky characters.

As a Disney Channel original, you know it will strike that balance between spooks without being scary with a little Halloween magic thrown in.

After you’ve watched the first Halloweentown, be sure to check out the sequels if you want a Halloween movie marathon.

This animated film centers around Norman, a young boy who can communicate with ghosts. When his town faces a zombie uprising due to an ancient curse, it’s up to Norman, with his unique ability, to save the day.

The movie skillfully combines humor, adventure, and light scares, making it engaging for tweens.

Beyond the supernatural elements, “ParaNorman” delves into themes of acceptance, understanding differences, and confronting fears, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking for tween audiences.

Wanting their mom to go out on a date and have some fun for a change, the kids set her up with someone they suspect might be a real-life vampire.

They embark on a night of sleuthing and misadventures, combining humor with light-hearted scares and a dash of family dynamics as Disney does best!

A family-friendly film, this movie is perfect for pre-teens who want to enjoy the spooky season with some vampire tales but really aren’t quite ready for the intensity of more mature vampire movies.

One of the best Halloween movies for tweens, a young mystery writer, Annabelle, is searching for a story and finds a 200-year-old mystery with the spooky story she has been looking for.

The film avoids intense horror or dark themes, favoring a more whimsical and adventurous tone, making it suitable for Halloween viewing for the pre-adolescent crowd.

Jordan, her dad, and her brother have inherited a spooky place called Wolfsberg Manor from their late uncle. While on their new estate, they’re hit with a freak accident that slowly turns Jordan into a werewolf.

This is another great tween movie that fits if you are looking for a Halloween movie that isn’t so scary.

It simply can’t be the spooky season without a dose of Ghostbusters in our household. A supernatural comedy, a team of parapsychologists start a ghost-catching business in New York City.

As they tackle a series of spectral nuisances, they stumble upon a plot that threatens the entire city, leading to a climactic confrontation with powerful supernatural entities.

Ghostbusters is generally considered suitable for a younger audience with comedy dominating, though it does include some mild scares and suggestive content, perfect for a Halloween movie night.

Moving up the maturity scale, this is a truly scary movie that starts with an urban legend. The Ring is a story about a scary videotape that causes anyone who watches it to die seven days later unless certain conditions are met.

It’s not full of gratuitous gore but has eerie visuals and a detective-style narrative. The intriguing storyline will appeal to those who prefer puzzle-solving and suspense over horror.

A thriller-comedy that centers around a deadly Venezuelan spider, which is accidentally transported to a small American town, where it breeds, leading to a terrifying spider infestation.

There’s a good blend of both humor and suspense, but also some genuinely creepy moments, so you’ll need to judge this on your child’s ability to handle creature-based horror, as it could result in a nightmare or three for your true arachnophobes!

The Village unfolds in an isolated 19th-century hamlet where residents live in fear of creatures inhabiting the surrounding woods. The community abides by strict rules to avoid provoking these entities. When a few of the residents must leave to help save a friend, they disobey the rules to find out what really awaits outside of the town.

The film combines romance, mystery, and suspense elements, using atmospheric tension rather than graphic horror. It should be considered moderately chilling and best for your more mature tweens with a pension for suspense.

When a brother and sister, Becca and Tyler, are sent to live at their grandparents’ farm in a remote area in Pennsylvania, they notice increasingly strange behavior before discovering that their grandparents are involved in something disturbing and scary.

This found-footage style horror-thriller is recommended for mature tweens and teens as there’s some disturbing imagery and suspenseful sequences.

After a mysterious accident in the attic, Dalton falls into a coma, and his parents try to find help for him. As they try to get the help that is needed, they explore the paranormal by rediscovering the past.

Note that this movie is quite intense, with a series of jump scares, chilling music, and eerie visuals, which might be too much for younger viewers but a great introduction to the genre for your more mature pre-teens.

Scary Movies to Tell in the Dark is based on one of the scariest children’s book series by Alvin Schwartz. Set in the 1960s, it tells the tale of a group of young teens who must solve the mystery of the sudden deaths in their small town.

The movie blends historical elements with supernatural horror, presenting a series of eerie, interconnected narratives.

While it is crafted with a younger audience in mind, some of the film’s sequences can be genuinely frightening, especially given the vivid creature designs and suspenseful scenarios. We’d only recommend this one for preteens and teens who are fans of supernatural tales and are accustomed to moderate horror.

If your tween enjoys the scary movie with a bit of a slasher twist, Happy Death Day might be a good one to check out.

The plot of the movie tells the story of a woman who relives the day of her murder over and over. With each repetition, she gains more clues about her killer’s identity and must solve her own murder to break free from the time loop (think a spooky version of Ground Hog Day).

The film does contain some intense moments, jump scares, and themes of violence, albeit with a comedic undertone. It lacks the heavy gore typical of many horror movies, but there are thematic elements and occasional strong language that render it inappropriate for younger tweens.

Working security at a museum couldn’t be that hard, right? Larry has started his new night security job at the museum and soon gets the surprise of a lifetime.

Once the crowds are gone and the museum shuts down for the night, the exhibits come to life. Now, his job is to protect the museum from criminals and manage the chaos the exhibits bring.

An action-packed comedy not just for tweens, the whole family will enjoy watching this classic together – one of the best comedy movies for 9 to 12 year olds.

Looking for a lighthearted laugh the entire family can enjoy? With Dad being a former wrestler, it’s unsurprising that brother and sister Saraya and Zak want to become wrestling superstars.

Following the dreams their family has always wanted, they get the chance to audition for WWE and, on their journey, learn that there is more to it than what we see on TV.

What started out as a book series for tweens in the 1980s comes to life in movie form.

The Baby-Sitters club follows seven friends who start a babysitting business one summer. That summer turns out to be adventurous, memorable, and fun for all seven girls. Throw in the dynamics of friendship, family crisis, and romantic encounters for the perfect tween girl movie mix ideal for a best friend sleepover.

Released in 2016, Hidden Figures tells the true story of three women that worked at NASA and were influential in one of the greatest operations in history.

These three women helped John Glenn be the first astronaut to go into space. Truly inspiring and great movie for a tween movie night.

An animated film that tweens can watch when they want to go on an adventure, Mosley is one of those family-friendly movies you can all enjoy.

The movie’s story follows Mosley, who finds out that he is part of a heroic tribe of giants and is determined to prove that he’s more than just an animal that belongs on the farm.

With a sad start to the movie, three children have lost their parents and are now sent to live with their cousin, Count Olaf.

The children have been left a vast fortune from their parents and Olaf is nothing but a cruel man who tries everything to get the fortune for himself.

Luckily, the children escape and find other family members to stay with, but escaping Cousin Olaf seems harder to do.

Full of adventure, The Goonies is one of those classic films from the ’80s every generation falls in love with. It follows a group of children who discover a secret treasure map.

On their hunt for the treasure, they come across a fun-filled adventure full of surprises; a great movie for your more mature tweens.

Based on a true story, Homer Hickman is the son of a coal miner. His father expects him and his brother to follow in his footsteps of coal mining. While his brother has recently gotten a football scholarship, Homer sees the Sputnik 1 rocket crossing the sky and realizes he has an interest in rocket science.

Unfortunately, his father doesn’t approve of his interests or the fact that he is building rockets with friends. Homer accomplishes more than anyone thought he would, and it changes his life completely.

A great movie for those that love inspiring stories based on real world events. Rudy Ruettiger wants nothing more than to play football for Notre Dame but doesn’t have the grades or money to attend the famous school.

His dyslexia holds him back when it comes to his grades, but he works with his friend and tutor to overcome his challenges and makes his way into Notre Dame. He then fights his way onto the school’s famous football team in this inspiring story that’s based on real-life events.

One of those classic movies that has become a favorite for many tweens over the years (and has even been revived with the characters in a new television series), The Karate Kid is a must-watch.

Daniel, who has just moved to a new city finds himself dealing with bullies. He eventually meets a martial arts expert, Mr. Miyagi, who takes him under his wing and teaches him the art of compassionate karate, and leads him to become the best.

A touching coming of age story, you’ll laugh and cry as you follow Vada’s journey through her own tween-year dramas and coping with her fears around death.

An unlikely new friendship ensues for the conflicted tom boy. Follow their summer of misadventures in this emotional-charged tween movie, though perhaps have a Kleenex handy!

A fun rom-com that we’re sure many of your tween girls especially can relate to; ever dreamed of skipping those awkward teen years and turning the clock forward?

From geek to glamorous overnight, 13-year-old Jenna (Lindsay Lohan) wakes up in the body of a 30-year-old (Jamie lee Curtis) but needs some magic to find the true love she left behind.

What quickly became a popular movie with older kids and teens, Napoleon Dynamite may not be a movie you would think of for tweens.

However, it’s a story of a nerdy teenager that comes from an odd family, which makes it relatable for tweens. As Napoleon goes through learning about the things that matter most; friendship, family, and being yourself, he becomes more comfortable in his skin.

Another classic film that has become a favorite for many, A League of Their Own will help inspire and empower older tween girls.

The story follows the journey of the American Girls Baseball League, where women take over the baseball world while the men are at war. Proving that women can do everything men can do in sports, it carries a positive message and resonates well with a younger audience.

Based on the true story of a girl from Uganda who finds out that she has the unbelievable talent of playing chess.

Where she lives and how she grows up can be hard for children, but the story behind her journey is an inspiring one.

Always a crowd pleaser with preteen girls especially, the teen years are never easy, but what happens when the decidedly average high school student Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathway) discovers she’s a princess?

Learning about her new title, her late father, and dealing with her pesky grandmother plenty of comedy moments ensue in this