Scary (But Not-Too-Scary) Movies For Teens and Tweens In 2024
Spooky movies are super popular, but what’s a mom of teens and tweens to do? Let them watch Friday the 13th or force them to stick with Addams Family for a few more years? That’s the concern we’ve been dealing with at home. I figure there’s got to be a middle point for the kids in the middle years. I need a list of scary movies for teens and tweens. So I put one together and have referenced this whenever my daughter wants to watch a scary movie. This list of Halloween movies is for the middle school crowd who may feel too old to trick or treat but not old enough to hang with Freddie or Jason. Affiliate links are included in this post.
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Scary (But Not-Too-Scary) Movies For Teens and Tweens In 2024
I love a good movie marathon and binge, but the list of Disney Halloween movies isn’t quite cutting it for the tween and teens this year.
Sure, they love Descendants as much as I do, but they’re starting to ask to age out of some of the Freeform 31 Nights of Halloween shows.
I get it.
I was the kid watching Freddie and Jason at a way too young age (sorry, Mom and Dad!).
There’s something that a jump scare does to you that can’t be replaced by a fun, coordinated dance number!
Horror Movies For Kids
So this year, I’m branching out and introducing my tweens and teens to a few scary but not too scary Halloween movies.
Coolest. Mom. Ever.
My daughter hopes to make a quick round of trick-or-treating through the neighborhood, then wants to have friends over for some mild scares.
Here’s a list of scary movies that aren’t too scary for kids.
Think PG-13 horror movies; some you can find on Netflix, and some you’ll want to rent or buy on Amazon with the affiliate links I’ve provided below.
Don’t forget to check out Disney+ for some good options too!
List of Horror Movies That Are More Family-Friendly For Teens and Tweens
Now, let’s be clear. These are still spooky and creepy and scary in their own right.
And not all of the movies on this list will be appropriate for your family.
But I think all of them are PG or PG-13 horror movies, so at least there’s that as a barometer!
No Rated R horror movies in the bunch.
Here’s our list of scary movies for teens and tweens:
- The Others
- Edward Scissorhands
- Beetlejuice
- Ghostbusters
- Ghostbusters: The Afterlife
- Gremlins
- Arachnophobia
- Poltergeist
- Something Wicked This Way Comes
- Watcher in the Woods
- Super 8
You’ll want to check out some parent guides to decide if these movies cross your family boundaries.
Happy Death Day, for example, has some sexual content without nudity.
But that might still be too much adult content for your tweens and teens to watch in a scary movie!
Scary But Not-Too-Scary Horror Movies on Netflix
Streaming is the name of the game these days!
Here’s a short list of scary but not too scary horror movies on Netflix your teens will love.
- Wednesday
- Stranger Things (though season 4 is pretty dang scary!)
- Nightbooks
- In the Tall Grass (TV-MA)
- Curious Creations of Christine McConnell
- Goosebumps
- Creeped Out
- House of the Witch
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Patty Holliday is a parent movie reviewer, writer, and podcaster living in the Washington, DC area. Her goal is to bridge the gap between casual fandom and picky critic with parent movie and television reviews. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.
I want SCARY horror.
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