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It's October, and you're trying to find Halloween movies that won't bore you to tears or traumatize your kids. Every family has different thresholds for "too scary," and you're looking for that sweet spot between cozy and creepy. We've done the work for you—breaking down Halloween movies by age group, sharing our childhood scares (E.T.’s fingers, anyone?), and giving you permission to skip the ones that don't work for your family.

Stop scrolling through streaming services hoping to find age-appropriate Halloween content—hit subscribe and get our curated movie list organized by age, plus hot takes on classics you might have missed.

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Who Should Listen

This episode is for parents trying to navigate Halloween movie season without causing nightmares, and anyone looking for nostalgic movie recommendations that hold up (or hilariously don't).

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What You Get In This Episode

• Why Common Sense Media ratings are guidelines, not rules—you know your kid best
• Safe, sweet picks for toddlers and littles (Curious George, Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Pooh's Heffalump)
• Late elementary and middle school classics (Labyrinth, Beetlejuice, Coraline, Corpse Bride)
• Actually scary picks for brave preteens (Monster House, The Witches, Goosebumps)
• Nostalgic Universal Monster Movies and 80s/90s cult favorites
• Must-watch classics for preteens and beyond (Ghostbusters, Hocus Pocus, The Addams Family)
• TV show recommendations (Super Monsters, Halloween Wars, Wednesday, Stranger Things)
• Bonus movies that aren't technically Halloween but belong on the list (Batman Returns, E.T., The Craft)
• How to build simple Halloween movie traditions without the pressure

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Bios

Caitlin brings her signature blend of humor and practical advice to help overwhelmed moms navigate the challenges of adulting and parenting—including finding Halloween movies that won't cause therapy bills. With Ariella Monti (ariellamonti.com), novelist and author of Roots in Ink, who brings her love of fantasy, creepy aesthetics, and The Crow to the conversation.

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Sources & Mentions

• 35+ Halloween movies for kids, by age | By Edward Shepard and Diva Anwari for Motherly
• Freeform's "31 Nights of Halloween" Schedule 2025
• Common Sense Media ratings referenced throughout
• The Threads fam for chiming in!

Use promo code CKANDGK for 20% off Roots in Ink at ariellamonti.com

Coming up next week: The history of Spirit Halloween and how one guy accidentally invented the seasonal pop-up business model. Subscribe so you don't miss it!

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CK & GK

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