20 Not-So-Scary Netflix Halloween Shows To Watch With Your Kids

What’s scarier than a show that refuses to have a happy ending? Absolutely nothing.

A Series of Unfortunate Events, which is a Netflix original series based on the young adult books by Lemony Snicket promises that you won’t find a happy ending here. Meet the Baudelaire siblings, who, after being recently orphaned, use their wits, skill, and knowledge to get them out of tricky situations, find out what really happened to their parents, and evade the cunning Count Olaf, who is after their family fortune. The series is slightly terrifying, but retells the books in such a fun and vivid way, you kind of have to watch, even if the story is super unfortunate.

Watch A Series of Unfortunate Events, rated TV-PG.

Hansel and Gretel are in search of their own “happily ever after” which involves them leaving their own treacherous parents in search of perfect ones. But their adventure takes them to places they would have never expected, where they encounter witches, warlocks, dragons, and yes, the devil himself. But soon they learn that they are in charge of their own destinies, which brings them to places they could have never dreamed of. Oh yeah, this series is also based on a beloved young adult book series, so you can follow along with each episode by reading the books.

Watch A Tale Dark & Grimm, rated TV-Y7.

If you ever loved watching Nickelodeon in the 1990’s, then you (and your kids) will love this revival of the classic ‘90’s series, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, which premiered in 2019. The premise of this spooky series is slightly terrifying — a young girl gets inducted into a mysterious group, but must tell a scary story to officially join them. But when her friend’s fates begins to change based on the stories they tell, things start to become a lot more realistic.

This series, which first aired on Nickelodeon, is told in three 45 minute installments, so prepare to sit down, grab the popcorn, and get spooked.

Watch Are You Afraid of the Dark? rated TV-PG.

Ready to get seriously Creeped Out? It’s easy with this award winning series which first premiered in the United Kingdom in 2017.

Creeped Out is an anthology series with each episode focusing on a new character in a new setting. Led by a masked figure known as “The Curious,” each story is uncovered in the beginning of the episode. Some episodes deal with revolting technology, while other episodes focus on creepy puppets, vengeful zombies, and sinister neighbors. If your kid scares easily or is prone to nightmares, then Creeped Out might be a little too realistic for them. It’s best that you probably watch an episode or two on your own so you can be the judge.

Watch Creeped Out, rated TV-PG.

Christine McConnell is a super talented baker and artist who loves to create things that are just slightly surreal. In her own Netflix original series, which is a take on the cooking and creative shows on TV, McConnell fills her home with creepy crafts with the help of some kooky creatures at her side. Find out how to make things like “peanut butter pretzel bones” and “shrunken head cookies” in this six episode series.

The little creative masterminds in your family will love all of the creations that Christine comes up with. But be warned, your kitchen might be taken over by them after watching it.

Watch The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell, rated TV-PG.

These three different super scary (kid friendly) tales featuring your favorite Dreamwork’s Animation characters are all a bit different but very unique. In one, Shrek challenges his friends to spend just one eery night in Lord Farquaad’s haunted castle while he tells them scary stories. In the next, Shrek and Donkey have to rescue Fiona (again), this time from the ghost of Lord Farquaad. And in the final episode, based on the film Monsters vs. Aliens, Susan Murphy and monsters go to uncover an alien presence detected in her hometown.

This series is perfect for the kids in your household that are either obsessed with Shrek, love animated movies, or are looking for a soft ball introduction to some scary stories without them being too scary at all.

Watch DreamWorks’ Spooky Stories, rated TV-PG.

Can’t get enough Spooky Stories? Good, because DreamWorks has three more to give. In this collection of four episodes featuring DreamWorks characters, you will be taken on a slightly scary adventure. Join the cast of Monsters vs. Aliens as they band together to save their town from being taken over by zombie vegetables. In the second, the cast of Monsters vs. Aliens celebrate a birthday and plan to break out from a government cell. In the next, Megamind and Minion have to save their city from a robot. And in the final installment, a werewolf moves next to the Three Little Pigs. Each episode is short, to the point, and perfect for viewing.

Watch DreamWork’s Spooky Stories 2, rated TV-PG.

If your family loves a good heartfelt drama or Hallmark movie any time of the year, then you should put Good Witch on your radar. This series, which originally ran for 7 Seasons on the Hallmark Channel, focuses on an enchanting widow with magical powers named Cassie Nightingale, who is raising a teenage girl in a small town. But when an attractive single doctor and his teenage son move next door, Cassie must use her witchy intuition for good. It’s safe to say that her powers can get her into trouble, but when she uses them to her advantage (like helping her fall in love with the single doctor next door), big things happen. Really, you’ll just have to see for yourself.

Watch Good Witch, rated TV-PG.

If you ever opened up an R.L. Stine novel or have a kid that loves fantasy books, then the Goosebumps TV series is one that you’ll both want to watch. In this Canadian TV series from 1998, R.L. Stine’s stories are adapted for the small screen, combined with original stories that are slightly scary, yet still tame enough to air on TV. Netflix has more than 74 episodes of this series that you can pick and choose to watch throughout the spooky season.

While some of the technology and stories might seem a little dated, since they’re from the late 90’s, it’s a vintage look at what was scary then.

Watch Goosebumps, rated TV-G.

Set four years before the first Hotel Transylvania film, in this series Mavis, Drac’s daughter, finds herself living with her Aunt Lydia in the hotel while her dad is away on “Official Business.” In each episode, Mavis attempts to go on an adventure with her friends, and run the hotel “her way” — but her Aunt Lydia has other ideas about running the hotel in a more traditional way.

If your kids are huge fans of all three Hotel Transylvania films that are super hilarious, then they will love the episodic humor that takes place in each episode of Hotel Transylvania: The Series.

Watch Hotel Transylvania: The Series, rated TV-Y7.

When three teens wake up in a small room with no recollection of their identities or how they got there, they aren’t scared. Instead, they join forces to get themselves out and find their way back home. Through a realm filled with perplexing portals, manipulation, and teleportation, they are able to go on a major adventure that brings them one step closer to finding their way back to who they are. Now that sounds extra terrifying to me.

Classic cartoon lovers will be obsessed with the animation style on this series, which is reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons.

Watch The Hollow, rated TV-Y7.

Akko is a student at the Luna Nova Witchcraft Academy, a school for young girls who are in training to become witches, but she struggles due to her non-magical background. When she finds a Shiny Rod, a powerful magic relic, however, things begin to change for her. While she might not be the best student, Akko’s bright attitude helps bring success to her and her friends.

This series, with two seasons streaming on Netflix right now, is a Japanese animé series, dubbed in English, and is such a fun adventure series to watch with a little witchy twist.

Watch Little Witch Academia, rated TV-Y7.

If your kid is a fan of the four seasons of Masha and the Bear, then they will love Masha’s Spooky Stories, which are not so spooky at all. In each episode, Masha tells stories about kids who are afraid of things and explains why there is no need to be scared of common things, like: the dark, animals, insects, and doctors. If you have a child who is fearful of some common things (like I was as a kid), then this show is a perfect explainer to help them get over their small anxieties.

Watch Masha’s Spooky Stories, rated TV-Y.

12-year-old Willa Ward receives a special cat necklace on her 12th birthday. But this isn’t any average necklace — it’s a necklace in the shape of a cat, belonging to her late mother, that is able to unlock the magical world of witchcraft. Willa soon learns that she inhabits magical powers, and the ability to become a cat herself.

This brand new series is only in its first season, so there are only nine episodes up on Netflix right now. But, there is always the possibility for more. And there is no better new show that screams “Happy Halloween” on Netflix right now than Scaredy Cats.

Watch Scaredy Cats, rated TV-G.

Shrek is celebrating Halloween with his friends by telling scary stories that will send shivers down your spine. Each episode tells a different story about the shenanigans that Shrek and his friends get into with a Halloween theme. In one, Puss in Boots is sent to recover a ruby from a villain, while in another, Puss in Boots, Donkey, and the other creatures that live in Far Far Away battle against each other in a singing competition.

But if you’ve already seen DreamWork’s Spooky Stories, then you might want to skip over the first episode “Scared Shrekless” which is a repeat from the first anthology of Spooky Stories.

Watch Shrek’s Swamp Stories, rated TV-PG.

What if some of the most famous monsters in the world had small kids of their own? Then they would star in Super Monsters, a Netflix original animated series about preschool kids who have some very famous parents. These little spooksters all have to manage their special powers on their own, while also prepping for kindergarten, which is no easy feat. You can see what happens over the course of three seasons with multiple episodes in each that are easy, fun, and light enough to watch. If you’re looking for a pre-school appropriate show with a slight Halloween twist, this show is it.

Watch Super Monsters, rated TV-Y.

Mutant creatures can be just a little scary, but there is nothing frightening about Sharkdog — a pet that is half shark and half dog. Max is a 10-year-old boy whose best friend is Sharkdog, an unusual kind of pet who loves fish sticks. Together, they take on messy and super fun adventures, both on land and in sea. While there isn’t anything specifically about Halloween in this series, you have to admit that Sharkdog is a Frankenstein-like creation, which is slightly terrifying. But Shark Dog is the kind of sweet and inventive show that your pet obsessed kid will love.

Watch Sharkdog, rated TV-Y.

After a young boy in a small town in the 1980’s mysteriously vanishes, his mother, brother, and friends go to look for him. They end up meeting a mysterious young girl and uncovering an experimental facility, which seems oddly weird. But there are some things that really can’t just be explained.

This sci-fi drama can get a little spooky at times, according to Common Sense Media, especially since the first season is heavy on the scary stuff. This is why it’s best recommended that children under the age of 13 watch it with an adult who can help them understand what is going on at times where things become too dark to understand.

Watch Stranger Things, rated TV-14.

There are good witches, bad witches, and the worst witches, like the ones in the British TV show, The Worst Witch. Mildred Hubble is just a normal girl born outside of the world of magic. But when she stumbles into Miss Cackle’s Academy for witches she soon learns that she could belong there. If your kids are voracious readers, then they will be delighted to know that this four season series is based on a book series by the same name. The series focuses on Mildred, her friends, and enemies that she encounters while at Miss Cackle’s Academy.

Watch The Worst Witch, rated TV-G.

It’s the same characters that you know and love: Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy, and their dog, Scooby-Doo — but embarking on a brand new set of adventures and solving a whole new bunch of mysteries in this new series, What’s New, Scooby-Doo?

With three seasons and 42 episodes total, there is no shortage of mysteries to solve and Scooby snacks to eat. Whether the Mystery Gang is inspiring your family’s Halloween costume, or you can’t get enough of the whacky villains from the show, What’s New, Scooby Doo? is the perfect program to put on if you just want to watch a show with a slightly supernatural twist.

What’s New, Scooby Doo? is rated TV-Y7.