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I’m not going to lie to you, I hate horror movies. I blame it on my early years of watching The Exorcist, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, and the scariest movie in my book — The Shining. I basically scared the you-know-what out of myself and now I’m a grown-up wimp.

I have mixed feelings about Halloween. On the one hand it’s really fun to get the kids dressed up (and eat their candy), but on the other hand it’s the time of year when they are inundated with way too much blood and gore. Don’t fear, thankfully there are a handful of movies to help get your kids in the mood. Here are my not-so-scary redbox favorites:

Not-So-Scary Spooky Animated Movie

Scooby -Doo! Camp Scare, NR
My girls rolled their eyes when I said we should watch Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare. Fifteen minutes into it they were sucked in and even a little spooked. The story takes place at an abandoned summer camp, which most kids can relate to. Creepy characters like the Woodsman and The Fish Man come to life based on old camp lore. Basically, it’s same old classic Scooby-Doo story line we all grew up on that ends in ghosts turning out to be greedy land owners (minus the relentless use of the word “groovy”). Tip: great way to get kids to fold laundry!

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Not-So-Scary Dragon Movie

How to Train Your Dragon, PG
In How to Train Your Dragon, I’m not sure what’s scarier: the Vikings or the dragons? I loved this movie, and judging by all the redbox fan feedback, many of you did as well. I think it’s a great movie to give your kids a little scare without freaking them out. Except for the part where… nevermind, I won’t ruin it for you. So the next time the kids ask for something scary, trick them with “Dragon.”

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Not-So-Scary Monster Movie

Where the Wild Things Are, PG
Classic kids’ books like Where the Wild Things Are are perfect for the whole family! This adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s story, where the disobedient Max is sent to bed without his supper and joins forces with a forest full of wild creatures, is both scary (in the not-so-scary way) and heart =warming. A big bonus is that this movie can help kids get over the idea that all monsters are scary. Except for the ones that are lurking under the bed, of course.

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Not-so-scary Movie for Mom and Dad

Frozen
Frozen might be one of the most ridiculous movies I’ve seen in a long time, yet I couldn’t turn it off. Think about all the times you’ve been on a stalled chair lift and thought “I could jump from here.” While that might sound stupid, if you’re stuck for hours like the cast of Frozen on a lift in 20-below temperatures, you are probably willing to do something stupid. In real life, I’m pretty sure the Snow Cats (big machines driven by big, strong guys) would find you during their 11 p.m. grooming shift. Regardless, this movie kept my attention without totally scaring me to death. Success!

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That’s it for now. We want to hear from you! What scary movies are appropriate for kids? We will add them to the list!

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