What horror movie would your reccomend for a 6 y/o kid?

[jinx]

The subject says it all. My 6 y/o son has been pestering me to let him watch a horror movie. While I consider myself a horror buff in general, I just have to admit that I'm at a lost in this particular matter since most of the stuffs I like (Exorcist, The Thing, The Omen, etc.) would be too gruesome or just wordy for someone his age (I might be wrong on this front). The only movie that pops into mind that I think might satisfy his curiosity and my horror sensibility is the original Fright Night and maybe the third Nightmare on Elm Street. Any other movie recommendation would be highly appreciated. ^_^

[monkeyman]

Maybe start with like one of the Addams Family movies or Beetlejuice. But are pretty spooky and have at least some scary elements without running the risk of full-blown childhood trauma. I know multiple iterations (the original live-action, it's sequel, the new animated version) Addams Family is currently streaming on several of the major services too.

As far as actual horror movies go, Gremlins is technically rated PG... but it is also the reason the PG-13 rating was created, so take that into consideration.

[Tizona]

Trick 'r Treat
An American Werewolf in London
Jaws
The Monster Squad
The Fog
Sleepy Hollow
Ghostbusters

[scissortooth]

I saw Gremlins when I was 5 or 6 and while it scared me shitless back then I grew up to be more or less normal . But I did keep watching my room's windows when the lights went out for the next week or two, expecting a gremlin to appear there with that evil grin.

Then again, I read the Forever War graphic novel when I was 8 because my parents thought all "comic books" are for children, so... Maybe I'm not the right person to ask about it

[voloci2]

If you're interested in stop-motion animation there is:

Coraline
Frankenweenie
Corpse Bride

[Nig]

Coraline, Frankenweenie and Corpse Bride are great. I'd add Paranorman and The Nightmare Before Christmas to the animated list.

Others -
The House with a clock in it's Walls
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Jaws
Sleepy Hollow

[scissortooth]

Jaws

Hell no After seeing the scene when they find that one guy's bitten-off head when I was 7 or so I was not ready to watch this movie again until I was 12 or something like that This is literally the first scene that still comes to my mind when I think of Jaws.

I second Corpse Bride though. Also: Coco, when it comes to animation.

[~svenhair]

Poltergeist

[crank]

The subject says it all. My 6 y/o son has been pestering me to let him watch a horror movie. While I consider myself a horror buff in general, I just have to admit that I'm at a lost in this particular matter since most of the stuffs I like (Exorcist, The Thing, The Omen, etc.) would be too gruesome...

Yeah, that's a tough one because one scene could be the difference and I just cannot recall all of the scenes and cannot relate to a 6-year-old's brain. Some of the PG-13 movies aren't seriously scary but when you're 6...different story. Think of Arachnophobia... It's pretty tame but the idea of being captured by a giant spider might still scar the little fella for life. Right?

Beetlejuice was a good suggestion. Or...Goosebumps?

When we watched scary movies when our kids were young, we'd crack jokes and laugh through the whole thing, grabbing them to startle them and constantly goofed around to remind them none of it was real.

[artibus]

Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown, Under Wraps.
Not exactly "Horror" but for a six year old kid, that's about it for me.
If you really wanna scare the hell out of him, there's the evening news at 6 pm.

[Nig]

Both Maleficent movies are great and may be just enough scary for a 6yo

[crank]

Both Maleficent movies are great and may be just enough scary for a 6yo

Both great movies but not really horror flicks. More fairytale, scary tale with witches; e.g. Wizard of Oz, Hansel & Gretel, Cinderella and Rapunzel (oh yeah!)

[crank]

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[jinx]

Thank you all for the suggestions. We have fun watching Gremlins. I'm checking the other flicks to see which would work, children do see the world differently than ours.

[pfd7007]

Yeah, Halloween is over but just saw this. One of my daughters (7-8 during this range) has enjoyed Jaws and Alien, in terms of more adult "horror" movies (I consider them more action-horror), but she has also loved Hocus Pocus and Addams Family Values. I've thought about more recently doing one of the not completely terrible M. Night Shaymalan movies like Sixth Sense or Signs with her. You're right to be cautious . . . she asked a couple years ago about Pennywise, who she kept hearing about at school, so I stupidly threw on an IT trailer thinking "it's approved for all audiences" but it traumatized her. And, FWIW, Corraline terrified her as well . . . she couldn't handle the black button eyes (but she loved Jaws and Alien and even asked if we could watch Aliens).