8 Spooky Family-Friendly Shows to Stream Before Halloween

October is the perfect time of year to dive into some spooky shows and get in the Halloween spirit.

While there are a ton of adult horror shows on streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, the family-friendly ones are harder to come by.

However, there are still a handful of selections that focus more on frights and less on gore.

Scroll through to see some of the best creepy selections that that the whole family can enjoy.

‘Goosebumps’

Based on the classic children’s novel series of the same title, this frightful anthology series is at the top of the Halloween recommendation list.

Goosebumps terrified adolescents of the ’90s with its frightful tales of mummies, monsters and possessed ventriloquist dolls.

It’s designed for kids, so its perilous situations never get too out of hand. Plus the nostalgia and unexpected twists are enough to keeps parents’ attentions.

All four seasons of Goosebumps are currently streaming on Netflix.

‘The Twilight Zone’

The original run of The Twilight Zone is the forefather of all the creepy TV shows that came after.

This beloved series was created in the late ’50s to the early ’60s, but its masterful tales of suspense still hold up to this day.

There are 156 episodes available to stream online, so there’s no shortage of points to jump into. While they were designed for adults of the era, the limitations of the time make them an excellent watch for younger viewers, as well.

The Twilight Zone is currently streaming on CBS All Access, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Season 4 is only available on CBS All Access and Hulu.

‘The Addams Family’

While many viewers are more familiar with the film adaptations from the ’90s, The Addams Family‘s original screen incarnation was a black-and-white sitcom in the mid-’60s.

The show centers on all the beloved family members including human characters Morticia, Gomez, Wednesday and Pugsley, as well as the “not so human” characters like Cousin Itt, Thing and Lurch.

They’re creepy and kooky in every sense of the words, and everyday activities like public school and the boy scouts are horrifying to them.

The Addams Family is streaming on Hulu.

‘R.L Stine’s The Haunting Hour’

If you couldn’t get your R.L. Stine fix with Goosebumps, there’s a spiritual successor that could do the trick.

Based on another anthology series written by Stine, The Haunting Hour offers mortality tales, creepy creatures and ghastly frights.

If the younger viewers in your family just can’t shake the lower video quality of the Goosebumps show, this one may fare better, as it was produced from 2010 to 2014.

R.L Stine’s The Haunting Hour is currently streaming on Netflix.

‘Dreamworks Spooky Stories’

Dreamworks Spooky Stories is more of a compilation of TV specials than it is a full blown series, but it still gets the job done.

The two volumes of the collection see several of your favorite Dreamworks properties plunged into spooky situations. 

The Shrek, Monsters vs Aliens and Megamind franchises are the focus of the tales, so it’s an even balance of kid-friendly frights and adult tolerability.

Both volumes of Dreamworks Spooky Stories are available on Netflix.

‘Creeped Out’

Netflix recently entered the live-action and family friendly Halloween show genre with Creeped Out.

This British-Canadian series seems to take several cues from Goosebumps, as is centers around various scary stories for all ages.

Season 1 of Creeped Out is currently streaming on Netflix.

‘The Real Ghostbusters’

While the Ghostbusters film franchise is a favorite for many, the animated series, The Real Ghostbusters, has a fan base of its own.

The Saturday morning favorite features all the core Ghostbusters (and Slimer) from the movies getting into all kinds of bite-sized hijinks. The original movie cast does not return to voice their characters, but the new voice cast is great enough.

The first five seasons of The Real Ghostbusters are streaming on Netflix.

‘Super Monsters’

For family with very young viewers, Netflix’s animated hit Super Monsters features just enough spookiness to get them in the Halloween spirit.

The show is all about pint-sized monsters who learn how to use their supernatural powers at a special monster school. Toddler versions of Frankenstein’s monster, a vampire and a werewolf are all here, but they are far from frightening.

Two seasons of Super Monsters, as well as two specials, are currently streaming on Netflix.