14 Movies for Kids Who Are Easily Scared

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Some kids are daredevils leaving us to remind them that they are not, in fact, immortal, while other kids are naturally cautious and need a little coaxing to go down the toddler slide. Some kids high five the doctors and become best friends with the receptionists on their way out during checkups, while other kids cling to mommy like a barnacle. Some kids ask for second helpings of vegetables (No it’s not a myth, it really happens. I’ve seen it with my own eyes!) while other kids are world class detectives, knowing exactly when you’ve snuck that icky green stuff into their meals (How dare you!).

We don’t learn our kids personalities until we present them with these experiences. But once we’ve seen how they’ve behaved in that situation, we begin to anticipate how they’ll respond.

It’s Hard to Find Movies for Kids Who Are Easily Scared

The same is true for movies. What movies are fun for your kid? What makes him/her laugh? What makes them hide their faces in fear? What causes bad dreams? For some kids, Moana is a fun adventure of a brave girl. For other kids, it’s a reminder of a scary nightmare.

If you have a kid who is easily scared from movies, it can be hard to have a “fun” family movie night! Trust me, I know.

That’s why I’ve created this list of 14 movies for kids who are easily scared- I hope this list helps you. If you want a FREE printable version of this list, just click the link below!

The Secret to Picking Movies for Kids Who Are Easily Scared

I’m going to let you in on my secret. If you want a quick way to find a movie that won’t be too scary, I’ve cracked the code! Find movies that don’t have villains. That’s the formula! When the conflict is an internal conflict or a personal journey on which the main character must embark, there typically aren’t many scary scenes in the movie.

So the next time you aren’t sure if a movie will be scary, try using this flow chart:

The Flow Chart

Take a look at this flow chart I created to help gauge whether a movie will be a hit with your kids.

The best way to explain the flow chart is by using examples and walking through it together. Remember, this is a guide not an absolute. Use it as a tool and you may find it helpful. Let’s take two examples – one with a personal conflict and one with a villain.

Example: Cars | A Personal Conflict

You’re flipping through Disney + and see the movie, Cars. You do a quick google search on the summary of the movie to find out that it’s a movie about a racecar that wants to win the Piston Cup. Let’s walk through the flow chart and see if this is a movie that’s worth trying or not.

What’s the conflict?

–> Lightning McQueen wants to win the Piston Cup.

Is there a villain or is this a personal conflict?

—> This is a personal conflict.

How is the conflict resolved?

—> Lightning McQueen goes on a personal journey that helps him improve his character and tries to win the Piston Cup.

How many times would you have to fast forward through a scary scene?

—> This question is included because even some movies with personal journeys include a lot of scenes that may scare kids.

I love Finding Nemo but fast forwarding through all the sharks and scary parts is not how I want to spend my movie nights. One day when the kids get older, we will watch this movie and enjoy it together but for now they aren’t ready for it. And that’s ok.

Back to our example, there is only one scene in this movie that I sometimes have to fast forward and that’s when the bus is scary. That’s not a big chunk of the movie so that isn’t a deal breaker for me.

Conclusion

–> Cars is a movie that is safe to watch on family movie night.

Example: The Little Mermaid | Both Types of Conflicts

Let’s walk through a movie with a villain, using Little Mermaid as our example.

What’s the main conflict in Little Mermaid?

—> Ariel wants to be a human.

How does Ariel solve this problem?

—>She visits a sea witch.

Is the conflict personal or is there a villain?

—> Both! Ariel’s personal conflict leads her to introducing a villain Ursula.

How scary is Ursula to a child?

—> Very.

How often is the villain seen in the movie?

—> Too many times. Fast forwarding through Ursula scenes would detract from the movie.

Conclusion

—> It’s better to pick a different movie.

Now that you know how I think through each movie decision, I hope it helps you determine what movies would be good for your little ones. To get you started, here are 14 movies that my kids (who are easily scared) enjoy watching. I hope they help you, too!

Click on the + on the right to see movie summaries.

Click on the name of the movie to purchase or rent it on Amazon Prime!

14 Movies for Kids Who Are Easily Scared

I guess there’s only one thing left to say … please pass the popcorn!