Every Halloween we go through our scary movie collection and watch scary movies until we drop. With the vast ranges of age groups we have in our house (4, 6, and 13), we have to stagger the movies so the youngest doesn’t see anything *too* scary for him, and the oldest gets to see something that will send real shivers down his spine.

So here’s a list that will cover whatever age range you have in your house, from youngest to oldest.

1. It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown This Halloween classic is great for all ages. Even the smallest kids love Snoopy dressing as the Red Baron, and Linus’s quest to see the Great Pumpkin is fun for adults as well.

2. Hocus Pocus When my now-13-year-old was 4, he and my mom started their Halloween tradition of watching Hocus Pocus every year. He called it "Pocus Pocus" and had to hold my mom’s hand during the scary parts. Now that he’s older, he still loves the movie, it’s one the whole family can enjoy. It’s just scary enough to make the little kids shiver, but not so scary it gives them bad dreams.

3. The Addams Family and Addams Family Values While these movies may not be appropriate for the 3 and 4 year old set, they are perfect for a 5 or 6 year old. 5 and 6 year olds love Thing. My own 6 year old has begged me to get a Thing for our own household. No luck, I haven’t found one that will consent to work for us.

4. Ghostbusters The 6 and 7 year old set will love Ghostbusters.  It’s a whole lot funnier than it is scary- I mean, come on, a giant marshmallow man? The 6 and 7 year old set will appreciate the humor and what’s more appropriate for Halloween than movie about dudes that trap ghosts? Just be prepared for weeks of "Who ya gonna call?"

5. Gremlins I have not yet shown Gremlins to my 6, almost 7 year old. I will probably wait until she’s 8 or so. She would fall in love with the cute Mogway and then get horribly grossed out when they later turn into gremlins.  My 13 year old saw this movie when he was 7 or 8 and loved it.

6. Beetlejuice Off-color humor and some disturbing images make this movie one for 9 year olds or even older, depending on your kid’s maturity level. However, this movie is so wonderful, it is a Halloween favorite in my household.

7. Something Wicked This Way Comes While this movie is short on gross, seat-jumping, or other moments, it is a movie that will delve down deep into your psyche. Mr. Dark is truly evil and terrifying. This is good for 10 year olds and up- any younger and the kids might have bad dreams.

8. It This may be the scariest movie I have ever seen. Even so, I think most 11 and 12 year olds are able to handle it. This is one of the very few instances where I have found a movie is better than the book. Sorry, Stephen King, bloat kills a book for me.

9. Poltergeist This is a movie that scared the absolute crap out of me. It’s very intense and there is a truly disgusting scene with a chicken leg and some maggots, so I think this movie is best for 12 and 13 year olds.

10. The Shining (the Stanley Kubrick version) Nudity, strong language, and graphic violence makes this movie a 13 and up kinda movie, and that’s for parents who are less sensitive than others. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. My 13 year old, a horror movie aficionado, says this is the scariest movie he has ever seen.

What are your fave Halloween movies?