The Best October Movies to Watch in Your Homeschool
Let’s make this fall feel different. Let’s choose more connection, more stories, and much less stress. This list of the best October movies to watch in your homeschool can do all the heavy lifting for you. All you have to do is pop the popcorn and press play!
I’ll let you in on a secret: the best homeschool days aren’t the ones filled with textbooks and worksheets. Read-alouds, gameschooling, hands-on activities, and even movies can bring learning to life in a whole new way.
This October, make the boring book work optional without assigning yourself craft projects and endless Monopoly. When you can’t look at another glue stick or pair of dice, a good film can sneak in and save the day.
It doesn’t even have to be a documentary. They’re great, but box office hits can teach important lessons too. Grab the remote, your favorite snacks, and press play with our new Screen-Based Learning Guides. History, science, geography, and plenty of great stories are waiting for you in the movies!
Homeschool the Sneaky Way with Movies
Great movies are fun, but they also teach a lot. Films teach social and emotional lessons, introduce new ideas, and bring people together. A great movie can help kids connect what they’re learning in a whole new way.
Watching a movie together makes it easy to turn learning into something the whole family can do together. That’s a big win for families working to teach their kids that learning is a lifelong endeavor.
Watching Movies Isn’t Cheating
Sometimes a movie day feels like cheating. Don’t give in to the fear that you’re skipping “real” teaching and giving the kids a “free day” just because you pressed play. You might be surprised by how much real learning happens while you watch!
Films have a way of meeting kids where they are and encouraging all kinds of learning. They sneak in lessons you never planned. The best part is that watching a movie in your homeschool is an easy way to build in hours of quality time together.
This October, I want to encourage you to grab a blanket, get cozy, pop the popcorn, and say yes to a homeschool win. Fall into films filled with learning, starting with the suggestions on our movie watch list. Print the list and take it along while you search for your next movie.
Coco
Coco is a beautiful introduction to Día de los Muertos, celebrated on November first and second. This one is all about family remembrance. It’s also a great choice for Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through October fifteenth.
This computer-animated film is rated PG, but death is a central theme, so it’s best for kids ages six and up. Your auditory learners will fall in love with the soundtrack, and visual learners will appreciate all the bright colors.
Coraline
If your kids are interested in a Halloween film that’s genuinely creepy, Coraline is definitely a winner. It’s based on the book by Neil Gaiman, a story that rivals Grimm’s fairy tales with lots of “be careful what you wish for” lessons and magic. This one is also rated PG and recommended for ages 9 and up.
Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest
Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest was a favorite at our house for many years. If you’re a fan of H.A. Rey’s Curious George books, you won’t want to miss this animated film. It has all your child’s favorite characters and just a hint of spooky vibes.
In this movie, George gets tangled up in trick-or-treating chaos with the legend of “No Noggin” and learns some very important lessons. The best part? It’s sure to inspire some creative DIY Halloween costumes later this month!
Frankenstein
Mary Shelley’s book is a Halloween classic! Introduce your kids to the classic 1931 film, Frankenstein, this October. You can read the novel alongside the film or just enjoy an evening filled with lessons in early filmmaking and deep discussions about scientific ethics.
Frankenstein is full of scares, so it’s best for ages twelve and up. Still, it’s tame by today’s horror movie standards and an excellent way to connect with tweens and teens in your homeschool this month.
Ghostbusters
If you need another Halloween classic for tweens and teens, don’t miss Ghostbusters. Besides, who can resist that soundtrack? There’s some colorful language and scary scenes in this one, so this classic 80s movie is recommended for ages twelve and up.
Halloweentown
Another one of our favorites is Halloweentown. In this 90’s film, a girl named Marnie discovers she comes from a family of witches. There’s a whole series of these films, so you can dive right into the magic of the other realm all month long!
Add our Halloween-themed Morning Basket for more immersive learning fun this October. It’s filled with suggestions for hands-on learning, read-alouds, and surprises!
Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus is spooky-but-silly Halloween fun. It’s set in Salem, so you can definitely use it as a jumping-off point to discuss the Salem Witch Trials. You’ll love the costumes, characters, and songs! Plus, this one has been wildly popular lately, so there are all kinds of fun ideas you can incorporate to extend the learning after the film.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is another animated October movie to watch in your homeschool. This gentle fall film is about faith, disappointment, and friendship. It’s the perfect movie to watch with your kids before a field trip to the pumpkin patch.
Want to learn more about pumpkins? Get your own free Pumpkin Unit Study to learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin, enjoy pumpkin crafts, and even dissect a pumpkin together this month!
Monster House
What if a haunted house was alive? That’s exactly what happens in Monster House. This spooky mystery is a little on the scary side, but still lots of fun. It’s recommended for upper elementary students.
This one will have kids guessing about who the villain really is until the end of the film. It’s also filled with lessons about storytelling, empathy, grief, and overcoming really big emotions.
ParaNorman
Zombie scares make ParaNorman truly scary for younger kids, so it’s recommended for ages 10 and up. However, it’s also exactly right for older kids who want a “scary” movie for Halloween, but aren’t ready for true horror.
ParaNorman will spark lots of important learning and deep discussions about what a “witch hunt” really is, how people manage fear, and what it means to stand up for others. These insightful moments make the film so much more than just an entertaining Halloween movie.
The Book of Life
Another movie that is so much more than just a fun watch is The Book of Life. This colorful musical is filled with adventure. Like Coco, it’s focused on Día de los Muertos, so it’s perfect for a compare/contrast activity in your homeschool.
The Crucible
Many of the October movies we’ve shared so far have been great choices for younger kids, but what about high schoolers? If you’re looking for something deeper this month, try Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.
This 1996 film quickly became a classic, and it’s easy to see why. You’ll definitely be talking about this one long after the credits roll! It’s an especially great choice if you’re learning about the Salem Witch Trials this fall.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
An intense chase with the Headless Horseman makes this on-screen adaptation of Washington Irving’s classic tale a must-watch in your October homeschool. This film introduces kids to American folklore in a way that’s engaging and fun, even if they’re not ready to read the original story just yet.
Grab our Halloween Printables for word searches, custom coloring pages, and puzzles that can take your learning to the next level this October. They’re an easy way to extend the lesson after the credits roll.
The Right Stuff
On October 14, 1947, in the early days of astronauts and test pilots, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. The Right Stuff tells his story in a way that’s accessible for middle and high school students. This one is over three hours long, so you can spread it out for several days of learning in your homeschool this October.
Thirteen Days
Finally, high schoolers will enjoy Thirteen Days, a film about the Cuban Missile Crisis that occurred in October 1962. It’s a tense look at Cold War history and the diplomacy of the era. The movie brings history to life on the big screen for homeschoolers.
Make Homeschooling Easy with the Best October Movies
Ultimately, you don’t need elaborate lesson plans or in-depth projects to make watching a movie “count” in your homeschool. Projects are great, but most of the time watching a movie together is all you really need. Great movies are really just great stories. Great stories spark conversations and creativity all on their own, even without an essay assignment.
Share your favorite movie moments, encourage kids to ask questions, and make their own connections. Then, resist the urge to go on a hunt for “the moral of the story.” Instead, listen to what your children noticed as they watched the film. You might be surprised by the connections they made and the moments that meant the most to them.
When you’re ready, choose one of the best October movies to watch in your homeschool, grab your favorite movie snacks, and press play because movies totally count as lesson plans. The best homeschool days don’t need worksheets, essays, or quizzes. Sometimes, the best learning days area lla bout snuggling up together on the couch and getting lost in a great story. That’s the magic of the movies in your homeschool.
Discover More October Homeschool Resources You’ll Love
Are you ready for more easy October homeschool resources your family will love? Check out our favorites below.
- The Best Games for Learning in October
- 30+ Best Fall Books for Kids to Read This October
- October Homeschool Printables That Are Absolutely Free
- Halloween Fun for Your Homeschool
What are your favorite October movies? Do you have one that’s not on the list? Share your favorites in the comments. We can’t wait to watch them together this fall!