Everybody likes a little fright, but you don't need a lot of blood and gore to send shivers up your spine. Scary movies -- if they're age-appropriate -- can actually be effective ways to explore kids' fears. Movies provide a safe environment to watch something frightening play out -- from the initial scare to the "reveal" to the resolution.

Halloween is a great time to talk to younger kids about what's real and not real, what's physically possible and what's just special effects, and how to chase away scary feelings after the movie. For older kids, scary movies provide a great way to discuss psychological suspense and how they might handle a scary situation.

But the most important thing you can do is make sure you pick a scary movie that's age-appropriate for your kids. Here's our list of some of our favorite scary movies without the gore: (Check out more tips on how to choose scary movies for kids.)

Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman, Age 5
This story of Theodore's battered self-confidence -- with a werewolf on the side -- is more of a charming morality tale than a horror show.

Casper, Pause, Age 6
This creepy Casper movie ratchets up the thrills as ghostly ghouls play some mischief in a haunted house. 

Halloweentown, Age 7
Mildly scary scenes involve an angry, bellowing warlock. The scariest scene may be a realistic mother-daughter squabble. 

The Nightmare Before Christmas, Age 7
This Tim Burton classic captivates with magic as much as scare techniques. But there's not much real peril, and the animated style makes it easier for kids to tell that the action isn't real.

The Little Vampire, Age 8
For fans of the books by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg, the scary stuff in this movie makes for a frightfully wild adventure.

Monster House, Age 10
Pretty scary, but also funny. The house in question comes alive quite realistically and threatens the kids inside -- but all is well in the end.

Frankenstein, Age 10
This old-school horror film may seem tame by today's standards, but it still has the power to scare little kids. Older kids will enjoy pointing out the creaky special effects, which were state of the art in 1931. 

Poltergeist, Pause, Age 12
This haunted house classic will trip kids' fear switch. Malevolent ghosts terrorize characters -- at least until the spell is broken.

The Sixth Sense, Pause, Age 13
This satisfying thriller is way, way scary because it preys on your emotions. It's best for teens who can handle more psychological suspense. 

The Birds, Age 14
Prolonged suspense is probably the scariest thing going in this movie. Though when the birds finally attack, it evolves into a bona fide horror film, albeit a mostly bloodless one.