Parents' Guide to

Goosebumps

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Spooky spin on books may be too scary for kids.

TV Cartoon Network Drama 1995
Goosebumps Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all
age 10+

Based on 19 parent reviews

Fiamancinidurrett
Fiamancinidurrett Parent of 11-year-old
January 22, 2022
age 8+

Ok for most

Not to scary. Although some scary episodes where kids are horrified, but it’s a pretty good show.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
Griffonmender
Griffonmender Adult
January 23, 2021
age 7+

Watched this in second grade, was perfectly fine.

I quite enjoyed the books and the show back in the day when I was a kid. Quality of storyline may vary from episode to episode. (The Haunted Mask is one of the best.) Some of the effects have definitely aged better than others. (The titular creeps in "Calling all Creeps" look hilariously awful.) Unlikely to cause lasting nightmares unless your kid is really young or really easily scared. If you're really worried about that, just watch with them.
See all 19 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Based on the popular books by R. L. Stine, GOOSEBUMPS is a live-action horror series for tweens and teens that originally aired in the mid-1990s. The anthology, which includes adaptations of 43 of the original books, brings many of readers' favorite tales to life. Like most grown-up horror films, Goosebumps takes place in a bizarre reality in which remarkably unusual events happen on a regular basis without really shocking the people involved. In each story/episode, the young character or characters (usually teens) at the center of the madness must figure out how to survive the frightening and often dangerous situations they're forced into.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (19 ):
Kids say (108 ):

The tales run the gamut from creepy to spooky to just plain weird. Curses, mysticism, and paranormal activity are the norm here, and the ever-changing plot makes content difficult to predict. Each story aims to scare its viewers, and heart-pounding suspense is around every corner. In addition, many of the young characters terrorize and play mean jokes on each other, and plots often center on one person seeking revenge on another.

While the books are popular among 8- to 10-year-olds, the scary visuals make Goosebumps iffy for tweens, and parents will likely want to give each episode a once-over before giving sensitive young viewers the OK. And while teens can probably handle the scares, they may be turned off by the dated, low-budget film style and overacting that often plagues horror films of all levels.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the appeal of scary stories. Is it ever fun to be frightened by what you read in a book or see on TV shows or at the movies? Why?

  • How the show compare to the book series? Which version did you think was more frightening? Why?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate