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Movie · Horror, Comedy, Animated · 2006 · PG

Monster House: parents' guide

10+our pick

Best for ages 10 and up. Rated PG for scary images and sequences, thematic elements, some crude humor and brief language.

An animated thrill ride that is noticeably scarier than most kids' cartoons, best for older grade schoolers who like a real fright. Three kids discover the creepy house across the street is alive and swallows anyone who sets foot on its lawn. The last 20 minutes are a long, intense chase, and a flashback shows how a woman who was taunted by children died. Expect potty humor, fat jokes, mild language, a teen who drinks beer and acts drunk, and adults who are mostly mean or useless. A good pick for kids around 10 who enjoy spooky stories; younger or easily scared kids may have nightmares.

What's in it

Violence

Moderate

The house swallows toys, a dog, two police officers and a teen, who all turn up alive in the end credits. Trees snatch cars, kids fight back with explosives, an old man shakes a child, and a flashback shows a woman's fatal fall.

Language

Mild

Mild and infrequent: 'crap,' 'screw up,' 'butt,' 'oh my God' and 'suck,' plus plenty of name-calling such as 'moron,' 'dork,' 'loser' and 'porky.'

Sex and nudity

Mild

A kiss on the lips, mild flirting, a joke mixing up 'uvula' and 'vulva,' a mom said to be cheating, and a teen who tries to kiss and touch his girlfriend when she isn't willing.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

Moderate

A teen boy drinks beer and seems drunk, the kids steal cough syrup to knock the house out, and a police officer sneaks a swig of it.

Scary or intense scenes

Moderate

Jump scares, a snarling house with a tongue and teeth, kids trapped in its innards, and a long, intense final chase. An old man collapses in front of a boy and is carted off, seemingly dead, and a buried body is uncovered.

Sensitive topics

  • Bullying

Worth talking about

The kids are sure their grumpy neighbor is a monster. Talk about how rumors and first impressions can get someone completely wrong.

Where to stream →

On our lists

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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, bbfc.co.uk, childrenandmedia.org.au, moviemom.com, Wikipedia. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.