Halloween Experts

Whether you are planning a Halloween party, or providing entertainment for your neighborhood trick or treaters, the holiday would not be complete without a haunted house. Providing a scary place with surprises around every corner will attract more kids than a bag of goodies you could hand out. There are a few things to consider when planning your haunted space, and we have listed some here, along with suggestions on how to achieve spooky on a budget!

Choose a theme. This should include consideration of the age of the children who will be touring your haunted space. Younger children may be frightened of some effects that will delight older children. There are three kinds of haunted house attractions to include: the kind that startle, the kind that set a scary atmosphere, and the kind that just gross everyone out. The path should include many sharp turns, and your attractions should be positioned just around the corners for maximum effect.

Fences, porch and large trees in the backyard will supply the base for the walls for your haunted space. Sturdy clothesline can be strung between the house and these elements, with poles for support every six feet. Old sheets, pinned to the clothesline, that reach to the ground will make great corridors. You can purchase these at second hand stores very inexpensively. The sheets can be spray painted in dark, spooky colors and patterns, to add to the atmosphere. Provide lighting by using strings of Halloween lights, usually available in purple and orange, to cast an eerie glow. Black lights and strobe lights will also help set the mood, and still give enough light to safely navigate your haunted maze. Make sure that you include an open area, partway through, both as a feature, and to provide an “escape” for kids who might become too frightened to continue. This open area is the perfect place to build your haunted graveyard. Using plastic headstones and body-sized patches of potting soil, make “fresh” graves. Use plenty of fake spider webs on all your outdoor elements to add to the creepiness.

Scary props can be purchased, rented, or homemade. Stuff clothing to make dead bodies. Stuff a cloth bag to make a head and add a scary mask for personality. Alternate these with the occasional volunteer, dressed as zombies or vampires, who can reach out and startle your visitors. Use Halloween sound effects, or music CD’s to add to the mood. A well-placed fog machine will help create that perfect haunted atmosphere, and will also disguise some of the normal, everyday things that might remind your guests that they are just in your backyard, not the haunted grounds of Dracula’s castle.

Some things to remember:

1. Encourage visitors to stay on the marked path, both for safety and to keep them from pulling down your walls & props.

2. If using dry ice, instead of a fog machine, make sure it is only handled by adults, since exposure to skin can cause injury.

3. Have volunteers positioned along the path who can help children “escape” if they become too frightened to continue.

4. Place old pieces of carpet over extension cords, to prevent tripping.

5. Remember to keep your scary scenes dimly lit to add to the fright.

6. If using jack o’lanterns as decorations or lighting, use battery operated lighting in them, to reduce the chance of a fire hazard.