Everybody loves a good scary story, including kids. From toddlers to teens - children of every age love to shiver when scary Halloween stories are told. Scary stories for kids is a genre of stories for kids that gives kids a bit of a scare while they enjoy every bit of creepy, spooky elements of the story.
In this collection of children stories, we have done some research to curate 10 horror stories for kids, which has the right amount of fun and fright.
Words of Caution: These short scary Halloween stories for kids are not meant for very young children who can get frightened more than they should be.
- The Candy Man
Daniel, a poor man, worked at a local candy factory. He was also a talented artist. The factory owner hired him to paint his daughter Rose’s portrait. But Daniel and Rose fell in love, which angered Rose’s father and the town dwellers. They all tortured Daniel and beat him to death. It is believed that Daniel’s tortured soul is still lingering on in this world. Legend says that if you call “Candyman” five times, Daniel’s ghost will come to haunt you.
Narration Tip: Build interest around the word “Candyman” and the repercussions of calling the word five times.
- Hide and Seek
This scary story is about two brothers. They were playing hide and seek while their parents were away. As the older brother was counting, the younger one was scampering around, looking for a place to hide. The older brother searched everywhere and even called out to him, but he couldn’t find his brother. He heard a scraping sound from the cupboard. He opened the cupboard, and there was nothing inside but eerie silence. Just when he bent down for a closer view, he felt an icy cold hand pull him inside. Just then, his brother called out to him from behind and tried to break his brother free from the grip of the icy cold hand. Both the brothers ran out of the house screaming.
Narration Tip: Add drama around the scraping sound and eerie silence. End the story with a “what if...” question in a monotone and see how they react.
- The Clown Statue
This story is about a wealthy family who moved into a mansion. The couple’s two little boys complained about a clown coming to visit them in their bedroom. The father didn’t take them seriously. But when the boys’ babysitter, a young teenage girl, called the boys’ father to tell him that the clown statue was making her uncomfortable, he told her to immediately leave the house and wait for them at their neighbour’s house. Later, the girl came to know that the family never owned a clown statue.
Narration Tip: Use a low voice to build up the creepiness when the babysitter sees the clown statue watching her. Build urgency around how the girl runs, taking the two boys along with her.
- Who is in the Bedroom?
Susan returned home late one night. She went to her bedroom, which she shared with her sister, and without switching on the lights, she asked her sister whether she was awake. Her sister replied, “ Stop the noise and go to bed.”Susan wanted to freshen up, so she waited outside the bathroom, which was occupied. Susan assumed that it was her father inside, but her mom said that her father was asleep. Just then, her sister walked out of the bathroom. Shocked, Susan switched on the room lights and found her sister’s bed empty. Who had answered to her then?
Narration Tip: Add a bit of drama, especially when you ask the kids the last question – who had answered to her then?
- The Vanishing Hitchhiker
On a late rainy night, Sam was driving down the highway. He saw a pretty young girl asking to be dropped off at a nearby place. He dropped her home. But the next day, he realised that the girl had forgotten her sweater in his car. He went to her house to return it. An old woman opened the door, and when Sam narrated the incident, she was shocked. She later told him that her daughter had died many years ago while returning home after a party.
Narration Tip: Put stress on the old woman’s revelation about her daughter being dead. Give a dramatic end to the story.
- Fear of Dead
On a dark night, a young woman was walking home from work. She had to cross a cemetery on her way. As she was nearing the cemetery, she began to tremble with fear. When she saw a man walking ahead of her, she felt relieved. She walked fast to catch up with him and asked him to walk her home. While walking, she told the man that she was terrified of dead people. The man turned to look at her and asked,” Why are you afraid of us?”
Narration Tip: Create enough eerie feelings about the night and the cemetery. Ask the last question with a maniacal smile.
- The 13th Floor
The legend talks about a haunted home in the city of Pennsylvania. Many years ago, people were invited to attend a Halloween party here. Jack and Mary were the invitees. The house was kind of a maze – identical passages and staircases – all leading to the 13th floor. Most of the invited people couldn’t make it to the 13th floor as they were scared by people dressed as ghouls and ghosts. But Jack and Mary made their way to the 13th floor, never to be seen after that fateful night.
Narration Tip: Modulate your voice to convey the fear of the guests. Lower your voice to dramatise the ending.
- The Cursed Doll
A young girl had a huge collection of dolls. She went to a toy store to buy a doll to add to her collection. She found the most beautiful doll and was keen to take her home. However, the shop owner told her that the doll was cursed and that she should buy another doll. But the girl insisted, and the shop owner reluctantly sold it to her. When the girl entered an elevator to go home, the doors closed behind her, but the lift didn’t move. Suddenly the doll turned her deep, black eyes towards the girl and said, “Push the floor button, you silly girl.”
Narration Tip: Create drama and suspense when narrating the initial part of the story. Use a funny voice to speak like the doll and see them roll with laughter.
- Mr Gomes
Mr Gomes was walking down a road with no idea how he got there. He saw a woman and asked her about the place. She screamed and ran away. He tried to hire a taxi, but the taxi driver didn’t wait for him. He then went to a public booth and called his wife. A man picked up and told him that Mrs Gomes was at her husband’s funeral who died in a car accident last night. Shocked, he looked at the reflection in the phone booth’s glass. He saw a blood-stained face, and he screamed.
Narration Tip: Use expressions to keep the narration engaging.
- Cemetery Garlands
On a Halloween night, a young boy was challenged by his brother and his friends to visit the cemetery and place garlands on each of the gravestones. At the stroke of midnight, he walked into the graveyard and started placing garlands on each of the graves. After he finished, he said to himself, “ There, I am done.” He felt a cold, bony hand on him that said, “How about one for me?”
Narration Tip: Try to create drama when the boy enters the graveyard. Describe the night and end the story with a whisper, “ How about one for me?”
Whether the occasion is a family get-together night, campfire, Halloween party or sleepover, scary Halloween stories for kids set the stage for a fun time. Try turning off the lights and narrating these 10 scary stories for kids using your creepiest voice to make the required impact.
