How to Tell if Your Child Can Handle a Haunted House Experience

Halloween excitement is running high – and this year your child wants to visit their first haunted house, haunted hayride or haunted corn maze. But, while Halloween focuses on frights, everyone has their own scare-tolerance. How do you know when kids are ready to visit a haunted attraction?

Psychologists point out that fear is a normal part of childhood. Mastering certain fears – of bugs, monsters, the dark, being alone – can be a confidence booster. Still, it's best to be cautious about taking a young child to a haunted house.

“It’s not like ‘ready to go into a haunted house’ is a developmental milestone,” clinical psychologist Dr. Heather Bernstein explained to LifeHacker. “All kids are different, and all kids are ready for things at different ages.”

Preschool children, for instance, have a hard time separating real from make-believe. And is your middle school kid really ready for the experience, or are they just worried about being teased by their friends? Make sure the decision to visit a haunted mansion is their own.

Not every child processes fear the same way. Some kids enjoy the excitement of a scare, while for others, a fright is the stuff of nightmares. Also, remember that children are different and have varying levels of maturity. Experts recommend parents gauge their child’s temperament when deciding whether to visit a Halloween house.

Consider these tips when weighing your decision.

It’s essential to know more about the environment of the specific fright house you’ll be visiting.

No two haunted attractions are exactly alike, so check your options. Use the internet, social media and other resources to research haunted houses in your area. If the attraction is a temporary business or non-profit organization, you may have to call for information.

Try to gauge the “scare level” of the attraction and their security measures. The house of horror may provide exits for those who feel the experience is too intense. If you and your child chicken out early, however, be aware that there are no refunds for people who were “too scared” to stay.

Find out the attraction's policy regarding admission for children. Not all haunted house attractions have a set admission age. When they do, they’re in place for good reason. The gore and frights may be too intense, even for older guests.

Some haunted houses admit teens and preteens if accompanied by an adult age 21 or older. Guests may need to provide ID for verification. Consider this Chaperone Policy from Frightworld in Buffalo, New York.

Halloween haunted houses try to outdo themselves by upping the fright level year after year. Visiting a haunted house is an immersive experience filled with unsettling darkness, lights, sounds, images and sensations. Use your best judgment to decide whether your child is ready for the frights and sights they may encounter at the attraction.

As if the physical environment isn’t enough cause for concern, guests have been known to grow unruly. Parents must decide if their child can remain level-headed if other guests cause a disturbance.

Talk to other parents who have children around your child’s age. Ask about their experiences and if they would recommend a certain haunted house attraction for your child over another, or if they know of other options in the area that might be better. If the attraction has a social media page, read reviews from other parents.

Haunted house attractions generally forbid touching by both parties. Don’t touch the actors; they can’t touch you. However, there are some attractions where the actors will grab you or touch your hair. This can be quite scary for kids, especially first-timers. As you approach the attraction, look for the “No Touching” sign. It’s usually easy to find.

As stated above, Kids should know the difference between real fear and scary fun before going through a Halloween haunted house. Ask yourself: Is your child typically anxious or worried? Do they enjoy age-appropriate scary movies? What types of Halloween costumes do they usually gravitate towards? These things can give you clues about their tolerance to being spooked.

Once you’ve decided to take your child to a house of horror, talk to them about what to expect - the kinds of frights, the intensity of the scares, lighting and fog effects. Preparation can help your child feel more in control of the situation.

For younger children, emphasize that the frights are intended to be fun. No matter how realistic they appear, they are not real.

Before visiting the attraction, review the rules and regulations with your kids. Reinforce the fact that you expect them to obey fright house rules and any other restrictions you decide on, like sticking with you (and not rushing ahead) throughout the experience.

If you decide that a traditional haunted house is too scary for your child right now, there may be a compromise. Some haunted houses host a “kids' night” where they tone down the frights and keep the lights on.

If you can't find one in your area, create your own haunted house at home! Not only can you tailor the frights to your child’s temperament, but it may help prepare your child for haunted attractions in the future.

Alternatively, you can avoid spooky activities completely and opt for other Halloween-themed events like a pumpkin patch, Halloween carnival, costume party or even Halloween story sessions at your local library.

Scary fun is a hallmark of Halloween. Being confident that your child can handle the frights can help make the experience an all-around success.

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