One of the many traditions on All Hallows Eve is the making of a Haunted House. Some residents opt to dressing up their home in scary attire, while others create a fortress in the backyard. Either way, if you want to give the kids (and adults) a truly scary haunted house experience this Halloween, try a few of these tricks and treats (pun intended):
Rent a mist or smoke machine: if you are trying to create a truly ethereal atmosphere, nothing says “ghosts” better than a hazy environment.
Darken the lights, and add a few orange or yellow festive lights, and the let the cave aura begin!
Candy is essential, and while it’s great to invest in the typical prepackaged sugar fests, creativity is key when it comes to the haunted house. Thus, you should pick candy that can be disguised as something more squeamish. For example, putting gummy worms in chocolate sauce can create the feel of maggots in mud, or getting gumballs that look like eyeballs. Remember, your haunted house will be dark, so the mind will play its tricks and make people believe that the candy is not really candy!
Music! While silence can be suffocating, a haunted house should utilize creepy “slasher-movie” esque tunes to create the perfect ambience that imbues the guests with anxiety and horrified anticipation.
Also, find anything that can pop out and scare people. This could be a zombie looking figure that lurks in the shadows, or motorized bats swinging down from the ceilings.
Lastly, you need a quick exit. Though most people enjoy a good scare, the last thing you want is a guest to hyperventilate, or freeze up due to claustrophobia. Make sure your exit light of some kind is illuminated, and that you try to insure that no one is hurt by the scare tactics.
Other than that, get started on the haunted house of your choice, and have a ghoulish good time!