Halloween haunted houses: Is my child old enough to go inside?
A haunted house is one of the many opportunities for fun and excitement this Halloween. Haunted houses are put on by private parties, organizations or amusement parks. You know that these are entertainment venues and not real haunted houses -- but does your child? Is your child old enough to join in the fun? While there is rarely an official age cut-off, gauging readiness is possible.
Maturity vs. Age
Experts at Kids Health explain that ages 4 through 6 are critical in the formation of fears that are more otherworldly or outlandish. Worries about ghosts, monsters, vampires and related creatures belong into this realm. A haunted house is not an appropriate venue for a preschooler or a youngster with the maturity level of a child between 4 and 6 years.
Realistic Horror Scenes vs. Props
Halloween haunted houses are big on darkness, pneumatics, scary sounds, uneven footing, costumed participants and the usual props, such as skeletons, plastic guts and rubberized gore. Some of the more famous haunted houses go beyond these staples and head into Hollywood territory with close-up ready techniques, tricks, make-up and models. Actors operate pulsating abdominal cavity "masks" with exposed entrails -- and moan realistically to boot.
This is a haunted house that can be too much for adults to handle, much less a child. Usually these haunted houses will offer age limitations, realism warnings and open after 8:30 p.m., when younger children are winding down for the night. Another tip-off is the lack of a child's admission price. Do not take your youngster in there.
Hallmarks of Haunted House Readiness
The child differentiates easily between make-belief and reality. She understands that scary television shows are not real and that participants are paid actors, who are not really in any danger. She can transfer this understanding to Halloween haunted houses, and realizes that everything inside is pretend and for fun.
Being touched on the shoulder or brushed up against by actors does not bother the child. He realizes that the corpse lookalike -- or supposedly evil clown -- is an actor in makeup, whose job it is to scare visitors to the venue.
The child does not need prompting to enter the venue. A child who hesitates should not be made to enter. He is not ready for the experience. Do not give the youngster a hard time about it; just matter-of-factly state that you and another adult will take turns going inside while the other person stays outside with the child.
Alternatives are Fun, too
Some Halloween haunted houses offer daytime trick-or-treating tours for children. Props are usually disabled, actors do not set out to frighten children, and all the lights are turned on. A child on the cusp of readiness may need a few of these experiences before going for the real thing after dark.
Sources
Kids Health: "Anxiety, Fears, and Phobias"
More by Sylvia Cochran
How to Attend the 2011 Toronto Zombie Walk
