Thread: Age limit to scaring kids

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We were planning on scaring the trick or treaters this year...just a little(or maybe a lot) and I was just wondering is there an age limit you set where you won't scare them? I figure anyone that looks 10 or under is off limits. My one neighbor hates Halloween because when he was younger he and his friends were chased by a "chainsaw guy", so I don't want to do any permanent damage like that. Do you set a limit with the kids that come to your house or your haunt?

I take it on a kid by kid basis. If it's a 9 year old being pushed up the walk by his/her parents with absolute terror in his/her eyes I let them off lightly. Now if it's a 9 y.o. acting all brave and cool in front of his friends I let the terror fly!

And if they're teens....both gloves come off and I try to send them running . Most times I get a feeling of how much scare the tot's can take before they get there.

We use the parents as a guide.

If they are young enough to be TOTing with a parent, no scaring.

If they are older/younger kids with a parent, it's generally okay to do a little something, but not directed at the younger kids.

Kids old enough to TOT on their own with no parents - they are fair game.

We don't do major scares, but there are some little things we do...

Originally Posted by FirstSpartan

I take it on a kid by kid basis. If it's a 9 year old being pushed up the walk by his/her parents with absolute terror in his/her eyes I let them off lightly. Now if it's a 9 y.o. acting all brave and cool in front of his friends I let the terror fly!

And if they're teens....both gloves come off and I try to send them running . Most times I get a feeling of how much scare the tot's can take before they get there.

Right on!

Working a haunted house we simply went "ooooo ooooo" at the yonger folks and gave it the screaming all out of "yeahhh" at the older ones.

Amazing what the audio cues does for the level of effect. The little ones stopped peeing themselves after our realization.

I generally take it easy on 10 and under , and avoid the really young ones. Most of it falls on the parents if they walk them through our haunt that's their choice. As a clown I could really screw up circus time for the kiddies.

It depends really. I remember last year during Fright Fest you would get the little kids that terrified to no end. We would usaully leave them alone. But every once in a while you get the smart @$$ 7 year old and I will do anything to make them run. Pre-teens and up where fair game. We becam extreemly ruthles. If you were crying we wouldn't back off. We usally wouldn't back off unless you hypervenalating (SP) or peed your self which happened quite offten. And I got paid to do that.

I love how everyone says teens are fair game! That's my opinion too. I just don't want to scare someone to the point that they have damage and hate Halloween. It's not gonna be a huge scare but my daughter is going to be a bloody mess and my husband will be a tad less of a bloody mess. She's going to come walking out of our front door covered in blood in a white slip type thing, her mouth "sewn" shut and a huge gaping bloody neck with a bloody trick or treat bag. As she's making her way to the back of the house(to get back in) hubby is storming out (standing a 6ft even) in a bloody apron, wild hair and a surgical mask with a bloody knife and he's going to scream "where did she go!" They'll be shocked by her and scared senseless by him(I hope). Most kids on the block know him and they are already terrified of him..lol For the teens if at all possible and if he can make it in time we'll have a chainsaw at the back of the house...you know the rest.

if you are about 8 and up.. good luck lol.. smaller nd we call out the wee tyke shout

There is a really crappy neighbourhood next to ours, and it produces alot of little so called "gangsters". When they show up with no costume, and are 10 and up. We make them run, we chased one group about 350 yards last year.