haunted houses for halloween...?

Question

hi!
im helping my friend turn her house into a haunted one because halloween is right around the corner. do u have any tips? we're starting from scratch so i'll take any answer. the scariest idea wins (and our budget is undecided, but we want the cheapest) Thanks!!

Answer 1

If you can find it, try getting a copy of the DVD "How to... Haunt Your House." It's all about props and creating the right atmosphere. It also provides blueprints for some of the props. Ideas off the DVD include

"Axe in log." Real easy, all you do is take a take a log like you'd split for regular firewood and take one nice swing at one end with the axe (make sure the axe only has the blade on one end, as you'll see why in a moment). You want the swing to be good enough for the axe to actually get stuck so that if you let go it's not likely to fall out in a minute or so. Then to make sure kids can't pull it out, you take a hammer and hammer the blade in a few times to really getit good and stuck. Now to make it scary you take a can of red paint and pour a littlearound the axe and on one side.

The idea is for the paint to look like blood that has run after chopping off somone's head or a body part. Put a head basket (just a general wicker basket) on the side where the most paint is, maybe even with some of the paint on the basket. For a final touch, you can put a fake limb on the log beside the axe and maybe a fake head in the basket (a plastic skull in a mask could work for the head.

"Bleeding skull." Ok, for this one you really wanna gather your supplies. A wicker basket (make certain the basket you use, if not wicker, can't hold water), a plaster skull, a rubber tube, a saw, a bucket (at least the bottom half of a five gallon bucket, and spray it black), fake blood, a five gallon can (or any large can) with one end gone, and a fish tank or garden pond pump.

Take and drill a hole large enough for the tube to pass through (but only just barely) through the top of the skull skull, bottom of the basket, and top (actually bottom of the can. Take the saw and saw a little ways in to the skull, making sure you saw down from the top of the skull and across hole. The saw has to go far enough to stick in place later. Remove the saw and insert the tube so that one end is even with the top of the skull while the rest trails below it. Glue the tube in place.

Cut at least a couple of notches in the bottom of the can (be careful as they'll be sharp and could cut you), one is for the pump's cord and at least one will allow water to pass through. The notches should not be on the end that still is unopened.

Glue the water pump down down so the bottom of the pump is on the bucket but can still draw water. Now pass the tube first through the basket, then the can (making sure the end with the notches is on the bottom), and attach it to the pump. Place the can over the pump (with any excess tubing in the can), the basket on the can, and the skull in the basket. Place the saw back through where you placed it earlier, cutting a slit in the tube to do so. Make certain the tube doesn't crimp as you want the water to flow.

Now your all set the decoration and the last step can be done just before the haunted house opens. All you do is pour water into the bucket (say maybe half the bucket worth) and pour in half a bottle or so of fake blood. Plug the pump in so the water-fake blood mixture circulates throught the pump and tube. If done right, the skull's gonna look like it's bleeding from the saw wound.

Answer 2

The classic haunted house idea. I love the sound of it already. :)
On Halloween you should definitely make it into a costume party, you can never go wrong with that.

Anyhow, try using black garbage bags and hang them on the walls. It may sound stupid but it's pretty cool. You could also make little cove spots and have some friends dress up in scary costumes and jump out and scare people when the walk by. Me and my friend did that once and it was so funny haha. Around October there will be plenty of props and decorations going around so I'd wait until then if you're planning to buy anything.

Answer 3

Pumpkins are stupid looking in a haunted house. So do not add those. If you wish to add a graveyard the gravestones should not say anything stupid like Boo! or Happy Halloween! or A. Ghoul scared himself to death on Halloween night. or anything like that. If you want to make a rotting zombie for the graveyard have him/her coming out of a new grave not an old one. Here is a simple idea for a zombie. Get a zombie mask and gloves (blue and green look stupid). Get a shirt. Put dirt on the shirt, mask and gloves. Stuff the shirt with clothes, straw or trash bags. Put the mask on the part of the shirt where the neck comes out and put the gloves in the part where the hands come out. You just made a zombie! Put it on a grave it will look like the dead are rising!

Answer 4

Of course you can do the standard, have people feel food and name it scary stuff: grapes are eyeballs. spaghetti is brains, etc. Have someone in the bushes out front and jump out at people. The dollar store has great decorations, too.

Answer 5

hmmm...

PLUS SIDE:
Spider webs??
Light effects, such as flashing?
Scary music?
Fake Gravestones?
Skulls?


MINUS SIDE:
Definately no cute pupkins.
No Bright lights.


MY OPTION:

I would keep the area of the walkway/ door step dark and mysterious than light, and cheerful.


And maybe people dressed up in scary costumes: Michael Myers, Scream guy, etc.

:)

Good luck!

Answer 6

Have things that jump out (have your children participate) have bowls of different things to try and tell the people what they are i.e. spaghetti=worms, gumballs=eyeballs. Have characters like dracula, frankenstein that walk around and act like them all night...