SHORT GHOST STORIES

Telling short ghost stories to children, especially little children, is a little different then telling a ghost story to a group of teenagers or adults.

Tips for Telling Ghost Stories to Kids

·         You have to make sure your story is appropriate for all audience members. If you have even one audience member who will be plagued by nightmares for weeks by your retelling of great ghost stories like Bloody Mary, then you will have to substitute something else.

·         Children's ghost stories have to be a little shorter, with a minimum of characters so that kids can easily follow the plotline.

·         Make sure to have all the kids gather in a circle, either by the fire or in your cozy living room. Turn down all the lights and hold a flashlight under your chin to illuminate your face as you tell the tale.

·         Speak slowly and use your best loud whisper, so your little audience is straining to hear every word.

·         It helps if you have the story memorized. Don't be afraid to personalize it; tell the kids it happened down the street, in this very house or in the woods nearby.

·         Kids appreciate body language, so act out someone tiptoeing up the stairs or use props and other items to create sound effects.

Here is a good child-friendly story that has been retold in many forms. It is just a little spooky, so it will generate shivers without leaving anyone too scared to go to bed.

The Inn at the End of the Lane

A mom and her daughter were preparing to leave for a trip to visit a small coastal town. As the pair left, they noticed that the sky was darkening; it looked like they were driving into a storm.

During the drive, it started to rain. At first, it was a light rain, but suddenly, the raindrops turned into a deluge. The windshield wipers couldn't keep up.

Thunder cracked and lightning flashed. The mom decided that they should pull over somewhere and wait until the storm ended. Unfortunately, they were in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, the daughter spied an inn up ahead.

They pulled into the parking lot of a cozy farmhouse. After parking in the curiously empty parking lot, they grabbed their suitcases and rushed to the front porch. A kind-looking innkeeper opened the door and invited them in.

Settled into warm, dry rooms they soon fell asleep. They awoke the next morning to sunshine and the sounds of birds singing.

As they walked downstairs, they noticed that the inn was deserted. Since they had to get back on the road, they left money and a note on a table, thanking the innkeeper for his hospitality. 

After driving a few miles, they stopped to get gas. At the gas station, they started chatting with the gas station attendant.  "You didn't happen to drive through that terrible storm last night, did you?" asked the attendant.

"As a matter of fact, we did," replied the mother. "Fortunately, we were able to spend the night at that charming inn a few miles back."

The attendant turned and looked at them. "You don't mean the farmhouse back up the road?" he asked, looking puzzled.

"Why, yes!" replied the girl

"That's impossible," the man said slowly. "That's the old Davis Inn. It burned down last winter."

Not believing the man, they drove back and saw for themselves. There was nothing left of the inn but a charred, roofless ruin. Stepping from their car and through the missing front door, they were shocked to see their thank-you note still sitting on the burnt remains of a table.