What are the characteristics of scary kid friendly stories?

Kid - friendly scary sci - fi stories typically feature fantastical settings. Think of stories set in far - off planets or future cities. These settings are exciting but also a bit spooky because they're so different from what kids know. The characters often face challenges that seem a bit daunting but are ultimately surmountable. In 'The Iron Man' (the book, not the movie), the huge iron man coming from the sea is a bit scary at first, but then the story turns into an adventure. Also, the moral lessons in these stories are important. They might teach kids about things like courage in the face of the unknown, which is often related to the scary parts of the story.

They often have less - intense violence. For example, instead of graphic battles, there might be more suspenseful chases. Also, the scary elements are usually more about the unknown. Like in 'A Wrinkle in Time', the strange planets and the 'Black Thing' are spooky because they are not fully understood. And they usually have a positive message in the end. In 'The City of Ember', it's about hope and the kids' ability to save their world.

Kid - friendly horror stories often have less intense gore and violence compared to adult horror. They usually rely on suspense and mystery. For example, in 'The Graveyard Book', the mystery of the boy's past and the spooky things that happen in the graveyard create the horror. Also, the monsters or villains are not too grotesque. In 'Goosebumps' books, the monsters are more on the silly - scary side.

One characteristic is that they usually feature familiar Halloween symbols in a non - threatening way. Take 'Pumpkin Jack' for instance. The pumpkin is a common Halloween symbol, and the story focuses on its life cycle rather than scaring kids with it. Also, kid - friendly Halloween stories tend to have a happy ending. Whether it's the old lady in 'The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything' who overcomes her spooky encounters or the animals finding a place on the witch's broom in 'Room on the Broom', the endings make kids feel good. Moreover, the characters are often relatable for kids, like the boy in 'Pumpkin Jack' who loves his pumpkin.

They are usually simple in plot. For example, stories might focus on the Easter Bunny's activities like hiding eggs, which is easy for kids to follow.

They are usually simple. The plots are easy for kids to follow, like in 'Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer' where the story is straightforward. They often have positive messages such as kindness, like in 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas'. And they usually feature Christmas elements like Santa, reindeer, and presents.

One popular kid - friendly scary story is 'The Teeny - Tiny Woman'. It's about a very small woman who finds a bone in a churchyard and strange things start to happen when she takes it home. Another is 'The Three Little Ghosts', which has a bit of spookiness but also a fun, non - too - terrifying plot. And 'The Green Ribbon' is also great. It tells the story of a girl with a green ribbon around her neck, and as the story unfolds, the mystery behind it creates a sense of mild horror that kids can handle.

A good kid - friendly scary Halloween story could be about a haunted tree. In a small town, there's a big, old tree in the park. Every Halloween, strange noises come from it. One year, a group of brave kids decide to find out what's going on. As they get closer, they see shadows moving around the tree. But when they finally reach it, they find out that it's just some squirrels that have made their home in the hollow part of the tree. They were the ones making the noises as they moved around their acorn stash. It's a bit scary at first but has a funny and non - threatening ending.

They often have ghosts that are not too scary. For example, the ghosts might be small, cute, or bumbling. In a lot of these stories, the ghosts are more like friendly characters. Like in the story where a little ghost just wants to play with the kids but keeps getting things wrong, like knocking over a stack of toys while trying to show a magic trick.

They are usually not too scary. For example, they might have spooky elements like ghosts or witches, but these are presented in a more light - hearted way. So, instead of a really terrifying ghost, it could be a friendly ghost that just wants to play. They also often have a moral or a lesson. Such as in 'The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything', the lesson could be about facing your fears. And they typically use simple language that kids can easily understand.