Well, for me, the scariest element in a scary children's story is when it plays on our deepest fears. Like the fear of being abandoned or losing a loved one. Some stories might have a child getting lost in a dark and scary place and the parents can't find them. This taps into the fear of separation. Another aspect is the transformation of something familiar into something terrifying. Take the girl with the green ribbon. A simple ribbon becomes the source of horror when her head falls off. And the idea of something being hidden or concealed that is truly horrible, like a secret in a haunted house that once revealed, brings doom, is also very scary in children's horror stories.
One of the scariest elements is the presence of supernatural or unexplained entities. In a children's scary story, when there's a ghost, monster, or some otherworldly being like the Babadook, it immediately gives a sense of dread. These entities often defy the normal rules of the world that children are used to. Also, the isolation of the characters can be very scary. If a child in a story is all alone in a big, dark forest or an empty house, they seem more vulnerable. And when the story builds tension slowly, it gets scarier. For instance, if a strange noise starts small and then gets louder and more frequent as the story progresses, it makes the reader or listener more and more afraid.
'Goosebumps' series is also very well - known for its scary stories for kids. It contains a variety of stories with different horror elements. For example, some stories have haunted houses, werewolves or other supernatural beings that can give children a good scare in a not - too - intense way. They are also written in a way that is easy for kids to understand.
Relatability can also be a key factor. If a scary story touches on common fears like the fear of death, the dark, or being alone, it can be scarier. For instance, stories about being home alone at night and hearing strange noises play on our real - life fears. We can easily put ourselves in the shoes of the characters, and that makes the horror more palpable. It makes the scariest scary story one that really gets under our skin.
The way the monkey's paw seems to have a mind of its own and a malevolent intent is very frightening. It doesn't work in the way the characters expect. Instead of granting wishes in a positive way, it takes away things that are precious to them, like when the second wish to bring the son back results in something that is more like a horror than a reunion.
The unknown is often the scariest element. In a crybaby scary story, when the crybaby starts crying and strange things happen, not knowing what will come next or what is causing those things can be really terrifying. For example, in the story where the crybaby's crying summons a shadow - not knowing what the shadow will do or if it can harm the crybaby.
The scariest elements often include the unknown. For example, in a Janna story, strange noises in the dark can be terrifying. You don't know what is making those noises, whether it's a monster or something supernatural.
The scariest element could be the sense of the familiar turned strange. For example, when Mickey's usual happy - go - lucky environment like a park or a castle becomes dark and haunted. It's unexpected and makes the fear more intense.
The sudden appearance of a coyote can be terrifying. When you least expect it, like when you're alone in a desolate area and suddenly see a coyote's eyes in the dark or its form emerging from the bushes. Also, their aggression. If a coyote decides to attack, it can be very menacing with its sharp teeth and quick movements.
The unexpected change in the sister's behavior can be really scary. For example, if a sister who is usually kind and gentle suddenly becomes cold and menacing. Another scary element is when the sister is involved in something supernatural like seeing ghosts or being possessed. It gives a sense of dread because it's something that's out of the ordinary and often beyond our understanding.
The feeling of being watched. When you hear a knock, you might get the sense that there is someone or something out there observing you, just waiting for you to open the door. This can be extremely unsettling. For example, if you look out and see nothing, but then feel a presence, it plays on our primal fears of the unknown.
The unknown is one of the scariest elements. We don't really know what happened around dolmens in the past, so it's easy to imagine all sorts of spooky things. For example, they could be places where ancient rituals took place, and that sense of mystery makes it scary.