Handmade haunted house ideas: from ways to darken a room to props
There are times, like at daycares, kindergartens, or school culture festivals, when everyone gets to enjoy making a haunted house together, right?
Here are some handmade ideas that will come in handy for creating a haunted house at those times!
First, we’ll introduce ways to darken the room and how to build the haunted house pathways.
We’ll also share DIY prop ideas to boost the haunted house atmosphere!
Some of the ideas are simple enough for small children to help with, so be sure to use them as a reference.
We hope you can create a fun, unforgettable haunted house.
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Props (1–10)
Ghost makeup you can do even on a small budgetNEW!
Simple, budget-friendly ghost makeup is perfect for a school festival.
Before you start, if you have long hair, tie it back and place a towel around your neck to get ready.
Many items can be found at 100-yen shops, such as cream white makeup, red-toned lipstick, eyeshadow, black eyeliner, and liquid foundation.
To make wounds look three-dimensional, twist some tissue to add volume—highly recommended.
Once you add color, your ghost look will be complete in no time.
Study your movements and create a fun haunted house!
Doll MansionNEW!
A doll that’s usually a playmate and a cherished friend.
In this idea, that doll is incorporated into a haunted house.
There are lots of scary tricks, like dolls whose eyes made from paper plates move, and dolls you thought were just ornaments suddenly chasing you! You could make it the theme of the haunted house or set it up as one section.
Even dolls you have at home become quite frightening just by placing them in the dark, so bring some and decorate.
It’s also a great idea to create creepy dolls from scratch!
Props (11–20)
Japanese-style horror BGMNEW!
Lighting is important for making a haunted house feel scary, but the most crucial element is the BGM.
Even if you set up your haunted house in a familiar classroom, just playing dark, frightening music can instantly transform it into a terrifying otherworld.
There are many types of BGM, but today we’re featuring Japanese-style horror tracks.
From music boxes and pianos to the surprisingly eerie melodies of traffic signals late at night, these are chillingly wonderful pieces that make you feel like a ghost could appear at any moment…!
A hand comes out of the wallNEW!
You may be startled for a moment by the red handprints on the wall, but then feel relieved, thinking, “Oh, they’re just handprints…” But right at that moment, as if aiming for your reaction, a real hand bursts through the wall.
What looked like a wall is actually newspaper! It tears easily when a hand is thrust through with force.
Points to watch with this idea: be careful not to accidentally hit someone and cause injury.
Also, since some people dislike being touched, make sure the hand comes out from a place where it won’t make contact with anyone, and where you can startle them from a safe distance.
Handprints of terror from the ceilingNEW!
This idea uses ink that reacts to blacklight to put handprints on the ceiling.
Have visitors proceed along the route under blacklight, then prompt them with “Look up at the ceiling.” In normal darkness nothing is visible, but when illuminated with the blacklight, countless bright red handprints appear! It’s a simple trick, but the sudden appearance of the prints is startling.
They look as if they’re trying to grab you, and many people will probably feel an urge to run away.
Yokai Mask “Aobōzu”NEW!
Even if you can’t make a scary facial expression, just put on a mask and you can easily play the role of the scarer.
Store-bought Jason or Chucky masks are great, but if your class has time, how about making matching terrifying masks? Red ogres, blue monks, slit-mouthed women, and werewolves.
A faceless ghost will definitely make people tremble when seen in the dark.
Foxes from Inari shrines and Noh masks are also packed with scary elements, so be sure to use them for inspiration.
You could apply special effects makeup directly to your face, but masks might be more suitable for a school festival since you can quickly move on to the next task once your shift is over!
BGM for yokaiNEW!
When you create a haunted house, you usually decide on a theme to some extent, right? There are a few classic themes like an abandoned hospital, a cursed mansion, or a house of dolls.
If you’re thinking of making a haunted house with a yokai theme, how about using this BGM? Not all of the tracks are scary, but the Japanese-style melodies are a perfect match for Japanese yokai.
Try performing various terrifying yokai to this music—like oni, kappa, zashiki-warashi, and rokurokubi!