Handmade haunted house ideas: from ways to darken a room to props

apply aluminum foil

Recommended for night-shift workers: Since I couldn’t sleep because the bedroom was bright, I blocked the light from the window with aluminum foil and turned it into a darkroom.

One easy way to create darkness is to cover the window with aluminum foil.

First, wipe the window clean and dampen it—using a spray bottle makes it go smoothly.

Then prepare the aluminum foil and apply it so it fits the window perfectly, and you’re done.

You might wonder, “Can aluminum foil really block out light?” It actually has extremely strong light-blocking power! It brings you much closer to complete darkness, which makes the scare factor double.

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Apply cardboard and black plastic (vinyl)

An essential element of a haunted house is a dark space.

Even a classroom you use every day can feel completely different when it’s dark.

Here’s an idea for darkening a room using cardboard and black plastic.

First, attach cardboard to the windows and seal any gaps with duct tape or similar.

Then layer black plastic over that to improve light blocking even more.

For the black plastic, agricultural black sheeting is cost-effective and recommended.

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Blackout curtain

To create darkness, you can also use blackout curtains.

In many schools—or even specific classrooms—blackout curtains may already be installed.

In that case, you can simply draw the curtains and skip steps like putting up cardboard.

Incidentally, there are blackout curtains sold specifically for haunted houses, featuring horror-themed designs.

If possible, it might be fun to imitate that and add some illustrations of your own.

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Incorporate tunnels

[For Parents and Childcare Staff] The children tried going into the haunted house they made themselves!

If the target audience is small children, incorporating a tunnel is also a recommended idea.

You can make the tunnel out of cardboard, or set up strips of newspaper like a noren curtain—either works.

By obstructing their view, it creates a sense of excitement and suspense.

Installing a tunnel at the entrance can also heighten the tension of “we’re about to enter a haunted house.” Incidentally, for slightly older children, a popular gimmick is having hands come out from the tunnel walls.

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Attach cardboard onto chairs and desks as a base.

Fushimidai Elementary School: “Traditional Haunted House”

You can easily create a haunted house corridor using items found in a classroom.

The process can be broken down into three main steps.

First, line up desks and chairs along the path where you want the corridor walls to be.

Next, prepare flattened cardboard and either cover both sides with black plastic or draw illustrations on them.

Finally, attach the cardboard to the desks and chairs, and you’re done.

If you have large pieces of cardboard, it will work even in rooms with high ceilings.

Another advantage is that cardboard makes it easy to add gimmicks, such as hidden doors.

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Apply black vinyl to the cardboard pillar

[Giant Cardboard Craft] We Tried Making a Haunted House! [Collab with Maimen Channel]

Many of you may be thinking about creating a complex network of passageways inside the classroom.

If so, I recommend the idea of using cardboard pillars covered with black plastic sheeting.

First, decide on the layout of the passages.

Next, set up cardboard pillars according to the shape of the route.

Finally, stretch black plastic between the pillars, and your passageway is complete.

Making it into a maze-like format could make it even scarier.

You could also add fun touches like creating hiding spots for the “ghost” actors.

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sickle

Let's make fun and spooky Halloween decor! Create furniture with cardboard crafts♪ HIMAWARI House No. 5 himawari-CH

A scythe can be used not only as a prop object but also as a handheld accessory for the person playing the ghost.

Since it’s a large prop, it also has the appeal of conveying a strong impact.

To make one, shape it out of cardboard and use aluminum foil on the blade to create the effect.

Alternatively, you can form it out of newspaper.

Choose whichever method seems easier for you.

By the way, as a specific use case, it’s recommended for someone dressed as the Grim Reaper to carry it.

If they pose with it, it will result in a pretty scary look.

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