Growing up in Florida, Patti and I have ridden Disney’s Haunted Mansion too many times to count. The dark attraction is a fan favorite, resulting in multiple movies and specials highlighting the grim stories of its ghostly residents. Aside from the 2003 and 2023 films of the same name, other versions include the family-friendly Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021) and yes, Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak (2015) is rumored to be the R-rated version that never came to be. 

This got us thinking how cool it is that all these different variations of the same IP cater to full spectrum of age and maturity levels. Are these stories playing toward our fear, our entertainment, or both? What exactly is age-appropriate when it comes to fear?

While it seems pretty cut and dry to just use the rating system as prescribed (G, PG, PG-13), it may not be accurate for your child and what they can handle. I mean, does anyone remember that the movie Jaws had a PG rating? Also, what does it say about our kids if they are turning into little phobophiles?

Recreational Fear

While fear’s intended purpose is to keep us safe from potential threats in our environment, we like to play with the sensation by subjecting ourselves to horror films and haunted attractions, especially around Halloween. The amygdala, a small structure found in the limbic system, that is responsible for our response to fear is also involved in signaling the production of dopamine (the feel-good hormone). Mix that with the release of endorphins, oxytocin (the love hormone), and serotonin (the happy hormone) following a scare, we can experience feelings of euphoria. An adrenaline rush, if you will.

 That “sweet spot of fear” we all seek has shown to have its advantages. Recent studies have found that recreational fear improves psychological resilience by frequently practicing coping strategies to regulate anxiety levels. For children, participating in Halloween festivities (dressing up, trick-or-treating, encountering scary characters, etc.) allows them to safely experience fear and recover from it on repeat until the season is over.

Watching scary movies or reading horror stories are other opportunities for kids to experience fear and navigate that emotion within a controlled setting. Part of building resilience is recognizing the positives and identifying effective coping strategies. By observing how these fictional characters manage frightening scenarios, they learn to develop their own survivor mindset of how they would best handle the situation. Like training in a bubble…

While there is no absolute age at which scary movies are appropriate, the general rule of thumb is to introduce horror themes between 5 to 7 years of age because that’s when kids can differentiate between fantasy and reality. Young children might find spooky entertainment overwhelming since they are still learning to manage fears that naturally arise during childhood (loud noises, stranger danger, monsters under the bed, etc.). However, some young children can tolerate it. This can be due to factors like:

• Early exposure to the genre
• Limited understanding of the spooky context in the content
• Genuine enjoyment of the fright 

While every child has a unique experience, it’s unlikely that movies with mild scary themes will result in any negative long-term effect. However, it is important to be mindful of the potential negative impact horror can have if it’s outside our children’s comfort zone. We’re not trying to traumatize our kids with hyper-realistic scenarios, visceral body horror, slashers and violence, etc.

Fear Factors

We can’t predict how our kids will react to a scary movie, but we can increase the likelihood it will be a positive experience. The areas of our brain that recall situations (hippocampus) are closely tied to the emotions associated with it (amygdala). So if your child enjoys the film, they’ll likely want to watch another one. So how can we make fear fun? Some considerations include:

• Family values. If Halloween and all things spooky is meaningful in your household (like mine), then yeah, you may need to figure out how to ease your child into the macabre.
  
• Your child’s personality and interests. Some children are unphased by the production of scary movies and attractions while others can be downright terrified. For instance, I jump when I hear the rip of a chainsaw and a masked figure stalking my way. Meanwhile, my 7-year-old is so excited to take a photo with this Leatherface wannabe. Consider how easily your child gets frightened, their current anxiety levels, and any distress that could be worsened by scary content.

If anything, talk to your kids about it. Be like Ghostface and ask if they’d like to watch a scary movie (‘Tis the season!).  This gives them the opportunity to voice their feelings about the subject, allowing you to gauge their readiness based on the conversation. Discuss the emotions they might experience while watching a scary movie and help them recognize these feelings so they can inform you should they arise. The same discussion can also apply to dark theme attractions, like haunted houses, hayrides, and corn mazes.

Hollywood Horror Night

Here are some suggestions when initiating your kids into scary movies:

• Watch or familiarize yourself with the movie your child wants to see, to ensure it’s not overwhelming for them. While Coraline is a great movie, it does have some intense scary bits that might surprise you the first time through.
  
  
• When introducing the genre, start at the entry level. In other words, nothing should be more startling than “Boo!” If they can handle that, bump the intensity but keep it animated to ensure they know it’s not real.
  
  
• If movies seem a little too much, you can always opt for a TV show or a Halloween episode of a show they already like. Scooby Doo, Beetlejuice, and The Addams Family all have multiple variations and formats that can appeal to different age groups.
  
  
• To gauge if your child is ready for a scary movie, watch the trailer together and observe their reaction before committing to the full movie.
  
  
• If a film terrifies you as an adult or scarred you as a child, that’s a big red flag to not show it to your kids just yet. For me, that means I won’t be showing my kids Child’s Play any time soon. 
  
  
• While watching the movie, mention when you’re scared and explain to your child how you deal with it. If you’re a face coverer, show them that. Do you need a hand to hold? Offer yours to them and see if they need the same.
  
  
• Watch the movie during daylight hours to reduce the fear.
  
  
• If you see some unease or if they straight-up ask you to turn it off, pause it and figure out what’s causing the tension. They might be scared for different reasons than the obvious: volume, jump scares, building music, they might be lost in the plot, they might want to sit in your lap, they aren’t scared but don’t think it’s entertaining, and so on. For example, Patti brought her girls to see the newest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. While the plot was pretty simple, the darker animation style and cinematography made it much scarier.
  
  
•  Let your kids know they can leave the room or turn off the movie if they want. Be ready to discuss the film afterwards to help them process any disturbing or intense scenes.

It’s important to help kids understand that movies come from other people’s imaginations – a team of individuals brainstorming ideas and creating drawings or costumes to bring fright to life. Even if your child thoroughly enjoyed getting scared, they might not fully grasp what they experienced. Kids process things faster with parental support, so talk with them afterwards if they seem unsettled.

While we hope that our kids don’t have trouble falling asleep or nightmares following a spooky movie, it may be par for the course. If that’s the case, reassure them that they are safe. Play into their imagination and create magical remedies or night rituals to keep the scary stuff away. Promote their favorite stuffed animal to night protector, shielding your child from anything that goes bump in the night. If their fears persist, it may be a sign that the content may have been too intense for them. There is nothing wrong with holding out when they’re older to try again.

They Want MORE!

If your kid survived the scare and genuinely loved it, they might not experience any negative repercussions. Kids ages 8 and up can tolerate fear for longer periods and may view these moments as positive bonding experiences with family and friends. Intense emotions create lasting memories.

As parents, we want to make sure we’re doing the “right thing”, including what kind of content to expose our kids to. But to be honest, it’s not that easy. For instance, I just found out that my kids can handle the 13-minute Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video. I couldn’t at their age. You won’t know their comfort zone (nor will your kids) unless you allow them to experience it. Just be there and available if it gets too much for them.

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Sources:
Scrivner, C., Johnson, J. A., Kjeldgaard-Christiansen, J., & Clasen, M. (2021). Pandemic practice: Horror fans and morbidly curious individuals are more psychologically resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic. Personality and Individual Differences, 168(110397), 110397.
Clasen, M., Andersen, M., & Schjoedt, U. (2019). Adrenaline junkies and white-knucklers: A quantitative study of fear management in haunted house visitors. Poetics, 73, 61–71.
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