Why do kids love scary things?

Most kids love monsters, ghosts, witches and other scary things. Many are also fascinated by the scary dinosaurs that once roamed the earth. Like adults, children enjoy the rush of adrenaline and the excitement that comes from reading a scary book or watching a scary movie. They can feel scared within a safe environment. They know the story or movie is not real so they feel comfortable exploring the scary situations or characters without being threatened themselves. The experience of feeling fear and overcoming it can help build the child’s self-esteem and confidence too.

Here are some other reasons why kids are drawn to scary things:

1. Curiosity: Kids are curious about the world around them – they are still learning what the world has in store for them and want to explore it. They enjoy the thrill of being scared and meeting monsters, witches, dragons and other scary stuff in a safe way.

2. Imagination: Scary books are full of fantastical creatures and magical situations. Where else can you meet such unreal characters and impossible situations? Scary stories enable us to let our imagination run wild. Kids love to invent their own scary characters, and spooky books can unleash this creativity.

3. Peer acceptance: Sometimes children want to show their peers how brave they are by watching a scary movie or reading a scary book. It can also make them feel more grown up because being afraid of a monster may appear ‘babyish’ to their friends.

4. Emotional development: Overcoming fears in fictional contexts can help children explore their own emotions and build confidence in dealing with real-life challenges.

5. Shared experiences: Certain celebrations, such as Halloween, allow children to participate in scary situations with their family and friends. Dressing up and pretending to be a scary character from a book or movie for a while is fun! They can indulge in spookiness in a safe environment and enjoy a night of fantasy.

Unleash some spookiness with your child with this FREE 10-page Spooky Colouring Pack.

I’ve recently written a spooky book myself! It’s a counting book for ages 2-5 years where kids are encouraged to count spooky things from 1 to 20. You can discover more about this book HERE.

I’ve also gathered a selection of other scary counting books for you to discover:

My favourite from this selection? Ten Timid Ghosts by Jennifer O’Connell.

This bestselling counting book for beginning readers is filled with ghosts, a witch and spooky fun! It's Halloween, and ten timid ghosts in a haunted house have a problem: a mean witch has moved in and is planning to scare them out, one by one! Young trick-or-treaters learn to count down from ten to one as each ghost flees from the witch's silly costumes and homemade props. When the homeless ghosts gather in the woods, their fear turns to determination and they plot to get their house back. Will the ghosts frighten the witch away in time for Halloween night?

Check it out here.

My own spooky counting book was written to complement my Monster Counting Book, a firm favourite with my readers.

Here’s a selection of other monster counting books:

My favourite from this selection is Five Little Monsters Jumping on the Bed by Bill Cotter, the author of Don’t Push the Button! Prompts to "pet,"; "press,"; and "tickle"; the monsters make this a fun, interactive story that little ones will enjoy.

Five little monsters jumping on the bed.

One fell off and bumped his head.

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,

"No more monsters jumping on the bed."

For a FREE Monster colouring pack, grab it HERE.

Finally, some dinosaur counting books. Kids are fascinated by the sheer size and power of dinosaurs. The idea that creatures that big and strong once existed on the Earth is awe-inspiring…and a bit scary! This fear factor adds to the fascination. But because they don’t exist anymore it’s another safe avenue to explore scariness!

My favourite this time is an oldie, but a goodie! How Do Dinosaurs Count to 10? By Jane Tolen and Mark Teague. It helps kids learn to count from one to ten with a simple, rhyming text and laugh-out-loud illustrations! 

Want another colouring freebie? This one’s all about dinosaurs. Grab it HERE.

To see my own counting books about scary things, monsters and dinosaurs visit www.francesmackay.com