4 ways to turn your home into a Halloween haunted house

Transforming your home into a haunted house is a fun way to celebrate Halloween, explore your creative side with creepy decorations and delicious treats, and ensure everyone has a scary good time! Here are some tips to help you get started.

[Photo Credit: iStock.com/M_a_y_a]

Before guests even enter your haunted house, you'll want to create the perfect "bone-chilling" atmosphere outside.

• Think about installing gravestones along your lawn or near your front door with a candle lantern in front of each one.
• You can either make your own gravestones out of Styrofoam and a little grey paint, or buy them from a Halloween store.

As guests actually walk into your haunted house, it's important to fully immerse them in the experience. The following tips can really add some fun detail to your haunted house:

• Cut out cardboard silhouettes of ghosts, black cats and witches that can be placed behind the curtains of your house.
• Add cobwebs in doorways, near candles and in the corners of different rooms.
• If you don't want guests going into certain areas, block them off with police "Caution" tape and black curtains, warning that many guests have gone missing in certain rooms and hallways of your home
• Add a small amount of red food dye to a large jar or glass container and then plop a cabbage inside to look like a brain. Fennel can also look like a human heart if you cut off the top. You can also label the jars with the "organs" inside for an extra-spooky effect.

Serving "scary" treats only adds to the exciting atmosphere.

• You can make a Jello brain using a mould and any gelatin flavour that is red.
• Decorate cupcakes with cool Halloween designs, which are sure to be a hit with the little ones.
• Serve "severed fingers" made from rolled white bread, delicatessen treats in the middle, a bit of red marmalade to simulate blood, and an almond to look like a pointy fingernail.

Although most older kids usually have no problem with spookier haunted house themes, you might want to consider toning down the horror factor if you're hosting young children.

• Think about decorating both the inside and outside your home with friendly-looking characters, such as Jack O' Lanterns, black cats, smiling ghosts and a witch or two.
• Add some twinkly "ghost" lights on a string for sparkling colour and appeal that kids love.
• Children will also love receiving snacks like cookies cut in the shape of bats, ghosts and cats.

These tips are a great starting point for planning your own haunted house this Halloween, giving your guests a fun scare and letting them enjoy some tasty treats.