Summer camping season is here. This means flickering firelight, s’mores, campfire sing-alongs and, for the brave of heart, spooky story time.
Here are some such stories to tell around the fire — appropriate for the whole family, but just scary enough to give the kids some chills.
Scary stories to tell kids around the fire
‘The Viper’
This classic from Boy Scout Trail features an elderly woman who keeps receiving prank calls. The mysterious man on the other side of the phone identifies himself as “the Viper” and tells her that he is coming over to visit.
As the calls continue, she grows progressively more frightened, and when he arrives — well, you’ll have to read the story to find out the final (funny) twist.
‘The Clown Statue’
This urban legend often gets passed off as a true story. Feel free to do the same if you think the kids can handle it. It follows a babysitter, the children she’s watching and the creepy clown statue in the basement of the house.
When she offhandedly mentions the statue to the kid’s parents via a phone call, they drop a shocking truth on her. Find the story on Scary for Kids.
‘S’more Sasquatch’
This is a story within a story with, of course, a monster at its heart ... a monster with an affinity for graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows. “S’more Sasquatch” was dreamed up by Shannon Scheiwiller.
‘Creature of the Pit Toilet’
According to this story from Kampgrounds of America, something nefarious lives in the bowels of campground latrines. It’s probably best to save this story for campfires near bathrooms with flushable toilets.
‘The Yellow Ribbon’
The Yellow Ribbon, as retold by S. E. Schlosser on Folklore.net, follows a young couple. They are happy and harmonious except for one issue: The woman wears a yellow ribbon around her neck at all times.
Upon her husband’s request, she finally takes it off, only to reveal a dark secret.
Scary story collections
- “A World Full of Spooky Stories”: This book by Angela McAllister features a variety of spooky stories from around the globe, offering a diverse set of stories suitable for different age groups.
- “Scary Stories for Young Foxes”: This anthology by Christian McKay Heidicker is full of nerve-wracking but also heart-warming stories perfect for spooky family nights.
- “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”: There are three books in this series by Alvin Schwartz, each full of scares and thrills. These stories are heavy-duty and meant to scare teenagers.
- “Campfire Stories: Spooky Stories to Share and Delight”: This little collection by Kelly Anne McLellan is very family-friendly. It categorizes its stories into spooky, funny, mysterious and strange, so you know what you’re getting into and can tailor your choice to your audience.
- “Short and Shivery”: This compilation by Robert D. San Souci includes classics from the ghost story genre, including stories from authors like Washington Irvine and the Brothers Grimm.