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I know it sounds  , but hear me out:For many years, I have been a supervisor at a holiday camp for kids. We are twelve adults and around forty children leaving for a week without parents and teachers and it's always great fun. The most anticipated activity is a walk in the middle of the night (at around 2am) through a nearby forest. They are walking in groups of five to six children and are equipped with nothing but a torch while we scare them with jump scares and similar tactics. Now, we are running out of ideas on how to scare them (we have to cycle through a bunch of tricks every year so it doesn't get predictable) so I am wondering if any of you guys did anything similar or have any suggestions what we can do to spice things up. Keep in mind that we have a limited budget. Also, we are not trying to scar them for life, just to make them scream. I am looking forward to your suggestions (and the inevitable weird stuff  )
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Sep 6, 2016 16:33
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Let them walk a section of the forest all alone and play creepy sounds from a speaker/your phone(check out silent hill/Blair witch for inspiration or just use some weird animal noises, if the kids are pussies). As long as the kids are in groups it will be hard to really scared them. Our supervisors in summer camp let us walk alone through parts of the forest and it was awesome. We dared it each other not to run and not to sing/speak to ourselves during the walk and it got pretty scary.
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Sep 6, 2016 16:50
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HamsonBunce posted:I know it sounds take the chain off a chainsaw, rev that thing. add a hockey mask.. tada you are now unoriginal but possibly scary.
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Sep 6, 2016 16:51
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Try some more subtle spookeries. Set up spooky scenes, like some weird distant baby dolls in the woods that you shine your flashlight on, or tie some big branches together into several tripods and put them in the center of the path as blockades. Disregard these and let the kids worry about it. Have a guy in dark clothing with two mini glowstick "eyes" on his head creep through the brush behind the group. Don't point him out, the most cowardly child will notice him. You can still have a dude in a mask pop out at the end if you want for levity.
Amorphous Abode fucked around with this message at 18:41 on Sep 6, 2016 |
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Sep 6, 2016 18:39
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I've done camps like this for years and the most effective spooking always came from the children themselves. Just this year we had two nightly games, one for the smaller kids (8-12) and one for the big ones (13-18) going on at the same time, but at different locations. The former had a game with exactly one scare, and that one was a supervisor who was doing nothing but walking around and relieving the children from the game stuff they had gathered so far. Otherwise they were on open roads out in the fields, and they were horrified, because the anticipation of being scared is worse/better than any jump scare you could think of. The best point was when the small ones came close enough to the forest to hear the screams of the older kids (where jump scares were abundant)  Other things that turned out well: connecting two trees with a rope and letting a fake skeleton slide down once a group approaches, having a fake supervisor sitting in the woods so that the kids can see him and have a real one jump from the bushes when they come near and literally hiding underwater in a lake with a snorkel only to come out turning the kids into a gibbering mess  but altogether it's the kids being in the proper mood that turns every rustling in the bushes and breaking of twigs into pure horror
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Sep 6, 2016 19:38
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Have you tried a live bear OP?
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Sep 6, 2016 21:24
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Always wanted to try something like this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB8D2QZ9lA4
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Sep 6, 2016 22:13
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Zombie Phyllis Schaferly
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Sep 7, 2016 00:51
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Buy a cheap electronic predator call. Then you will have a remote that you can use to play scary animal sounds from the woods. I did this to scare kids and counselors on camp out night at the camp I used to work at.
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Sep 7, 2016 00:59
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Thanks for all the suggestions, we will certainly try some of them. I think it really comes down to the children themselves, as many of you wrote. Walking through the woods is scary with just the anticipation of scares. Putting stuff in the distance like glowing eyes or creepy baby dolls or maybe a grave should be pretty effective. We were also thinking of installing some rope off-path through a safe and level path through the woods. I hope we don't have a full moon when we do it, so it should be pitch black. If you got a person rustling bushes through some rope contraptions should be enough for some childhood trauma  I like the flying skeleton (attached to rope, not the drone; I think that thing would be way too loud). It would be quite easy to install, I hope we don't hit anyone in the head with it. System Metternich posted:literally hiding underwater in a lake with a snorkel only to come out turning the kids into a gibbering mess I find the psychological aspect behind all of it really interesting. There are kids in their teens with the biggest mouths through the rest of the week who are scared shitless during the walk, while the youngest kids, who we worried most about, are the ones literally laughing in the face of an axe murderer. Of course, the next day no one was really scared and no one was screaming like a little child  The March Hare posted:Have you tried a live bear OP? We don't have a lot of live bears here in Switzerland, but I will see what I can arrange with the local hunter. Three-Phase posted:Zombie Phyllis Schaferly
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Sep 7, 2016 07:57
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Make sure all the torches are low on battery life, like will die on the walk. Then when the light goes out and they cry for help stay dead quiet like they're alone and lost.
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Sep 7, 2016 13:37
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HamsonBunce posted:That is horrifying! Did nobody fall into the lake running away? We are always very wary about escape route as some kids tend to drop everything and run away, leaving their group behind. That's interesting, we never had problems like this - the children go into the woods expecting to get scared, but I've never seen them just booking it. Maybe it's because our kids are mixed-age from 8-18, or because they're all altar servers who know each other well either from past camps, the church or other church-related events throughout the year? No idea.
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Sep 7, 2016 16:22
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One word: fireworks
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Sep 7, 2016 21:05
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Take their phones and dangle them over buckets of water. This will get the older ones for sure.
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Sep 7, 2016 21:16
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For several days building up to the walk, stage conversations with the other adults about something nebulous and terrifying. When a kid walks by, say something like, "Yeah, but what if we lose another? Last year all we found was his bloody... oh hi Chris!" and immediately pretend like nothing happened. Build it up to a fever pitch and then on the day of the walk sit all the kids down and explain it is extremely important they respect the buddy system and that they must keep an eye on their buddy at all times. Explain what to do if their buddy goes missing, and make it something a little odd, like "if your buddy goes missing do NOT say his or her name. I repeat, it is vitally important you NOT say their name. Instead use a nickname only they would know. If you don't know your buddy's nickname, ask them or come up with a new one before entering the forest. If you find your buddy but they do not respond to their nickname, please find an adult immediately. Do not run." Then go on the walk and pretend everything is normal. Disappear for long enough until the kids wonder where you went and then turn back up. Speak stiffly and show no emotion. Suggest a game or activity where buddies have to split up. kedo fucked around with this message at 23:39 on Sep 7, 2016 |
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Sep 7, 2016 23:35
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HamsonBunce posted:...not the drone; I think that thing would be way too loud). That ghost was attached by fishing line to a hexacopter (six blades/rotors) flying high above. That cuts down on the noise but it wouldn't be the easiest thing to do (especially flying in the middle of night through a forest).
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Sep 8, 2016 00:02
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Dress up as a clown http://www.people.com/article/more-reports-creepy-clown-sightings-south-north-carolina
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Sep 8, 2016 11:15
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Kill them and wear their skins OP.
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Sep 8, 2016 11:22
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Cut circles out of reflective material and hide them in the bushes and up in trees? So if they use flashlights, they see 'eyes' looking back at them?
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Sep 8, 2016 22:26
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There's a cute one I saw where someone had cut eye-shaped holes in empty toilet paper rolls, put glow sticks in them, and hid them in the bushes. Haven't yet tried it.
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Sep 9, 2016 00:46
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Say boo lol
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Sep 9, 2016 17:01
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Tell them they have lyme disease.
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Sep 9, 2016 18:04
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Make sure their van is too far for them to get to easily. Wear a monster mask. Rig up a projector or two to project a ghost. Have them all split up, so that the most jumpy out of the group goes off with just the dog, and spend most of your time scaring him. Jump out and scare the one girl so bad her glasses fly off. And don't forget to call them "meddling kids" when you are found out.
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Sep 9, 2016 19:43
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Kill some animals and hang them from tree branches. (Jokes aside, hanging up something that could easily be misconstrued as a small animal could actually be pretty scary, but is likely too "genuinely scary/creepy" to be age-appropriate.) edit: Or maybe hang some stuff above where the kids will be walking that will slowly drip fake blood. It would be really scary if someone randomly had what appeared to be blood fall on them while walking around.
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Sep 10, 2016 02:31
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Wire mesh ghost
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Sep 11, 2016 17:03
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Put up a signpost like in Jurassic Park so they knock it over and can't find their way back.
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Sep 12, 2016 11:53
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HUGE SPACEKABLOOIE posted:Dress up as a clown Beaten.
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Sep 12, 2016 23:59
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Cat Army
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kedo posted:For several days building up to the walk, stage conversations with the other adults about something nebulous and terrifying. When a kid walks by, say something like, "Yeah, but what if we lose another? Last year all we found was his bloody... oh hi Chris!" and immediately pretend like nothing happened. Build it up to a fever pitch and then on the day of the walk sit all the kids down and explain it is extremely important they respect the buddy system and that they must keep an eye on their buddy at all times. Explain what to do if their buddy goes missing, and make it something a little odd, like "if your buddy goes missing do NOT say his or her name. I repeat, it is vitally important you NOT say their name. Instead use a nickname only they would know. If you don't know your buddy's nickname, ask them or come up with a new one before entering the forest. If you find your buddy but they do not respond to their nickname, please find an adult immediately. Do not run." I like these ideas. I was going to suggest much the same- set the scene and let the kids' imaginations fill in the blanks. You can "guide" them along a scenario with some props placed ahead of time, or with the aid of someone else appearing/disappearing as needed. Bonus points if you or the person guiding the kids themselves only has a vague idea of what's going on.
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Sep 13, 2016 03:25
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I hesitate to suggest this, but is Slenderman old hat now? IME the best low-cost way to do him is to buy a very cheap, plain white mask from a craft store, and a size G (the biggest width) Tubigrip bandage. All that's then needed is to put a curved seam across one end of the bandage. Your Slendy wears the plain mask, pulls what's effectively a giant white sock over the top, and dons an old black suit, shirt, and tie. But you need a guy who actually is tall and gangly. Works best when glimpsed only from a distance, since presumably if Slenderman ever gets you up close, something too eldritch and terminal to describe happens. And of course the adult supervisors cannot see him.kedo posted:Then go on the walk and pretend everything is normal. Disappear for long enough until the kids wonder where you went and then turn back up. Speak stiffly and show no emotion. Suggest a game or activity where buddies have to split up. My other suggestion has been somewhat pre-empted by the above, but it's a fun variant. A member of the organising party leaves the group on some pretext – the easiest is that they've heard someone calling for help, or seen someone waving in distress (of course, no-one else can hear or see this). Other group leaders urge them not to go, but they're determined. The person who leaves should be wearing a hoodie that conceals their face from the side, or when their head is lowered. Anyway, off they go on the unwise rescue mission. You wait with the group, but...nada. One minute. Two. Eventually you say, clearly attempting to stay calm, that you simply must continue the excursion, and the missing adult will surely meet up with you all later. You see nothing of them until the very end of the excursion, when you cheerfully announce that hey, there they are! And indeed, they're picking their way back towards you, head lowered. When they raise their head, they're wearing a mask, of course. The choice of mask is up to you but I've had good results with high-quality printed stocking masks like this (though this is a UK product, and I haven't seen such good ones on Amazon US - there must be something suitably nightmarish out there):  In poor light they look 100% horrifying, and they can be carried in the pocket and put on in seconds. For a group leader to become the monster, with little warning, makes a great finale when all goes well.
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Sep 13, 2016 20:04
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Thanks for all your suggestions (and sorry for the late reply). We always try to incorporate some sort of story, some of the older children who know what's going on always help out by not pointing it out right away and adding to our lies. I always found it funny when we're like "five children went missing a year ago" and then we send them through the woods in small groups in the middle of the night. When I was a child at those camps we all knew what's going on, but the story made it so much better. Wow, these look great. I ordered one right away. I think if we sit someone along the way with a hoodie on, which leers at them if they poke him or something would be great. Ytlaya posted:edit: Or maybe hang some stuff above where the kids will be walking that will slowly drip fake blood. It would be really scary if someone randomly had what appeared to be blood fall on them while walking around. We used some water guns one time (I think maybe even some water ballon), something which is quite unsuspected and scared them good. Pixelante posted:There's a cute one I saw where someone had cut eye-shaped holes in empty toilet paper rolls, put glow sticks in them, and hid them in the bushes. Haven't yet tried it. GoingPostal posted:Cut circles out of reflective material and hide them in the bushes and up in trees? So if they use flashlights, they see 'eyes' looking back at them?
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Sep 23, 2016 10:35
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Dress up an adorable puppy like a spider and let it run loose https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoB8t0B4jx4
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Sep 23, 2016 14:50
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When I supervised one of these camps, I was the unlucky one who got to climb into a tree with a big straw humanoid and a rope. Instead of hanging myself I'd drop the straw man into (slightly above) the group from above. I think I was the only one on the course that came from the air, so that had an impact. In proper Art of War fashion, you should wait until half the group has passed to maximize panic and confusion.
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Sep 24, 2016 14:48
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Ghillie suit is a must. Save it for the end when they're finally out of the woods, all the bad stuff is behind them, they're getting close to the cabins, and it's too bright for anything to hide anymore. Surprise!
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Sep 25, 2016 03:45
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i like nice words
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Don't oversell it. While the ideas of dropping hints through fake conversation and leaving random spooky poo poo scattered about the woods are good, it's important to remember you're effectively creating a narrative, and the more you add to it the more likely the kids will see contradictions, inconsistencies, etc. and break their suspension of disbelief. Less is more and you don't want good horror turning into Evil Dead.
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Sep 26, 2016 00:22
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You could also do a Jersey Devil sort of thing. Put together a costume with horns, wings and glowing eyes. Before the event, take a crappy cell phone video of this "creature" making sounds in the woods and getting a slight glimpse of it in the night. Have a councillor say they caught the footage a week ago as they were preparing the campsite. Then have someone in the costume follow behind the passing kids, snapping odd branches and making low growling noises and keeping just far enough away from them. At the home stretch, have the person in costume let out a blood curdling scream (or play a recording of one).
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Sep 26, 2016 04:03
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Build a maze out of particle board in the woods. That would be weird.
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Sep 26, 2016 13:54
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I am partial to the double fakeout, myself - I use it pretty regularly for local stuff, but it might not work out in the woods - it's more of a halloween/haunted house/wait for them to come to YOU setup. The basics work like this. Build an obviously fake person in an obviously fake costume of some sort. Then built a costume that makes you look like an obviously fake person in an obviously fake costume. Sit yourself somewhere they are likely to run across you. Nearby, partially concealed, "hide" the actual fake in a relatively obvious spot, preferably on or touching something that will make noise if it moves. Finally, tie a strong from some part of the fake to some part of your body that isn't clearly visible (this depends on the exact setup - if you're just sitting in the chair, keep one arm behind your back and tie it to your finger). Now slouch a bit, but in a position you can hold, wait for them to start questioning whether or not you're real, and then trigger the decoy. They'll jump a little bit, and then you do the jump scare. For extra points, put a sign on yourself saying "touch if you dare" - let them jump at the decoy, and then REALLY jump just when they think you are the fake. Since you're in the open woods, though... consider working in pairs for some particularly effective scares. Use one person moving loudly through the brush, perhaps with "glowing eyes" of some sort, to draw their attention and guide them along a particular route, maybe even have them leave and come back one or twice, so they're watching out for that person, and then just pop out from behind a tree and give a good growl or howl while their attention is elsewhere. If they have phones, you can also call one of them from a restricted number and then hang up when they answer. Especially if you keep calling the same kid, this will put the whole group on edge.
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Sep 29, 2016 04:21
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