Ghost hunting birthday parties

Spooky ghost stories are fine at sleepovers but what if your child wants a bit more zing to their fling? Armed with flashlights, digital recorders and cameras, a ghost hunting birthday party for your child puts a spin on traditional celebrations. Get the party started with episodes from their favorite ghost hunting television show or Scooby Doo then go over the basics:

• No one goes into an area alone
• Everyone stays within shouting distance of each other
• An adult will be present at all times
• Remember to leave a place as you found it - no garbage, damage or leftover birthday cake

Discover haunted places to explore via favorite books or The Shadowlands online (as well as other directories) before the party and call ahead to make sure it's an appropriate place for children to climb around as well as permission from the property owner if needed.

Arm them with their own ghost hunting kits:

• Notebooks
• Pencils
• Disposable camera
• Stopwatch or watch
• Flashlight
• Compass for EMF recordings
• Digital voice recorder for teams to share
• A copy of the Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide. Packed with tips, party games, decoration ideas, recipes, plus an excellent guide to learning to investigate the paranormal by deductive reasoning and FUN! Visit the Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide website today!

Start off the investigation by dividing the party into teams (if a large party) and assign partners. Make sure there is an adult with each group. As the kids explore the area, have them ask questions as the voice recorder runs, pausing between questions to hopefully capture an answer back. If the sugar rush from the cake has worn off, have them sit for ten minutes at a time and observe the area. Have them write down in their notebooks any changes in temperature, smells, sounds, etc, so they can share later with their friends and interpret what they experienced.

At the end of the party, have them create a group ghost story using the location you just visited with themselves as the investigators. Their notes may be used to fill in blank spots in the story, and share the voice recording- writing down anything that may come across as ghostly. Make a CD of the recordings to send home with each guest in their ghost hunting kit and a copy of the ghost story to share with their family.

Download your own Phantom Party Packet from the Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide as a PDF! Games, quizzes, decorations and food ideas for your next ghost adventure!

Have fun!




Image credit: stellarbaby.com

Can't slip anything past them...

So much for me keeping the girl ghostie on the down low. My daughters have been seeing her for months. Last night as I fell asleep, I heard a distinctly male voice call my name in my ear. Why wasn't I more surprised? Meh. I rolled over and went to sleep.

I'm noticing an increase in phenomena, not only in my house but touching others' lives. My friend and fellow investigator, Susan Utley, has been having her own ghostly issues for a while now, she shares on her blog - Creative Procrastination. I'm also being contacted by those who have been freaked out by what they feel may be ghosts, what the heck is going out there? Stay tuned!

Kids

Kids have a natural affinity to communicate with spirits, heck, they're made up of extra energy! Many times you'll find if there is activity within an area, a child may be able to access it more readily than an adult.

I like working with kids so much that I wrote a book about how they can learn more about ghost hunting in a safe and responsible way. Please visit The Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide for tips, how to capture Electronic Voice Phenomena and what to pack in your ghost hunting bag. It's a great sleepover books as well with games, recipes, ghost stories and how to write your own ghostly tales.

Now for the fun part~

I LOVE hearing ghost stories from kids. I have five daughters and they help me pack my ghost huntin' bag when I go out on investigations! Curiosity is encouraged and I'm excited to hear what y'all have to tell me! Please email me at stacey.i.grahamATgmail.com with questions or comments. I hear from a lot of kids looking for research papers in school, I'd be happy to chat with you too!