Planning a Halloween campfire or a camping trip with your group? These campfire ghost stories keep things spooky but gentle, perfect for younger kids and teens. You will see simple call and response moments, sound effects, and pauses that make it easy for teachers to tell the tales without getting too scary. Pair it with some Halloween costume and sprinkle in some flashlight fun and you are all set for the spooky season.
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The Lantern in the Pumpkin Patch (suitable for ages 5–10)
Set the scene
A crisp fall night, a wide pumpkin field near your campsite, and a tiny flicker of light that seems to bob up and down between the vines.
Story
Long ago, a farmer lost a little brass lantern while checking pumpkins after dark. Every October, a friendly “pumpkin helper” wanders the field, looking for that lantern so the pumpkins stay warm. If you listen closely, you can hear the helper hum a soft tune while patting the pumpkins goodnight. One chilly evening, a group of campers saw a glow drifting along the rows. They followed the light and found a small lantern tucked beside the biggest pumpkin of all. When they picked it up, the lantern gave a happy pop and shined brighter, as if it finally felt found. The helper never showed its face, but the pumpkins looked extra proud that night, round and ready for Halloween.
Setup
- Participation: Ask kids to hum a gentle tune together when the helper “walks by.” Let them pat the ground next to them like they are patting pumpkins.
- Sound cues: Soft humming, a little pop sound when the lantern is found.
- Teller tip: Shine a flashlight through your fingers to create a warm lantern glow near the ground.
The Marshmallow that Floated Away (suitable for ages 5–10)
Set the scene
Campers toasting marshmallows, a light breeze, sparks lifting into the sky.
Story
Once there was a marshmallow so sweet it wanted to share its goodness with everyone. On a breezy night, it slipped off a stick and floated up like a bubble. The campers laughed and waved, and the marshmallow drifted toward the trees. The next morning, every camper found a perfect marshmallow on their plate, as if the floating marshmallow had visited each tent and left a gift. People say the kind marshmallow returns each Halloween, making sure no one is left out. If someone is shy or new, the floating marshmallow leaves them two. It is not a ghost that scares. It is a ghost that shares.
Setup
- Participation: Have kids wave their sticks in slow circles like the marshmallow drifting up.
- Sound cues: Whisper “whooo” like wind, then a tiny ding when the treats appear.
- Teller tip: Hold a white cotton ball in your beam of light and let it “float” upward on your breath.
The Snoozing Boots on Trail Nine (suitable for ages 5–10)
Set the scene
A quiet forest path. Leaves crunch. Somewhere, a pair of boots is softly snoring.
Story
Campers once heard a very gentle snore from an empty pair of hiking boots left on Trail Nine. The boots belonged to a friendly ranger who loved naps almost as much as helping lost hikers. On chilly autumn nights, the snoozing boots wake up, shuffle down the trail, and guide anyone who is nervous back to camp. If you listen, you can hear a soft “shff shff” and the tiniest snore. One night, a camper dropped a glove and did not notice. In the morning, the glove sat by their tent with a tidy leaf tucked inside like a note that said, “Found you.” The boots never scare. They just snore, shuffle, and help.
Setup
- Participation: Invite the group to whisper “shff shff” together when the boots walk.
- Sound cues: Gentle snore, slow shuffle, a happy little tap when the glove returns.
- Teller tip: Drag your shoe lightly in the dirt for the shuffle sound and tap your knuckle on your chair for the gentle return.
The Girl Who Drew Constellations with Ash (suitable for ages 10–15)
Set the scene
Embers glow, stars bright overhead, and a circle of friends tracing shapes in the air.
Story
Years ago, a quiet artist came to camp every fall. She loved the night sky but had no pencil after lights out, so she used a stick and the cool ash by the fire pit to draw constellations on the ground. When she moved away, the drawings faded, but the habit stayed. On clear October nights, a breeze stirs the ash into faint star maps.
One night the ash lifted in a quick whirl and wrote a pattern none of the campers knew. The air cooled. The fire dimmed. From the dark trees came a slow scrape like chalk on stone, and the ash dots began to slide toward the lake, one by one, as if an unseen hand was drawing a path. For a breath it felt like the map wanted them alone on the shore.
They followed anyway, shoulder to shoulder. At the last dot the wind stopped. Ripples spread. A silvery fish leapt, and the sky reflected so perfectly that the new constellation above looked doubled below. They understood the message. Look up, then look within. Wonder is louder than fear. Some say the artist still visits through the ash, guiding eyes to curiosity and courage.
Setup
- Participation: Ask campers to choose a constellation and trace it above the fire with a finger.
- Sound cues: A soft brush of stick on dirt, a hush as the fire drops, then a shared gasp at the fish.
- Teller tip: With permission, sprinkle a tiny pinch of cool ash in a line leading away from the pit to reveal midway. Safety first.
The Bell at the Edge of the Lake (suitable for ages 10–15)
Set the scene
A still lake and a bell on a short post by the shore that is supposed to warn boaters when fog rolls in.
Story
One Halloween, fog swallowed the water, and a counselor rang the bell to call everyone back. The sound went out in clear notes, but the last note never returned. People said the lake kept it.
Years later, a camper waited alone while the rest of the group took the night hike. The fog slid in without a sound. The water turned from silver to black glass. From far out came a low echo that did not belong to any person. The bell rope twitched. The metal hummed. A single tone rose by itself and rolled across the lake, and in the fog the camper saw brief lights like eyes opening and closing, here, then there, then gone. The tone hung in the air like a breath you cannot finish.
Then came the answer. Flashlights bobbed on the dock. Friends called “here,” all together, turning the strange echo into a welcome. The fog thinned into soft ribbons and the camper smiled and waved back. Some call it a ghost story. Others call it a story of echoes finding their people. Either way, the bell keeps listening for anyone who needs to be heard.
Setup
- Participation: Teach the group to answer a single tone with a soft “here” in unison, to show how echoes work.
- Sound cues: One clear bell note, a low rolling echo, then the group’s warm reply.
- Teller tip: Tap a metal mug with a spoon for the bell once, then pause. Let the silence do the work.
Quick tips for telling spooky campfire stories to kids
Before you share your campfire ghost stories, a little staging goes a long way. These quick tips help teachers and counselors tell kid-friendly spooky campfire stories at a Halloween camp or autumn overnight, keeping the vibe fun and safe while still delivering that cozy shiver kids love. Use them to guide tone, pacing, and participation so your group stays engaged, feels brave together, and remembers the story long after the fire fades.
- Keep it cozy, not creepy: Focus on wonder, kindness, and gentle magic instead of frights.
- Use call and response: Simple echoes, such as “who’s there,” and a group whisper back help build connection.
- Layer sensory details: Leaf crunch, ember crackle, distant owl, soft lantern glow.
- Offer roles: Give timid kids a safe job, such as “official wind” or “lantern holder.”
- End with warmth: A shared treat or a group cheer turns chills into smiles.
These five spooky campfire stories are written for Halloween nights when community matters. They are not campfire horror stories and slip in just enough mystery for that goosebump moment, then land on comfort. If you are planning your fall activities calendar, bookmark this set for your next campfire. Add your own local landmarks to make the stories feel like they belong to your site. The more personal the details, the more memorable your campfire ghost stories will be.