Add some sound effects. You can snap your fingers for a sudden noise, or rustle leaves to create an eerie atmosphere. This helps to bring the story to life and makes it more engaging for the kids. Also, pause at the right moments to build suspense. For instance, when the scary part is about to be revealed, stop for a few seconds before continuing. This will keep the kids on the edge of their seats.
Use different voices for different characters in the story. For example, if there's a monster, use a deep, growling voice. It makes the story more vivid.
Adding details to the description helps a lot. Instead of just saying 'a spooky house', describe it as 'a dilapidated, creaking house with broken windows and a sagging roof. The wind whistled through the cracks, making an eerie sound'. This paints a vivid picture in the kids' minds and makes the story more engaging.
Use different voices for different characters. For example, if there's a monster in the story, use a deep, growling voice. This will immediately draw the kids in.
They can use sound effects. For example, if there's a part in the story about a howling wind, one kid can make a whooshing sound. It makes the story feel more real.
Use different voices for different characters. For example, if you're telling a story about a monster and a victim, make the monster's voice deep and growly and the victim's voice shaky and scared. This helps the listeners to better visualize the story.
Use different voices for different characters. It'll make the story come alive.
Involve the children. Let them guess what will happen next in the story. For instance, when telling 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears', stop at the part where Goldilocks enters the house and ask the kids what they think she'll do first. You can also act out parts of the story. If it's 'Hansel and Gretel', pretend to be the children walking through the forest. This makes the story - telling more interactive and thus more engaging.
Use a lot of sound effects. For example, if you're telling a story about a creaky old house, make creaking noises while you're talking. It really sets the mood.
Make the setting vivid. Describe the campfire itself, how the flames are dancing and casting shadows. Then start building the world of the ghost story. Talk about the cold wind blowing through the trees in the story, the creaking of old doors if there are any in the plot. The more details you add to both the real campfire setting and the fictional story setting, the more engaged the kids will be.
Adding personal details to the story can make it more interesting. If it's a story about a haunted house, the kid can say that the house looks like the old abandoned one they saw on their way to the campsite. Also, kids can act out parts of the story. If it's a story about a monster chasing someone, they can run around a bit like they are being chased to make it more exciting.
Use different voices for different characters. When you're telling a fireside scary story, changing your voice to match the hero, the villain or other characters makes it more interesting.