Emotional Training: Scientists Explain Why Kids Keep Asking for Scary Stories

The Thrill Factor: Why Scary Stories Fascinate Us

We usually associate fear with something negative—an alarm bell telling us to fight or flee. Yet, for centuries, humans have actively sought it out. We board rollercoasters, enter haunted houses, binge horror movies, and dress up as monsters for Halloween. Why? Because that chilling sensation running down our neck contains something oddly addictive.

This isn’t a new trend. Thrilling tales of ghosts, werewolves, and vampires have accompanied people for hundreds of years—across every culture, on every continent. From ancient caves to modern cinemas, we’ve always wanted to be scared. Apparently, we find something pleasurable in that very fear.

Since adults constantly chase the thrill, it’s hardly surprising that children want a taste of it too. Fear is an emotion we understand faster than we learn to speak.

The Fear That Sparks Pleasure

Some fears are strangely enjoyable. You watch a horror film, get goosebumps, and your heart races—yet you can’t tear your eyes away. This is the phenomenon scientists call “recreational fear.” These emotions, hovering between anxiety and excitement, grant us a critical feeling of control over the unknown.

Furthermore, this fascination begins very early. A research team from Aarhus University discovered that children enjoy fear from the youngest ages. Their latest study shows that fear in children is not only entertaining—it educates, strengthens, and develops them.

The thrill children seek caught the attention of researchers. Therefore, they set out to investigate the root of this need for fright.

Scientists: Fear is Emotional Training for Kids

The Danish scientists wanted to understand why kids enjoy recreational fear. They surveyed a large sample of 1,600 parents and caregivers of children aged one to seventeen. Before filling out the questionnaire, the parents underwent brief training—they had to learn how to distinguish between activities that were scary-but-fun and those that were simply terrifying.

The results surprised even the researchers. A staggering 93% of children enjoyed at least one form of this “recreational fear.” Seven out of ten children sought it out weekly, and one in five looked for it daily. Why?

The core finding is this: Kids like to be scared when they know they are safe. Fear experienced under safe conditions offers them intense emotions that adults often struggle to access.

What Really Thrills Children in Scary Stories

Researchers identified that children found pleasure in as many as 19 types of recreational fear. These ranged from mild emotions—like playing chase with a parent or pretending to be a monster—to more intense experiences: horror films, dark video games, and even amusement park haunted houses.

Each activity provides a thrill, but within a protected boundary. Crucially, this balance between fear and fun is why kids enjoy recreational fear and keep coming back for more.

Experiences involving high speed or heights—swings, slides, climbing—proved the most popular among children. Close behind were scary stories from movies, video games, and books. Only a small percentage of children showed interest in breaking social norms or engaging in activities that caused pain.

How Childhood Fear Evolves with Age

The most intriguing differences appeared between the youngest children and teenagers. Young children embrace movement and imagination—they pretend to be monsters, hide under blankets, and shriek while running from a parent ghost. Their world features fear in its playful version.

However, everything changes with age. Between five and seventeen, children begin to seek out thrills in entirely different places—horror movies, computer games, dark films, and online trends. The study authors explain: “As they mature, children learn to tame fear in ways typical of their world.”

This is evolution, not avoidance. Fear grows with them—from the monster under the bed to the hero on the screen.

Lessons from Kids Who Love to Be Scared

Why do children do this? Researchers link their findings to theories concerning risky play. Exposure to fear in controlled settings may serve as training for emotional regulation. We learn how to manage intense feelings without being in genuine danger. Therefore, when a child is scared of something, it is sometimes worth letting them cope with the fear. But not always alone. The results also carry interesting implications for a child’s bond with their environment.

Why Fear Brings People Closer

It turned out that children rarely seek fear in solitude. A remarkable 89% of them experience “recreational fear” with someone close—parents, siblings, or friends. This is not a coincidence. Sharing a thrill builds trust and connection. When a child laughs after a scream, they feel that the world is safe, even if it was scary for a moment.

Nevertheless, scientists admit their conclusions are just the beginning. The study relied on the observations of adults—parents and caregivers. The next step? Ask the children themselves what they feel when they are scared. Only then will we fully grasp the mechanisms of fear in children and understand why kids enjoy recreational fear together so much.

Read this article in Polish: Dlaczego dzieci lubią się bać? Naukowcy znaleźli odpowiedź