“Not afraid of the dark? Or does mommy keep the night-light glowing?Whatever degree of fright they can take, island kids will have their pick of haunted (or unhaunted) houses this Halloween weekend.From a candyland playland to a witch’s den to an alien autopsy, the level of scariness varies. And to help parents and kids pick just the right fright, we’ve ranked three haunted Bainbridge abodes on our Terrific Terror Meter™.ScariestWilkes Elementary School offers a Monsters and Myths Throughout History haunted house. Fourth graders in charge will rally bugaboos from times past and add dry-ice fog and strobe lights.Visitors are escorted around the globe, from the deepest, darkest jungles of savage headhunters, to the damp streets of London, where Jack the Ripper lurks. There are occasional exits for those who can’t take the fright.It gets progressively scary, said Kathy Doll, supervising parent.Children under age 5 and those who haven’t seen too many horror movies should skip this one. But there is a carnival with food, games and a bouncy house also planned, so guests have their pick of other fun.The festivities run 2-7 p.m. Oct. 28 at Wilkes Elementary School.ScaryThe Big Kids program hosts its fourth annual Haunted House at Ordway School. The details are intended to be a surprise, so full disclosure is not permitted. But according to sources, visitors meander through a spider cave, a witch’s den and a graveyard, and the event is a lights-out affair.Kids already scared of the dark may have a hard time, cautions Carlos Huizar of Big Kids.The suspense runs 6-8:30 p.m. Oct. 28 in the Big Kids portable, located behind Ordway.Not-so-ScaryLittle Pumpkin’s Halloween House is hosted by the Bainbridge Island Teen Center. Happy Halloween is the theme conveyed at this manor.Smiling ghosts, whistling cowboys and waving mermaids cast a cheerful shadow on the usual frightful holiday. The event is geared for kids 7 and under, said Morgan Riley, president of the Teen Center board.There usually isn’t alot of ‘fun’ places to go that aren’t that scary, he said. Young trick-or-treaters may giggle their way through the orange twinkle-lights and grinning pumpkins, but the spooks are definitely lurking somewhere else. Visit this happy home from 5-9 p.m. Oct. 28-29 at the Bainbridge Teen Center.Treats without tricksTeam Winslow holds its annual Halloween March, 4-6 p.m. Oct. 31 in downtown Winslow. Kids can show up in costume and go home with bagfuls of goodies, courtesy of Winslow Way merchants. “
Bump in the night
"Not afraid of the dark? Or does mommy keep the night-light glowing?Whatever degree of fright they can take, island kids will have their pick of haunted (or unhaunted) houses this Halloween weekend.From a candyland playland to a witch's den to an alien autopsy, the level of scariness varies. And to help parents and kids pick just the right fright, we've ranked three haunted Bainbridge abodes on our Terrific Terror Meter™. "