Gearing up for Halloween is looking a little different this year, but at my house we’ve been getting into the spooky spirit with these awesome scary podcasts for kids. They come at every level of fright, from pumpkin-caper to prepare-to-sleep-with-the-lights-on. For a week. And parents? If you’re like me, getting absorbed in a scary fiction will be a great escape from reality for you, too. Here are 6 scary podcasts for kids that are definitely worth subscribing to right now.

Top image: The Creeping Hour 

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Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest 

Grimm, Grimmer, and Grimmest is a retelling of the Grimm fairy tales has catapulted itself to the top of our favorite household podcasts. My son loves the host Adam Gidwitz’s dramatic storytelling style, plus all the sound effects that make it come to life. Gidwitz tells the stories in front of a live kid audience, too, and stops to ask questions so it really feels interactive. Also, each episode is rated “grimm, grimmer, or grimmest” (with grim being the least scary and grimmest being the scariest), so you can can decide what’s right for your kids.

The Creeping Hour 

If you have older kids tastes lean more toward Stephen King than R.L. Stein, check out the Creeping Hour from WGBH in Boston. This series follows a group of previously-human teenagers who listened to so many scary stories that they turned into monsters. The episodes drop weekly, so I think this could be a cool suspense-building activity to set the mood for Halloween.

Snap Judgement: Spooked

I’ve been a Glynn Washington fan girl for years, and I especially look forward to his Spooked series when Halloween rolls around. This show isn’t specifically geared toward kids, but it’s family-friendly enough to fit the bill. Plus the stories are all true! If you haven’t listened to Snap Judgement before, I think you’ll be hooked.

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Unspookable

The Unspookable podcast investigates the truth behind common myths and urban legends. I like it because it teaches kids history by engaging them on supernatural topics like ouija boards, Bloody Mary, and — yes — unicorns. Save this one for slightly older kids (the recommended age range is 8+), unless you hand-pick the tamer episodes.

Revenge of the Creeps

If you have younger kids who’d rather laugh than get goosebumps, check the Revenge of the Creeps podcast that’s written and narrated by a 6-year-old girl who clearly really loves scary stories. Her enthusiasm and rhetorical flourishes will have you giggling, but these stories have a good amount of playful fright, too.

13 Days of Halloween

Have a teen who wants legitimately freaky fare? Check out 13 Days of Halloween, a podcast that’s narrated by the amazing Keegan-Michael Key and full of creepy sound effects. Starting October 19th, a new episode will drop daily, and each show will take place in the same very haunted manor. Just listening to the trailer spooked me a little, so save this one for the braver teens in your life.