Feeling a bit wicked this Halloween?
Rather than the traditional “Elf on the Shelf” this December, try shaking things up a bit with “Doll in the Hall” this October. And by shaking things up, we mean scaring your kids!
What is Doll in the Hall?
The concept of “Doll in the Hall” is quite simple. You take a creepy looking porcelain doll that your kids are already scared of, or, you can introduce an entirely new doll to randomly show up in the house (think Annabelle), and secretly move it in different places throughout the house, creating a haunted or possessed effect.
Your kids might even ask you to throw it away. To really shake things up, every time you do throw it away, secretly bring it “back to life” and damage it up a bit, making it creepier and creepier.
The key to success for the “Doll in the Hall” is the doll itself. It needs to be the opposite of what your child is used too. Furthermore, it is up to the parents to play along with this game and act just as worried as the kids, unable to explain how or why the doll keeps relocating, even after being thrown away!
If you are unsure of which doll qualifies for “Doll in the Hall”, don’t worry, we have selected our Top 10 Dolls in the Hall.
Amazon’s Top Rated Dolls for Doll in the Hall in 2019
We’ve updated our guide with even more frightening figurines. Get ready to scare the unliving daylights out of your family with this year’s deadliest dolls to use for Doll in the Hall.
1. HollyHOME Halloween Decorations Creepy Animated Haunted Doll
This creepy doll for Halloween is extra scary, as it has a unique motion element. With batteries (not included), the doll can take off its own head and speak a creepy phrase!
While the doll is definitely frightening, it could be hard to dispose of or damage for effect, and the interactive elements are triggered by a button, not by motion. Parents will want to consider if their target will be fooled by such a simple trick.
2. Slappy Dummy
Recently featured in Toy Story 4, these dummies are sure to be relatable to fans of the series. They’re exceedingly creepy and come with an ebook to tell the backstory of the doll. Parents could lean in to this Toy Story villain’s backstory to make it easier to creep out younger ones.
It’s important to note these dolls tend to be a bit more expensive as they are functional puppets. While they’re definitely unnerving, parents should consider what other uses they could have for this mortifying marionette before making a purchase.
3. YinVinA Haunted Halloween Decoration
This creepy doll is one of our favorites, as it can be activated by loud noises in addition to a button. Perfect for doubles scares, as loud sounds are inherently unsettling, and when those noises wake up the doll…
Savvy parents could use this as a way to encourage little ones to stay quiet lest they wake up the doll in the hall.
If you’ve got twins, this doll is absolutely perfectly petrifying. The double-headed design will be sure to spook them, as they realize there’s one head for each child. Parents need to be sure to play into and create a story explaining why the doll ended up with two heads.
Reviews on this doll have been mixed and indicate that it sometimes feels cheaply made. However, that could be perfect for parents that want to ding up and damage the doll should it ever be “thrown away” without having to worry about damaging a nicer-quality purchase.
Amazon’s Top Rated Dolls for Doll in the Hall in 2018
Overall Score: 4.8/5
Pros:
This is the doll that has its own movie, Annabelle, which is a spinoff in the Conjuring universe which is actually based off of a true story.
This doll embodies everything “Doll in the Hall” has to offer. There is the slightest touch of innocence as the doll is wearing a white dress and has her hair braided. However, one can immediately notice that this is no ordinary doll, as its face looks a little worked and has big piercing eyes that stare right back at you.
Cons:
Since this is a replica doll, it is on the pricier side of options. But what is the price of a good scare, really?
Overall Score: 4.7/5
Pros:
This doll is downright creepy and stares right into your soul. Also in the Conjuring universe, this doll is based off of the movie, The Nun.
If this thing randomly pops up in your house, you can surely believe it will scare your kids.
Cons:
It may scare them too much, and might even give them a false connotation to real life Nuns. So we suggest considering the risk vs reward here.
Overall Score: 4.5/5
Pros:
This doll is off-the-bat creepy. Bright yellow eyes that can fade on and off, jet-black hair, and its hands being in such an awkward position like it is waiting for something, is the “Doll in the Hall” that will definitely scare.
Cons:
This doll is 32 inches tall, which may limit its ability to be moved and set in appropriate places.
Overall Score: 4.5/5
Pros:
This doll has one of the creepiest faces, making for an excellent choice to enhance the scare-factor in “Doll in the Hall.” With real cloth clothing, rooted hair, and 5 points of articulation, The Exorcist Regan is sure to do a scare-well-done. You can even twist its head backwards from its body!
Cons:
This doll is a bit on the pricey side for being only 10 inches long.
Overall Score: 4.3/5
Pros:
This is an excellent option for “Doll in the Hall” because it is cheap, porcelain, and most importantly, a clown. Its peg legs are odd and unusual to a child, and its sad face creates for the perfect haunted effect, like a soul trapped inside that can’t get out.
There is just something about clowns and polka dots that never seize to bring just the slightest chills.
Cons:
There is really not much wrong about this doll for “Doll in the Hall.” It is cheap, so you do not have to worry about manipulating it if you want to make it scarier, and it is indistinguishable from any Hollywood movie or commercial.
However, this doll may not seem so creepy right off the bat. So it is up to the parent to make it creepy by making it alive!
Overall Score: 4.3/5
Pros:
With its big white unblinking eyes and giant scar in-between, Posey Plush is ready to get to scaring. A big benefit to this doll is that is very maneuverable and creates for more opportunities to find creating places to put it since it is made of plush.
Cons:
This doll is only 8 inches long, which may not be as intimidating as its competitors.
Overall Score: 4/5
Pros:
The second you look at this doll, you know it is possessed. It is scary and creepy as it gets. With Bright yellow eyes and an open mouth showing off her gapped teeth, this doll may induce nightmares.
Cons:
Since it is so outrageous, this doll might ring a bell in children’s radar that whatever is going on, is fake. On the contrary, it may just scare their socks off.
Overall Score: 3.9/5
Pros:
This doll is eerie. With its 19th century feel, chiseled face, dirty feet and outfit, it will more than suffice for “Doll in the Hall.” Being a plastic doll, you can set it any position; also, it is animated, which can add to the scare-tactic.
Cons:
Similar to the “Con” posted above; this doll may or may not alert the “fake” factor with some kids.
Overall Score: 3.9/5
Pros:
The pros surrounding this doll are all cosmetic. It has the scare-factor, it has the height (13in”), and it has the eerie vibe to it that you don’t want to see staring at you through your window.
Cons:
The animatronics are a little concerning as it talks and walks. This can be a really cool gimmick for Halloween, but once again, might tip the “fake” factor off in some kids.
Overall Score: 3.8/5
Pros:
Clowns are scary. This clown doll has a charming evil face that is ready for no good. Since this doll is plush, it can be torn, thrown, and dirtied up to enhance the scare-factor for the “Doll in the Hall.”
Cons:
Even though this doll has red hair, there is little resemblance to Pennywise from the movie, IT. But for “Doll in the Hall” purposes, it will suffice.
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