Vampire Facts for Kids

It’s almost Halloween, and that means vampires may be lurking around. Are you curious about vampires? Have you ever wanted to learn about where they come from or how they became vampires? To learn more about these fictional creatures, read our article vampire facts for kids! 

Also, check out our Halloween facts, pumpkin facts, and Halloween Activities for kids.

kid friendly illustration of a bat with fangs for Halloween

What is a Vampire?

A vampire is an immortal fictional creature that was once a human. There are many legends about these mysterious creatures. Stories of vampires have been passed down for generations. 

Most stories talk about vampires wandering the streets and sucking the blood of humans.

A male is called a vampire. A female is called a vampiress. A group is called a clan.

Before a vampire turns into a vampire, it is an average person like you and me, it’s true!

What does a Vampire look like?

Vampires usually have very pale skin. Their hair is black. They have very dark black eyes. Their eyes are so dark that you cannot see their pupils. Both male and female vampires have very long fingernails. They have razor-sharp teeth called fangs. They use their fangs to bite into the skin to suck out blood. Vampires wear dark clothing. They don’t always wear capes.  

Vampires have been known to change forms. They can turn into a bat and then back into a vampire. Did you know that they are bats called vampire bats? 

Vampires do not have a reflection in a mirror. To avoid people recognizing them, vampires will avoid all mirrors.   They like the sun; they will never be outside during the day. Vampires are obsessed with counting and are always counting objects.

How do you become a Vampire?

To become a vampire, you have to be bitten by one.

After you have been bitten, you have to drink vampire blood. After you drink the vampire blood, you fall asleep and wake up as a vampire!

What do Vampires eat? 

Vampires survive on blood. Mostly human blood, but they have been known to drink animal blood if there are no humans around. Some vampires prefer not to drink human blood because they don’t want to hurt humans. These vampires will strictly drink animal blood.

How do Vampires get blood? 

Using their sharp fangs (teeth), they bite you on your neck and suck the blood out.

Like some animals, vampires are nocturnal. This means they are active at night. Nighttime is when you will find vampires roaming the streets in search of blood, especially on Halloween night.  

Vampires and the Sun 

You will never see a vampire out during the day. Do you know why? It is because vampires do not like sunlight. The sun is very harmful to them. The sun can burn the skin of a vampire. Sunscreen will not prevent the burning of their skin. They must stay inside away from any sunlight or rays from the sun.

Vampires have no Reflection

What happens when you look into a mirror? What do you see? You are probably saying, I see me. The picture that you see of yourself in the mirror is called your reflection. Did you know that vampires don’t have a reflection?   When they look in the mirror they can’t see themselves. They don’t see anything. Why don’t vampires have a reflection? Vampires don’t have a reflection because they are not alive and no longer human.

Where do Vampires Live?

Vampires come from Transylvania but can live anywhere. They can even live somewhere in your own neighborhood.  

Don’t worry about a vampire getting into your house. They can’t come in unless they are invited. Be careful, vampires are known to trick people into letting them in.

Vampires usually stay away from humans unless they are hungry of course. Make sure you are careful of your surroundings on Halloween night. Vampires tend to disguise themselves to blend in with humans in costumes. You do not want to run into a hungry vampire. Unless of course, you want to become one.

Are all Vampires Evil? 

Some people may believe that all vampires are evil. This is not true. Most vampires are not looking to hurt others. Many became vampires because they were bitten and had no choice. These vampires try to avoid human blood and live off of animal blood or even other objects.  

Famous good vampires include Vampirina and Mavis and Dracula from Hotel Transylvania.

Vampire Characteristics

Vampires sleep in coffins unless they are in bat form. When they are in bat form, they sleep hanging upside down from a tree. 

They love being around bats. Many vampires have bats are pets. 

Vampires are strong. They have ten times the amount of strength as regular humans.

A group of vampires is called a pack or a clan.

Here are some ways to keep vampires away: eat lots of garlic or wear a clove of garlic around your neck, wear a cross around your neck, stay in the sun, sprinkle salt around the outside of your house, and keep a pocket full of seeds handy.

All vampires have arithmomania. Arithmomania is having a strong urge to count all things around you. This is why the vampire on Sesame Street “The Count” is always counting.

If you are confronted with a vampire, throw seeds around. You can use any seed: pumpkin, sunflower, or wildflower seeds. The vampire will get distracted by counting all the seeds. This will give you time to run away. It may be a good idea to walk around with seeds on Halloween, just in case.

The only way to kill a vampire is a stake through the heart.

Some famous vampires are The Count from Sesame Street, Vampirina from Disney Junior, Count Chocula from the cereal, Mavis and Dracula from Hotel Transylvania, Edward from Twilight, and of course the most famous vampire of all the original Count Dracula.

Movies: So many people are interested in vampires that countless films have been made about them. Some of the famous vampire movies include the Twilight movie series, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Interview with a Vampire.

Hope you enjoyed these vampire facts for kids.  

Happy Halloween