CHILD

Is #CharlieCharlie safe for your kids?

First published on Tuesday 5 July 2016 Last modified on Monday 26 September 2016

Charlie Charlie Challenge

#CharlieCharlieChallenge has been trending on Twitter all weekend. But what is it exactly, and is it safe for your children to play the Charlie Charlie Challenge?

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Teens everywhere have been playing the Charlie Charlie Challenge. It comes from a traditional Mexican game called 'The Pencil Game' where you try to contact the spirit of a boy named Charlie, who died after committing suicide. You ask 'Charlie' to answer questions with a simple yes/no. All you need to play are two pencils and a piece of paper.

You balance one pencil on top of another and line it up on the vertical line. Then you ask 'Charlie, Charlie, are you there?' or 'Charlie, Charlie, can we play?'. The pencil moves to ,'yes,' if 'Charlie' is 'there' and you can then ask questions. To end the game you say, 'Charlie, Charlie, please can we stop?'

Harmless fun?

While some have been having great fun playing the game and adapting it - like these 1D fans - not everyone is taking it so lightly.

There are videos, vines and tweets aplenty from terrified teens who say they've been 'haunted' by Charlie, with reports of mirrors breaking, bookshelves shaking and ghostly whispers.

Naturally, lots of parents have become concerned and are urging children to steer clear of the Charlie Charlie Challenge.

What say you? Would you let your kids take part in the Charlie Charlie Challenge as a bit of innocent fun? Or is it taking a youthful interest in the paranormal too far?