how to find out the identity of a spirit? Here is my story. I purchased a home 2 years ago. Within a short while we noticed silly things like items disappearing from one spot and reappearing in another, doors would be locked when we forgot to lock them (once I was locked outside and had to climb through a window. The lock is an old small deadbolt - 1945 era - and no one else was home at the time), just little things. Then toys began playing by themselves. My grand-daughter, age 5, has a remote control car that was the first to go. I was home alone, on the phone with my mother, when I heard the car running and honking in my grand-daughters room. I went in, picked up the remote and placed it on the dresser face up so it would not turn on again. By the time I returned to my room it was driving again. This time I removed the remote batteries. The car started up again. Quite honestly it was absolutely funny. I laughed (my mom thought I was nuts) and the car quit. A week or so later, my daughter and I had a tiff and she went into my grandaughter's room mad. I was in the living room with my two grand-daughters. She came out about three minutes later and asked me to hurry into the room. My younger grand-daughter's (age 2) toy was playing by itself. It is a tool bench type toy that will play music it you pound on the shapes with a plastic mallet. No one was pounding on the shapes. We both found this amusing and it quit. Since then we have had various toys play but the tool bench seems to be the favorite. About a week or so ago my daughter and son-in-law woke to the toy playing at about 1-2 in the morning. They also realized that their light had been turned on. My son-in-law said "knock it off" much like you would to a child. The toy quit. My daughter and son-in-law removed the toy (which I thought was too drastic) and basically told our house that there are limits and it was too late to play. With the exception of some lights turning on and items being moved, it has been relatively quiet. We do not want our spirit to leave but we do want to know more about it. We would like it to feel free to play if it wants just within reason. I put the toy bench back this weekend. Any suggestions about how to go about learning more about this spirit and also maybe verifying it's existance just for we know we are sane?

Well, my gut feeling is that the spirit is a child since it seems to like to play with toys.

I would suggest going to town hall or a library and try to find the history of the place. See if you can find out if someone died there at one time. If you have neighbors who have been in the area for a long time try asking them too.

Kevin's advice is the best, see what you can learn about the history of the house. Remember though, it could well be a Spirit from a time long before anyone that is here could remember.

It might also be attracted to your little one... it might enjoy the company of another child or perhaps is just an adult Spirit that finds it easier to manipulate toys to communicate then anything else. Sounds like a watchful one to me. Locking doors and such like.

Do some asking about and let us know?

(chuckle) and you are very sane I'm sure. =)

I agree that it sounds like you have a child ghostie in the house. The activity strongly suggests that. A child would lock the doors for safety or to be precocious. It listened when your son-inlaw asserted authority.

I keep envisioning a small boy. In a brightly lit house going from window to window tenuously checking out what's going on outside. Retreating into a back bedroom when people are around. Running to the door to lock it so strangers can't get in.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you would like him gone I would suggest you speak(pray) to your higher powers (whatever you believe in) to help him move on over to the other side. Sometimes it can be just as easy as that.

I believe you are sane. =)

Thank you everyone. I must admit I always thought of our friend as a grandfather, however, I found it very interesting that nakis visualized a young boy peering out the windows when no one is home. My son-in-law has stated on numerous occasions that he swears someone watches him pull into the driveway from the front bay window. Also, my grand-daughters's bedroom used to be the last room in the house before the new bathroom and bedroom addition. Thank you, Iron Bess, I am currently getting with the assessors office as well as a resource person at my library. I am going to try photo's and recordings this weekend.
Wish me luck and I'll keep you all posted.
(Thank goodness I found you all)