Age-Appropriate Halloween Costumes for Kids

Whether your child is excited to go trick-or-treating with friends or have a spooky Halloween party at home, a good costume is a key factor in the fun. Here are some suggestions for age-appropriate Halloween costumes for preschoolers and young children.

Homemade Halloween Costume Ideas

Spider - This DIY spider costume is quick and easy. If your child already has a black hoodie, then that’s one step of the process taken care of. With this costume, the sewn-on spider legs detach afterwards, ensuring that the hoodie can be worn again.

Skeleton - Save money on a store-bought skeleton costume for your child and make it at home. All you need is black clothes and some glow-in-the-dark duct tape to make a skeleton costume.

OwlFor this homemade Halloween costume, you’ll need some brown and/or grey fabric, fabric glue, and a dark sweatshirt. If you are comfortable with a sewing machine, you have the option of sewing the feathers onto the costume instead of gluing. You can add feathers to the sweatshirt’s sleeves as well, if you like. We recommend the mask for older children only.

Cowboy/Cowgirl – This classic Halloween costume is easy to make at home. If your child has a pair of jeans or a denim skirt, a plaid Western-style shirt, brown boots or shoes, and a colorful bandana, then you have the foundations of a cowboy/cowgirl costume. You can supplement the costume with a store-bought hat.

Black Cat ­– This is another costume that can be made using clothing items you likely already have at home. You will only need to purchase some tulle, pipe cleaners, and strips of elastic. You can find the full tutorial here.

Store-Bought Halloween Costumes

There are several good options when it comes to store-bought Halloween costumes for your young child. These include spooky classics such as a witch or a vampire, cute animals, or your child’s favorite movie or book character.

If your child’s store-bought Halloween costume comes with a mask, we recommend opting for non-toxic face paint instead. This way, your child’s vision will be unobstructed, and he will be able to breathe and speak clearly. These are important safety considerations when it comes to your child’s Halloween experience. You can also use face paint to enhance the impact of any store-bought costume.

No matter whether you opt for a store-bought costume for your child, or decide to make one at home, remember to keep our Halloween safety tips in mind. Your child’s costume should allow her to breathe and move freely, and ensure she is visible to drivers if she will be trick-or-treating.

Happy Halloween!