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50 Kids’ Halloween Costumes So Clever, You Might Wish You Thought Of Them First (New Pics)
The days are getting shorter, the nights longer, and the air a little chillier—with a cozy hint of spice wafting from every house and café. That can only mean one thing: autumn is in full swing, and Halloween is right around the corner.
It’s the perfect time to light your jack-o’-lanterns, rewatch your favorite spooky classics, and hit the streets for trick-or-treating. But no Halloween is complete without a fa-boo-lous costume, and the kids below went all out. Scroll down for costume ideas so good, you might want to borrow them for yourself!
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#2
This Year He Wanted To Dress Up As His Bearded Dragon "Son". He Legit Calls Me Grandma As He Baby Talks His Lizard
These kids’ costumes are both impressive and adorable. We all love Halloween for that: for its creativity, imagination, and the excuse to transform into someone (or something) else for a night.
But have you ever stopped to wonder where all these traditions we’ve grown to love—the pumpkins, the costumes, the candy—actually came from? Turns out, Halloween has a history that’s just as fascinating as the holiday itself.
#3
My Wife Made Our Daughter's Halloween Costume - As She Does Almost Every Year. This Year, She Really Amazed Me
#4
My Daughter Went As Eleven For Halloween
Making the best out of a bad situation. She nailed it though.
As Heather Thomas, a reference librarian at the Library of Congress, explains, the spooky celebration traces its roots back over 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “SAH-win”).
It marked the end of summer and the start of the dark, cold winter, a time when people believed the boundary between the living and the dead was at its thinnest. To keep wandering spirits at bay, they’d light bonfires and wear disguises to confuse or frighten them. So yes, those creative kids’ costumes have some very ghostly origins.
#6
My Son’s Angler Fish Costume For Halloween This Year
#7
Im Going To Have A Hard Time Outdoing Myself Next Year
When Christianity spread through Europe, Pope Gregory III established All Saints’ Day on November 1, blending new and old traditions. The evening before became known as All Hallows’ Eve, eventually shortened to Halloween.
Over time, people continued the Celtic habit of dressing up, but the intent slowly changed from protection to play. By the early 20th century, Halloween disguises were still spooky—think ghosts, witches, and skeletons—but were already becoming more about fun than fear.
#9
Mamma Mia
My daughter sat in a pot dressed as spaghetti and meatballs for her first Halloween. When I tell you that that was the proudest moment of my life to date, it is not an exaggeration.
#10
I Turned My Son’s Wheelchair Into A Digger For Halloween
He absolutely loves it, and luckily, his grandma was able to bring it to school for him so he could wear it all day.
Carving pumpkins is another tradition that began long before we were lining up at pumpkin patches. According to Thomas, the first “Jack-o’-lanterns” were actually carved from turnips in Ireland.
They were inspired by the legend of Stingy Jack, a man who tricked the Devil and was doomed to wander the earth with only a burning coal inside a carved-out turnip to light his way.
When Irish immigrants came to America in the 1840s, they discovered pumpkins—bigger, softer, and perfect for carving. And just like that, the Halloween symbol we all know and love was born.
#11
Daughter Dressed Up As Her Grandma For Halloween
#12
My Daughter Loves Emily So I Did My Best This Halloween
I’m a tattoo artist, so I guess the attention to detail I went overboard with.
#13
I Crochet Costumes, Gremlins
On year 8 and it is our tradition that my kids request a costume and I freehand crochet it. This year he selected Stripe from Gremlins! He is happy!
Then there’s trick-or-treating, the sweetest tradition of all. Its exact origin is debated, but there are several possible beginnings. Some historians believe it started with Celts leaving food out for spirits on Samhain. Others connect it to the medieval custom of souling, when people would go door to door offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food.
Later came the Scottish and Irish practice of guising—dressing up and performing songs or tricks for treats. And in America, it likely merged with a German-American Christmas custom called belsnickeling, where kids in disguise visited neighbors for sweets if their identities couldn’t be guessed.
#14
That's Just Good Parenting
#15
My Son’s Halloween Costume I Made Last Year
#16
Here Is A Tyrannosaurus Costume I Made For My Son, From Mattress Foam And Spray Paint
Over time, Halloween became less about spirits and more about community. By the 1930s and 1940s, costume parties and neighborhood gatherings replaced the rowdier “trick” traditions that had led to vandalism and pranks.
The Children’s Theatre Company notes that during the Great Depression, families made homemade costumes, often inspired by folklore or new pop-culture icons like Mickey Mouse. By the 1950s, mass-produced costumes hit the shelves, and superheroes, princesses, and movie monsters joined the mix, transforming Halloween into the fun, candy-filled night kids look forward to today.
#17
First Halloween
The wife wanted to go unconventional for our little guy’s first Halloween. Our little Rocketman was a hit among the grandparents!
#18
Best Costume Ever
#19
A Happy Belated Halloween From Our Artsy Family
Even the colors of Halloween have ancient roots. Black symbolized the “death” of summer, while orange stood for the harvest and warmth of autumn. Black cats, meanwhile, became tied to superstition in the Middle Ages, when they were associated with witches and the Devil. That spooky link stuck around, and now, no Halloween decoration feels complete without one.
#20
My Daughter, As Anubis, About To Lay Down Some Judgment
#21
My Kid Wanted To Be A Cup Of Mac N Cheese For Halloween
#22
6-Year-Old Wanted To Be “Creepy” This Year. Here’s My DIY Scary Scarecrow Costume
I used a cheap skull mask and glued the material over it but made sure it was imperfect with the creases. Also made sure the eye sockets were deep enough to cut holes in but remain dark enough so that you don’t see his eyes. Then added some paint and stitching!
And while we might think candy has always been part of Halloween, it didn’t dominate the holiday until surprisingly recently. As Thomas writes, children once received nuts, coins, or fruit.
It wasn’t until the 1950s that individually wrapped candy bars became popular—a mix of postwar prosperity, clever marketing, and convenience. By the 1970s, with growing safety concerns over unwrapped treats, candy had officially taken over Halloween.
#23
Check Out My Teenage Son’s Homemade Dark Walker Costume
He’s been working on it in various forms for a few years. It finally all came together this year. He’s super proud of it and scared a bunch of kids last night.
Through it all, one thing has remained constant: the love of dressing up. From ancient Celts disguising themselves to avoid spirits to kids today becoming their favorite characters, costumes have always captured the imagination.
As the Children’s Theatre Company puts it, Halloween costumes are now a way for people “to express themselves and act out their fantasies,” whether that means going classic as a witch or bold as a pop star.
#26
This Is The Cutest Costume I've Seen
#27
My Kid’s Costume 2023
He made it happen all by himself, and won first place at school.
#28
Wife Finished My Kids Halloween Costume
#29
Halloween Costume
#30
Weeping Angel
Just wanted to share... my daughter started campaigning to be this Doctor Who baddie for a few years before I took the plunge. It was intimidating as all get out, but about seven or eight weeks of my life and and inordinate amount of trips to the craft and hardware stores later, there we were.
Over the last couple of years, I've improved the arms & hands, and I've redone the "wig" twice and still am not really satisfied (I think it's time to learn how to work with sculpting/molding latex), and I'm going to attempt airbrushing the makeup in the future.
The wings are detachable without having to undo the whole thing to get out of them, and it was 10/10 worth the headache to make them so.
#31
Daughter Was Frodo For Her Second Halloween
#32
My Totoro-Obsessed Baby And His Catbus For Halloween
I sewed his costume based on a brilliant tutorial online and my husband made the Catbus from an old Cozy Coupe. He is so happy.
#33
My Friends Baby's Real Name Is Otto. Naturally This Is His First Halloween Costume. His Names Ot-To
Upstaged75 1 month ago (edited)
That's the crazy school bus driver from the Simpsons. He's always drunk or h!gh. 😂
#34
Made The Millennium Falcon Out Of Wood And Old Electronics. Dedicated To My Little Han And Chewie
#35
My Boy Was Freddie Mercury For Halloween
#36
I Know This Is Really Late But My Son Was The Pillsbury Doughboy For Halloween And The Pictures Make Me Smile
#37
My Daughter Wanted Her Baby Sister To Be The Goldfish To Her Cat In The Hat This Halloween, And I’m Quite Pleased With How Dr. Seuss-Like It Came Out
#38
My Son As Edward Scissorhands A Couple Of Years Ago
For months, he wanted to be a zombie, changed his mind the morning of Halloween that he wanted to be Edward Scissorhands so this is what I come up with from stuff around the house. Really easy costume. I’d like to do it again with longer than a few hours to make and do it properly.
#39
He About To Snitch On Everybody
#40
My Daughter's Halloween Costume This Year
She's been binging The Simpsons since the summer.
#41
He’s Beautiful
April Pickett 1 month ago
Proud Great Grandma. All that love and he is definitely worth every ounce of it.
#42
My Son, 8, Won 2nd Place For 3rd Grade In His School's Halloween Contest!! Stanley Ipkiss, The Mask
It's a homemade costume. Nearly impossible to find a good one for kids.
#43
Cutest Baby Halloween Costume
#44
Scariest Halloween Custome
#45
Our Kid Wanted To Be Max Verstappen For Halloween This Year
#47
Turned Daughters Stroller Into A Barn To Match Her Costume
Can’t wait to celebrate her first Halloween, this is also her LAST first holiday.
April Pickett 1 month ago
There are a lot of firsts with kids, so enjoy them, make memories, etc. Because you're right, all those firsts turn into lasts and will be no more.
#48
Little Corn On The Cob Puff Quilt
I’m a new quilter and decided to make my baby a corn on the cob Halloween costume that used a (very scaled down) puff quilt! I got some inspiration from the video below and then winged the rest! Very happy with how it turned out (if you don’t look too closely at the misaligned seams) and excited to do more intense quilting in the future!
#50
My Kid’s Costume
Okay, I know it’s cutting it REALLY, REALLY, REALLY close to the buzzer here. But my kid finally agreed to a lifeboat as a costume as opposed to the same one he wore last year (The Titanic we made him) I love that he loves it so much he wants to wear it again. However we don’t have great storage so it’s not in good shape. So he said a lifeboat. I did also suggest a door so he could be the scene at the end with Jack and Rose.
I’m pretty sure I’m going to go dumpster diving for cardboard boxes, draw some lines on it, and either use dowels to connect and use the suspenders system we did last year for the Titanic.
#51
My Daughter Is Obsessed With Opossums, So I Made This For Her Last Halloween
My daughter has been obsessed with opossums for years, and I thought I’d try making her a cool costume of her favorite marsupial! It was impossible to find a decent mask, so I had to make my own. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out!
Roni Stone 1 month ago
This is so creative. I love these that are made into something the child loves.
#52
My 2-Year-Old Son As Pennywise. I Made The Entire Costume And Am Extremely Happy With How It Turned Out
He is only 2 so he didn’t have much of an opinion.
#53
Happy Halloween
#54
Go Go Gadget Helicopter! Inspector Gadget Costume With Motorized Propeller
#55
My First Attempt At A Costume For My Son On Halloween
My son wanted to go trick or treating as "The Knight" / "Little Ghost" for halloween this year. He's only 5 and he's super happy with it.
#58
My Wife Have Been Waiting For This Halloween Since We First Heard We Were Having Twin Girls
#59
He Proceeded To Ask/ Beg Non Stop To Be A Traffic Light. After 2 Days, I Had To Give In. This One Lights Up And He Is Thrilled
#60
Kids Dressed As Shadows For Halloween. Their Mother Bought Black Morph Suits For Them Then Layered Black Clothes Over Those
#61
My Daughter As Gary The Snail
Meow.
#64
My Little Boy Wanted To Share His Springtrap Costume
He’s 7 and has been obsessed with "Five Nights at Freddy's" for years and will tell anyone and everything all the lore and back stories. He’s also obsessed with role playing the characters and hopes to go to a Con at some point. He’s proud.
#65
My Daughter Wanted To Be The Corpse Bride This Year, So My Wife Made The Dress From A Curtain. I Think It Looks Amazing
#66
She's Got Your Eyes. And Your Beard. And Your Shirt
#67
My 13-Year-Old Niece Made This Entirely On Her Own! Happy Halloween
She just turned 13 last month, but has been artistic and crafty since Day 1. She decided to make this Halloween costume based from 5 Nights at Freddy’s, and I think she did such an amazing job!! So proud of this kid and can’t wait to see some of the stuff she’s working on for ComicCon!!
#68
Pennywise. I Have Been Making My Daughter's Halloween Costumes For A Few Years. I Feel Like This Year Is One Of My Best
Upstaged75 1 month ago
All these kids would be peeing their pants if they really knew the story of It.
#71
Finished My Son's Halloween Costume. He Requested To Be A Baby Tiger And Now Refuses To Try It On
#72
Mother-In-Law Bought My 5-Year-Old His Halloween Costume
I’m not looking forward to him waking mom and I up with it on in the middle of the night.
#73
My 5-Year-Old Daughter Was A Costco Sample Lady For Halloween
My 5 year old daughter and I have a standing date to Costco every Saturday morning. It's our favorite time together. I post videos of her eating samples with commentary. Super cute. She's hilarious.
This year for Halloween she wanted to be a Costco sample lady. This was fun for my wife and I to put together. She's usually shy toward people she doesn't know, but she rocked this all night with confidence!
#74
Doctor Octopus
My son wanted to be doctor octopus so we decided to make it for him. Everyone, and I mean everyone, loved it and most importantly so did he.
#77
Omg! Look At His Knees. I Love It!! So Cute
#78
My Baby Niece Dressed Up As Loonette The Clown From The Big Comfy Couch For Halloween And I Am Not Okay
#79
My Daughter's First Halloween
She was loving the outfit! So I'm both excited and scared that she might turn out to be Louise.
#80
My Son’s Halloween Costume
My wife bought some blue face paint and blue spray on hair dye. She also is the one who sewed the costume. Pretty much all I did was introduce him to xmen.
#81
My Son Wanted To Go As A Tyranid On Halloween, And I Don't Know A Thing About Cosplays, But I Guess It's Something
#83
Making My Son's Soul Of Cinder Cosplay For Halloween
Our Halloween costumes have been getting a little more involved every year. This year my son, a huge fan of Fromsoftware games, wanted to be Wolf. And then Ornstein. And then finally he settled on Soul of Cinder. I’m not sure what would have been the most work!
I started with a paper pattern I had found on Etsy and took it into the “Armorsmith” program. Sizing was one of the most time consuming parts of the process. I did about 5 versions of the chest piece before finding a perfect fit. The patterns were then transferred to EVA foam and glued together with contact cement. The most valuable tool of the process had to be my new Dremel tool, which allowed me to carve into the foam and make the texture. My son and his sister helped prime and paint the base coat of acrylics, and finally it was dry-brushed with a metallic silver paint.
#85
Halloween 2003. I Desperately Wanted To Be A Giraffe And My Mom Did Her Best. My Eyes Haunt Me
#86
Selena Halloween Costume
She's a huge fan & couldn't wait to dress up as The Queen for Halloween.
#87
Jellycat Obsessed! Homemade Cordy Roy Costume
Jellycat has been her lovie since she was a baby, and when she was in kindergarten she insisted on dressing like her for Halloween (and then wore it all the time!) Painting all those stripes was a labor of love. Now she is 11 and still sleeps with Jelly every night.
#88
My Son Begged For Three Years In A Row. This Was His Time To Shine! Maurice Was In The House
I started in September haha handmade what I could and thrifted 90% because that’s the whole point of a cheap homemade costume. Plus the outcome is always so much better than store bought any day.
#90
My Daughter’s Frank ‘N Furter Costume From Last Weekend
#92
My Coworker's Son Wanted To Be Medivh For Halloween. Fortunately For Him, His Mom Is An Awesome Tailor
#94
Happy Halloween From My Daughter
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