I’m just going to come out and say it. The best part of Halloween is getting dressed up, and watching all the kids in their costumes. It’s my FAVORITE part. What makes it even better? Family Halloween costumes! It warms my cold, little Halloween heart to see parents and their kids really lean in to the whole experience.
But coming up with a winning Halloween costume is no easy task.
I know, I know. It takes a lot of effort on your part to come up with an idea, gather all of the necessary pieces, and convince your partner that YES, he should wear the full body suit, because…family.
Here are five tips and examples from local families to get your Halloween costumes ideas flowing:
Pick a Group Theme
This doesn’t have to be complicated (but it can if you want it to be). Maybe your kids are into a particular character or have a favorite book. Alternatively, you could pick something YOU like from pop-culture or a nostalgic memory from your childhood. The creative possibilities are endless, and puns are (obviously) welcome.
Let Your Kiddo(s) Take the Lead
Last year, we (and by we, I actually mean me) based our family’s Halloween costume around the movie, Moana. Right now, our daughter tends to get first dibs as she has her heart set on a particular costume. Yes, things can get complicated when you have more than one kid with different tastes, but sometimes it (surprisingly) works out.
A Little Bit of Homemade, A Little Bit of Pre-made
Some parents can effortlessly create their own versions of Pinterest magic. I am not that parent. However, if I’ve learned anything, it’s how to be resourceful. No, I don’t want to pay $40 or more for a costume my child is likely to wear once (maybe twice if I’m lucky.) I typically buy what I can’t or don’t want to make (like a Moana costume) secondhand if at all possible, and then make the rest (like a Hei Hei hat out of felt and glue.) Everything else in a winning Halloween costume is up to creative interpretation…like my Te Fiti.
Bonus Points for Warm Halloween Costumes
Let’s face it. We live in the Pacific Northwest, and it’s usually pretty chilly come late-October. From a practical perspective, longer sleeves and thicker material make for more enjoyable trick-or-treating outdoors. But there are always lots of other indoor options too.
Have Fun with It
That’s the best part of Halloween, right? Well, the candy certainly ups the ante. And the Instagram posts are lovely, but really, it’s for the kids. Why not join in on the fun and make the Halloween dress-up a family affair?
Pics or it didn’t happen! Kids in costume are the BEST part of Halloween, right? PMB’s Halloween Costume Contest runs from Saturday, October 26 through Friday, November 1st. Head over to Instagram and make sure you’re following PMB and Molly Yi Photography. Tag @pdxmomsblog in your favorite Halloween costume post. We’ll feature submissions all week on our Instagram stories! On Saturday, November 2, we’ll post our top four faves up for a public vote, and the winner will receive a full photo session from our partner, Molly Yi Photography (a $250 value!)
