20 Kids Halloween Costumes Your Little Ones Will Love

Praying Mantis

Have recycled cardboard lying around? Use it to make this praying mantis costume. Following our template, cut the head, arms, and tail out of broken-down boxes and cover them with spray adhesive and green felt. Glue antenna wires and plastic eyes to the headpiece to make the face. Complete the look with a green long-sleeve shirt and leggings.

Chicken

Your little chicken will look adorable crossing the road this All Hallows' Eve when they're dressed in this costume. You only need feather boas, kitchen gloves, tights, and a pilot's cap topped with a felt comb. Under the boas—meant to resemble plumage—two leotards are stuffed with batting to make the costume look extra plump.

Dandelion

This no-sew costume takes dandelions to new heights. The headpiece is made from plant-based drinking straws, which are snipped, frayed, and hot-glued to a swim cap. For the rest of the costume, add felt leaves to a green leotard using our straightforward template.

White Swan

This elegant costume is easy to fashion from pieces of white felt for the body and head and black and orange felt for the face. Use our template to cut out the shape of the costume, then assemble. For cygnet feet, pull black knee-high socks over white tights.

Superhero

Let them choose what type of superhero they want to be, then customize their cape accordingly. Each of these outfits starts with leggings and a long-sleeve T-shirt. Accessories finish the look: headbands, eye masks, chest letters, lightning bolts, belts, and—of course—capes.

Our cape requires just one easy seam. To start, fold over one side of the fabric by 1 inch, and press with a cool iron. Sew down the flap, creating a 3/4-inch channel. Attach a safety pin to one end of ribbon and thread through.

Zombie

If they want to go as something spooky this Halloween, try this DIY zombie costume. A plaid uniform is easy to find from the thrift store, but you can also use clothes from their existing wardrobe to create this un-dead look. To take it a step further, we've created a crest template so you can customize the costume for your zombie. Secure it to their shirtfront using hot glue or needle and thread.

Octopus Costume

Making this deep sea creature is a cinch, as long as you have some basic sewing skills. A belt of soft tentacles is fashioned from blue fabric and batting (make sure to get the height right so your little octopus doesn't trip). A beanie hat adorned with googly eyes completes the adorable look.

Dinosaur

This extinct species is back for one night only—and it's ready for some Halloween candy. The prehistoric outfit is made by running scales (made from a green tarp and rope) down a ski hood, T-shirt, and leggings. Glue press-on nails to gloves and sneakers for the "claws."

Cowboy

Yee-haw! To recreate this cowboy get-up, round up some brown paper grocery bags, then cut them into the shape of a vest and chaps. Snip the bottoms to give the ensemble a fringed look. Use aluminum muffin liners for makeshift conchos and gold fasteners to embellish the vest and pants. A mop-maned horse serves as the perfect trusty steed.

Harlequin

Have a jokester in the family? This costume is the one for them. It's inspired by Harlequin, a centuries-old character from improvisational European theater known for clownish behavior, acrobatics, and brightly colored clothes. To make it, you'll need an ordinary white button-down shirt, white tights, white ballet shoes, and dance shorts. Multi-colored diamonds made by ironing on satin shapes in varying sizes give the costume its jester-like look.

Storm Chaser

Perfect for siblings or friends, this costume has two parts: the storm and the storm chaser. For the chaser, tape strips of wire to the back of a scarf and the inside of a skirt. Twist the wires to make the garments look like they're being pulled up and away. An inside-out umbrella drives the wind-swept look home.

Tornado

Every storm chaser needs a storm. To create this tornado, wrap gray tulle around a tomato cage then adhere fabric leaves, model fences, and toy cows to give the illusion that they were swept up in the storm.

Lady Bug

In need of a last minute Halloween costume? This sweet outfit comes together in the blink of an eye(lash). Simply stick black felt dots to a red dress or t-shirt and glue large faux eyelashes onto round sunglasses. The feelers are made by twisting pairs of pipe cleaners together and sticking the wires of each into a pom-pom. Wrap opposite ends of the feelers around a headband and twist to secure.

Fairy

These fairy-inspired headpieces will transport them to another world. Cut out faux flowers or butterflies and attach them to a headband with glue. Pair the crown with a matching dress or outfit from their closet to tie the entire costume together.

Pegasus-Unicorn Costume

Bring their favorite mythological creature to life with this pegasus-unicorn mashup. An iridescent fringed party curtain, glittery fabric, and an LED candle (for the horn) make up the headpiece, while a pleated dancer's cape serves as the wings.

Bat

Everyone knows bats only come out at night—and your little one will be among them this Halloween. Assembled from midnight black felt pieces, this costume is easy to make as long as you know how to sew using the running stitch.

Violet Flower

She'll be your favorite flower of the bunch when you dress her in this darling costume. While it may look intricate, if you can cut and glue felt, you can make this ensemble. The top four petals attach to a headband, the bottom two to a ribbon that ties under your blossom's chin. The "leaves" are safety-pinned to the dress, so it can be worn again once Halloween is over.

Little Miss Monstrous

A homemade wig and a bed sheet are all it takes to make this hauntingly incredible costume. It starts with an oversized curly black novelty wig, which is trimmed down—using our template—and given an electrified streak with white yarn. A bed sheet is used to make the shroud and bandages are dyed gray and wrapped up her arms for a perfectly un-dead look.

Jellyfish

Your jellyfish will make a splash on land this All Hallows' Eve with our fun and easy costume. A matching blue set serves as the base of this costume, while a white or translucent umbrella is topped with tentacles made from bubble wrap and iridescent cellophane.

Super Spider

The base of this costume is simple—start by dressing your child in all black. Then stretch webbing around their body by having them put their arms and legs through the openings like they are putting on a shirt and pants. Tangle a few plastic spiders into the webbing and your spider is ready to hunt for Halloween candy.