In need of some last-minute Halloween costumes?
Maybe your little one’s been invited to a party or wants to go trick-or-treating for the very first time. If you’re anything like us at Team Happity, you’ll want some last-minute ideas up your sleeve!
So check out our top 41 last-minute Halloween costume ideas for inspiration.
Looking for a (not so spooky) Halloween class or event to do with your little one this October?
We’ve got you covered on Happity! Search for a class here.
15 Ways To Repurpose Their/Your Wardrobe
Who said a giant ladybird, bee, Spiderman or Batman can’t be Halloween-related?
Outfits for children at Halloween can be as colourful and simple as you like. So if your little one loves pink or purple, hats or tutus, then go for it! You probably have a number of costumes sitting in your house already waiting to be rediscovered.
Here are a few examples of what you can turn simple items of clothing into!
Witch
All you need is some basic clothing, like leggings and a top.
You can get a Meg the witch look here by making this witch hat with a brim and decorating with stars or stickers. Add an optional cape and a broom/stick, and voilà!
If you have a tutu lying around, then you can easily create this witch outfit from Room on the Broom.
For a Hermione costume, an old cardigan over white shirt is a great base to start with. Add a striped tie or scarf and your little one will look fit to attend lessons at Hogwarts!
Wizard
Any oversized t-shirt or dress (adult sizes will come up nice and long on children) is ideal for flowing robes or a cape.
A simple cone will make a great wizard’s hat. You can cut a hole in a paper plate and slot the cone into it if you want a rim.
You could add a paper beard for Dumbledore or Gandalf.
Ghost
All you need for a convincing ghost is a hooded towel or white sheet. Attach black circles for the eyes and mouth.
Or you can go full Ghostbuster-style with a brown top, trousers and backpack.
Glasses, polo-necks, cardigans are easy to adapt for some Scooby-doo action!
Dragon
If your little one is a ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ fan, grab some dark clothing and a beanie hat. Green circles will work for eyes, and you can add ears and wings. Introducing…Toothless!
Check out our previous World Book Day post as there may be other characters you can adapt for Halloween.
Star Wars Characters – A Jedi Robe Right In Your Bedroom
Again, sheets or adult-sized clothing can make suitable robes here.
For Yoda or Luke/Anakin Skywalker, you can repurpose a Taekwondo dobok or Karate gi. Use a glow-stick if you don’t have a sword or lightsaber.
Superhero Characters
Try Batman and other comic book heroes. Use joggers and dark clothing for the base layer and add accessories like bat symbols, facepaint, masks and capes.
7 Easy Animal Costumes To Reuse For Halloween
Depending on what you have hanging round in your dressing-up box, you might have a Tiger Who Came For Tea or Gruffalo costume all ready to be used again.
Hairbands are also great to repurpose for any sort of animal costume. Add ears for a lion, cat or bat.
Here’s an easy cat costume using leggings, a long-sleeved top and leotard/tutu.
If your child likes the Meg and Mog books you could try an owl or cat with striped top and wire coat hanger tail to look like Mog. Or even a giant spider!
7 Ways To Accessorise Their Outfit
A witch or wizard’s hat will transform an everyday dress into a costume. If you don’t have one to hand, try making this simple hat with a brim. You can decorate with stickers or stars.
Adding a mask can turn a simple black outfit into a bat or cat.
Toy spiders, or soft toys are ideal accessories to your child’s fancy dress.
Check out this easy toilet roll Wizard! Or try this witchy pinecone owl.
Here are some more crafty ideas for Halloween that we love.
7 Cardboard Box Ideas
If your child is into Lego or Minecraft, look for some inspiration here. Your child can help decorate the box with felt-tips – home-made is all the rage. Is your child a Numberblock, castle or spooky last-minute delivery?
Or you can try making a Wall-E costume.
Here’s a retro idea for a cardboard box Dalek. This costume idea using a rubbish bin is probably slightly less last-minute, but is great for style ideas!
For the truly time-pressed, go simple. Here’s a basic skeleton, just painted on,
Or why not just dress up as a cardboard box? This will have all the neighbours scratching their heads!
3 Monster Mask Ideas
A mask can make any outfit look scary.
Simply use these free Halloween-themed template for monster and pumpkin masks.
You can download a blank template to add your own ideas, or you may have masks from parties hanging around.
Here’s an idea for how to turn a blank mask into a superhero mask. Add a red t-shirt, belt and strips of fabric for wrist guards and you’re good to go!
Also check out this DIY Darth Vader mask/puppet which your little one can hold up in front of their face.
2 Recycling Ideas
Even last-minute, you should be able to pick up something as often people dig out an old costume while looking for new inspiration. Try charity shops for costumes – often there will be a whole rail dedicated to Halloween at this time of year.
Second-hand sites like Facebook Marketplace, Vinted or your local reuse site are bound to have some clothing or accessories you could use.
Which Halloween costumes are easy to make?
The Batman, cat and witch/wizard costumes mentioned above are all really easy makes for Halloween.
What If My Child Doesn’t Want To Dress Up For A Halloween Party?
Make sure that you reassure your little ones that they don’t have to if they don’t want to. At the end of the day, dressing up for Halloween is meant to be fun, and if it causes strife and tears, then it’s not worth it.
If you want to try and find a happy middle-ground, you could suggest that they wear their pyjamas (chances are you have some already with stars, sparkly bits, or planets) or a favourite any-time-of-year party outfit. You could take along some extra bits to accessorise – jewellery, glow sticks, a toy pumpkin or soft-toy cat/bat/. Your child may want a familiar toy or object to hand. It won’t matter to other children at the party what your child wears – children just love being themselves and will be pleased to see them no matter what.
Check here for Halloween classes happening near you.
Want to get out and about, have fun with your baby or toddler, and meet other parents?
Search Happity to find everything that’s happening for the under-5’s in your local area – from music and singing classes, to messy play, arts and crafts, baby massage, gymnastics and more. Simply enter your postcode and child’s age to search, and then book your spot in a few taps. Enjoy dedicated fun time with your little one, watch their skills develop, and make friends at the same time. Mums, dads, grandparents and carers will all find something to love!
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