Family Halloween Costumes

Buzz Baby is a column about life with little ones. Writer Annie McQueen is a mother of four children under the age of 9.

Halloween costumes can bring out so much laughter and creativity – especially when a family gets in on a group-themed costume. It gets even better when the tiniest family member plays a role as well.

My nieces and nephews have dressed in themed costumes over the years – from a medieval theme of a princess, knight, and dragon, a group of spotted pups and a Cruella (of 101 Dalmations), a Tinker Bell and Peter Pan (of Peter Pan) to a group of Texans football fans with a cheerleader. The big reveal of their group costume is so fun to see every year. It was always so cute when their youngest would be the starring role (such as Cruella). 

My husband and our kids decided to hop on the family costume bandwagon a few years back. I snagged a perfect set of costumes from a Facebook group – and we stepped out as The Incredibles. Our youngest son, Hank, was 2 at the time, and he was baby Jack-Jack. I can still see his little eyes peering out of the red mask he wore while we trick-or-treated around our neighborhood. It is always my favorite part of every Halloween – checking out the costumes as we meander around with the kids darting up and down sidewalks to ring doorbells and ask for candy. 

Mother-of-two Natalie Mercer has come up with some clever ideas for her family’s coordinated Halloween costumes. She and her husband Michael have one son, Shep, 4, and one daughter, Maddie, 6. 

When children are smaller, they usually do not mind the parent deciding on the costumes, but as they grow older, they can have opinions. She says the most challenging part is the selection of the costume. “As they are getting older, they might change their mind on Halloween night,” says Natalie, laughing. 

Natalie says her favorite family costume to date is when her husband Michael matched their then 3-year-old Shep with a Daddy Shark and Baby Shark costume. “Shep was really into Baby Shark at the time and seeing his dad as Daddy Shark put the biggest smile on his face,” said Natalie. Even though it was difficult for them to waddle around in their blowup costumes, and hard for a 3-year-old to keep on the whole time, it made for a hilarious photo opportunity and memory. She said the experience of wearing matching costumes makes Halloween extra special and brings out a lot of laughs from neighbors while out trick-or-treating. 

The Ramsey family trick-or-treated as the Royal Family.

Kathleen Van Keppel, a mom of three, says she has loved Halloween for as long as she can remember. “Now, having kids has made the holiday even sweeter,” she said. “To plan our costumes, I just ask the girls what they want to be, and then I plan a family costume around that. It is so fun to have the whole family involved,” said Kathleen. Their themes have included a Shipley’s donut theme, a space theme with a Martian costume for their daughter, a Frozen theme, and more. 

A few great tips from these parents are not to wait till the last minute to assemble a group costume. Visit a local thrift store to find accessories or browse Facebook Marketplace or local buy-and-sell groups online. There are many accessories and parts to find, and a lot of it can be done yourself so also check out local crafts stores if you want to DIY.  

I personally cannot wait each year to see the creative costumes around my neighborhood and on my social media feeds. Dressing up as a themed family for Halloween adds a touch of humor and a whole lot of heart to the holiday. 

So, tap into your creative side, and make this Halloween a family affair. You will be sure to create some everlasting memories.

Editor’s Note: Dressing up as a family this year to trick-or-treat? Send us your family-themed Halloween costumes at [email protected].