DIY Halloween Costumes for Groups Sure to Impress

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Fall is such a fun time of the year for so many reasons. There is apple picking, hay rides, pumpkin patches and beautiful changing colors in the world all around. But, ask any kid why Fall is the best, and almost without fail the answer will be “Halloween!”

Now, for many of us parents, it’s enough time, money and effort just to get our kids dressed up and ready for the night. And then throw in allllllll the activities leading up to the actual day, and by the 31st we are over it! Forget about us getting dressed up. And trust me, I am guilty of throwing on ears and calling myself a cat too. But, if you want to earn the “cool/fun parent” award (at least with younger kids), putting on a fun outfit alongside them will do it!

I love my Halloween childhood. Tell me you don’t just laugh and laugh looking at old pictures because everyone wore the jankiest homemade costumes. No? Just me?

Well, I honestly love it. I love homemade costumes and think there is something wonderful about coming up with an idea and trying to find all the small details that add to the character to make it jusssssst right. We have continued that tradition here in our home.

Here are some fun family costume ideas with a brief explanation of how we created it. With just a bit of thought and pre-planning, bring the fun to your family Halloween nights!

Disney Inspired Nemo costume (mom/dad/baby): We did buy the Nemo costume on Amazon. Go here to get it. We borrowed scrubs from a family member (who works in a hospital and could provide the mask too). I thrifted the purple sweater, but really, you could wear just about anything plain and it would work for Darla’s outfit. I already had craft wiring, which I just wrapped around my ear to make her headgear. I’ve seen others use tinfoil, but I thought it a bit bulky, but it could definitely work for a night. I found a fake fish at the dollar tree, but because our son was Nemo, that too was not necessary. The fun thing about this costume is that it could be a solo costume for Darla, or Nemo. A couples costume with any two characters. Or you could definitely add more in: Dory, Octopus, fish, etc.

3 Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf (4 people): Pig accessories and a wolf costume were needed for this one. You can find them here and here. We used Styrofoam for the bricks (spray-painted a dark red and I used a sharpie for details). I found straw at pumpkin patch (I asked permission, though you can buy that here) and bundled that with yarn to tie around us. I found the Sticks outside on the ground as well; all these accessories were tied up with yarn and worn around us. Home Depot actually gave us the little aprons, which were so cute and held my essentials (meaning no purse for the night!!!) Easy and fun and we got a lot of positive attention.

Pageant Family (Honey Boo Boo inspired): Okay, I was big and pregnant for this costume and trying to find something fun to do with that without being too common and including the rest of the family (at that time). The best part was I didn’t buy anything other than the letters to iron on an old shirt for me, and teeth for my hubby (don’t judge that we already had this wig). In fact we love wigs and have a little collection, but this one is definitely a must have. I did buy my daughter’s wig because she had thin “cotton hair” and it wouldn’t have gotten the fullness we needed for a pageant girl. We used an old dress up/dance recital dress of an older cousin, although I bet you could find this on amazon or offer up or something. And the tiara was from the dollar tree or here.

The fun of Halloween is to find something that fits your family and their likes, pop-culture, and what works for what you have. But, really, it’s all about having fun! Have fun, be creative.

What are your best Halloween costume ideas?!

For couples costume ideas see this. And, for kids costume ideas see this post.