Costumes
Pottery Barn Kids
big mouth fortnite costume
From a classic Jack-o-lantern to a light-up astronaut.
As they get older, kids become more and more opinionated on their Halloween costumes (farewell, cute family costumes), so finding something that’s just right for them can be a bit tough. There is no shortage of styles available, and the best kids Halloween costumes of 2021 are a mixture of beloved classics and some new characters. Between witches, pumpkins, and all things “Fortnite,” there are plenty of great options for your picky kid to choose from.
As long as I’ve known them, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law have created some seriously epic family Halloween costumes. Year after year, I would look forward to seeing what they’d come up with because I knew it would be amazing, but last year, everything changed. Their oldest daughter was no longer interested in dressing up in coordinating outfits, and the tradition came to a halt. She’s now at a point where she gets to call the shots on her own kids Halloween costume, whether or parents like it or not.
If you’re finding yourself in a similar boat, where your kid has become too cool to let you influence their Halloween costume selection, then you may want to get yourself familiar with the best kids Halloween costumes of 2021. Whatever you do, though, don’t try to plan a family costume around your kid’s choice because it will just be “soooo embarrassing” and you’ll never hear the end of it.
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1
A Handmade Wonder Woman Costume
Unlike regular store-bought Wonder Woman costumes, this handmade dress is super high quality and it comes in separate pieces that can be worn again and again to create different outfits. There are several options for buying this costume; you can get just the red leotard, the leotard and separate blue skirt, the leotard, skirt, and gold belt with an attached lasso, or the leotard, skirt, belt, and arm cuffs (price varies based on selection). To finish off the amazing handmade costume, grab accessories from the shop, like the cape and headband, and a pair of gladiator boots or sandals. Your little superhero is sure to shine during trick-or-treating in this getup.
2
A Favorite Fortnite Character
If your kid is a big fan of “Fortnite”, then they will love this Omega costume that transforms them into a fan-favorite character. It includes two pieces, a jumpsuit with a zipper closure and printed designs to make the costume look more realistic, and a mask with an elastic band to help it stay in place. It seems to be a favorite among shoppers, too, with one saying, “Really good quality costume. True to size and looked better than I was expecting!” and another writing in, “Great costume overall, nice quality and looks identical to [the] character in the game.”
3
A Sparkly Mermaid
With all of those gorgeous sequins, it’s no wonder this mermaid is among the best kids Halloween costumes of 2021. While it, unfortunately, doesn’t include the amazing purple hair wig, the dress does feature a ton of beautiful details like tulle where fins would be, sparkly seashells, and the cutest blending of colors. The dress is available in a range of sizes and is definitely something that can be worn for dress up play long after trick-or-treating is over. To complete the look, add a cute aquatic-themed headband and/or jewelry and a pair of sparkly flats (also, purchasing a purple wig is optional, but encouraged).
4
A Light-Up Astronaut Costume
How cool is this light-up astronaut costume? It comes with two separate pieces, including a metallic jumpsuit and a jet-pack. The jumpsuit is filled with designs to make it look like it truly belongs in space, like an American flag patch on the arm and a space patch on the front. The jet-pack attaches to the back with Velcro and comes with a battery pack and lights to make the flames come alive while trick-or-treating (or just playing in the house, to be honest). This costume doesn’t really need anything extra to complete it, but if you want to add a little more to it, you can also get a coordinating rocket ship trick-or-treat bag that can even be personalized.
5
A Classic Captain America
When it comes to superheroes, it doesn’t get much more classic than the beloved Captain America. Fans of the Marvel character will love this Captain America costume that will have them looking like the real thing. It comes with a hood that goes over the face as well as a jumpsuit that’s designed with all of the little details you’d see in any Captain America movie. Unfortunately, the costume doesn’t come with the iconic shield, but you can easily buy one separately or, if you have a little bit of time to spare, you can also create a DIY trick or treat bag to look like one instead.
6
A Dark Descendants Costume
For some kids, once their love for Disney princesses has faded, they become fans of the kids of Disney villains instead. If your child is a fan of Disney’s Descendants, then they may really enjoy dressing up as Mal, the daughter of Maleficent. This costume includes three pieces, a jumpsuit, vest, and a pair of black gloves. It’s absolutely adorable, and shoppers seem to love it. Emily wrote, “Perfect! As expected and my daughter loves it! Couldn’t get her out of it!” and Jonelle said, “It was perfect! My daughter absolutely loves this costume. It was even better than expected.”
7
A Colorful Unicorn
The unicorn trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, and this rainbow unicorn tutu costume is a great way for big kids to get in on the action. The set includes arm warmers, a headband equipped with a unicorn horn and ears, and the one piece dress that features a rainbow tulle skirt and a colorful faux lace-up bodice. Complete the look with some bright leggings, sparkly shoes, a little glitter makeup, and maybe even some colorful hair chalk to really play it up. This costume is absolutely perfect for older kids who still carry a deep-rooted love for the mythical animal, but don’t want to dress up as a full-on horse.
8
A Fierce Ninja
Ninjas definitely rank among not only the best kids Halloween costumes of 2021 but also of all time. They’re just that cool. This ninja costume comes with nine pieces to complete the look including a hooded black shirt, black pants, a silver tabard, a ninja face mask, a belt, a pair of gloves, two foam daggers, and two wristbands. One shopper, Hese, who reviewed the costume said, “Very happy with this purchase. I bought size M for my 7 year old and it fits perfectly. The quality is great, and so many parts, including knives for this price. Great buy!”
9
A Comfortable Skeleton Costume
It doesn’t get much easier or more classic than a skeleton costume for Halloween. This inexpensive getup is no exception and it also happens to be super comfortable. It includes a one-piece black hooded jumpsuit with white bone details all over it as well as a black mask that goes over the nose and mouth to make it look like a skull (and also happens to be a great option for trick-or-treating in a pandemic, just saying). The jumpsuit is made from soft, lightweight polyester, so it’s really great for layering, and it’s sure to be worn for playtime and time again long after Halloween has passed.
10
A Glow In The Dark Jack-O-Lantern
Pumpkin costumes for Halloween are like a rite of passage, but this glow-in-the-dark set is by far one of the coolest options out there. It’s available in a wide range of sizes, from toddlers to big kids, and includes a pumpkin topper hat and body costume that has arm holes as well as an open bottom that makes it easy to put the costume on and take it off over the head. The best part about it, by far, is the glow-in-the-dark Jack-o-lantern face that looks like the real thing when the lights go out. To complete the outfit, get a long sleeve top and leggings in brown, orange, or green and a cute jack-o-lantern candy bucket for an added touch.
11
A Dinosaur Ride
You’ve probably seen these kinds of costumes a few times over the years, and that popularity is exactly why this dinosaur ride costume ranks among the best kids Halloween costumes of 2021. It’s available in both adult and kid size, and with either a green or red dinosaur. The costume itself comes with the dino bottoms and the hat. The costume uses a battery pack (which requires four AA batteries that are not included) to inflate the costume to create the poofy leg look. It’s definitely one of those costumes that is sure to get a laugh out of just about everyone your kid passes during trick-or-treat, because it’s just that amazing.
12
A Stylish Witch
Here we are in the year 2021, and witch costumes continue to be a big hit among trick-or-treaters everywhere. This specific witch costume is great for older kids because it’s really stylish and has fun glittery details that you can’t help but love. The set comes with a pair of purple and black striped stockings, a pullover dress, and a witch hat. The pullover dress and hat feature a bunch of fun, colorful details like purple trim, sparkly polka dots, and bows. If your kid happens to have some black boots or sparkly flats, they will make for a perfect finishing touch on this amazing costume.
As tough as it may be to have to let go of your family costumes thanks to your big kid’s opinions, watching them pick their own costume at least gives you a chance to learn a little bit more about their personality and their interests. Enjoy it while you can, because it won’t be long before they decide they’re too old for trick-or-treating entirely.