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When it comes to this year's Halloween costumes, superheroes are back! From Spider-Man to Supergirl to—does Rumi from KPop Demon Hunters count as a superhero?—this year's costumes are all about main character energy. Get ready to see lots of capes swishing in the breeze.
When looking for the best Halloween costume for kids, it's best to keep some safety rules in mind. The experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics note the costumes should be visible at night, with a bright or reflective component (or you give them a Halloween glow stick). They also advise making sure that shoes fit well, nothing covers eyes or impedes vision, and no pieces drag on the floor. They also say to watch out for pointy or sharp accessories (like swords), costumes made from flammable materials, makeup that's not "nontoxic," and decorative contact lenses. With those in mind, no matter what they choose, they're going to have a great Halloween!
It's a Brand New Day for Spider-Man, so they may want a brand new costume to go with it. The good thing about Spider-Man being a part of a multiverse story is you can have a whole crew of Spideys, including Miles Morales, Ghost-Spider, Spider-Woman, and Spider-Punk. There's a Spidey for all seasons!
Just when you think they're out, the Minions return—Minions & Monsters hit theaters this year, right on the tail of Despicable Me 4. You can buy a Minions costume, but they're almost easier to DIY.
It's easy for Minecraft fans to transform into their favorite mob: The Minecraft Steve costume comes with a tunic and mask (and also comes in tween sizes); axes and swords are sold separately (thankfully). You can also get just the Steve mask, an Ender Dragon costume, a Villager getup, or a Creeper mask—along with the all-important Chicken Jockey costume.
It's been a year, but the KPop train shows no sign of slowing. Good thing there's lots of outfit options for Huntr/x fans. The "How It's Done" costume (in Rumi, Mira, and Zoey) is a classic, but the "Golden" costume (also in Rumi, Mira, and Zoey) is iconic. And maybe there's a Saja Boys demon or Derpy Tiger who wants to tag along?
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie proves why the Extended Mario Universe makes for a great group Halloween costume inspiration—you can get outfits for so many characters, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Rosalina, Toad, Yoshi, Bowser, and even Donkey Kong, among others. But it's easy to (mostly) DIY your own plumbing, Piranha Plant-fighting brothers with a red shirt or green shirt, store-bought hat-and-mustache sets, and blue suspenders. (A mushroom is optional!)
It's impossible to look at this costume without thinking of the Bluey theme. In addition to the dress version, there's a jumpsuit version of this costume, and of course there's a Bingo costume and Bingo dress to go with it.
This costume is forged by the Power of Grayskull! It includes the muscle-chest jumpsuit with the shoe covers attached, belt, hooded cape, and mask—kids have to provide their own sense of foreboding. They can also be He-Man or Teela—and the family pup can be Battle Cat.
Not just all the rage on snack tables, tinned fish is perfect for a parent-and-child costume.
Those who saw The Mandalorian and Grogu this year know, when it comes to 2026's Star Wars costumes, this is the way. It's really a jumpsuit printed to look like Mando's Beskar armor. Or, if they prefer to be the little guy, kids can get a Grogu costume, complete with his new armor.
Whether she's off saving Krypto or partying away from the protection of Earth's yellow sun, Supergirl never does anything in half-measures. This costume comes with an attached red cape, shiny red and gold boot tops, and a stylish gold belt—and the company warns that the skirt is short, so leggings underneath may be a good idea. You can also get a Superman costume to go with it.
If you know someone who's obsessed with their Stanley, they'll get a kick out of seeing the kids in their life dressed as their favorite reusable tumblers. The great thing is these costumes can be made in any color, so long as there's a sweatshirt and sweatpants that match. Start by using iron-on transfer paper to add our Stanley logo template to the sweatshirt. Then, to make the straw hat, grab a paper towel roll and paint it white, hot glue it to a paper plate, then hot glue the plate to a headband.
These costumes are on a roll! Inspired by The Dino Movie, kids can be Chase, Skye, or Marshall—just watch out for Mayor Humdinger!
Whether they love Sabrina, Olivia, or Taylor, chances are, they're yearning for their time in the spotlight. This outfit comes with the sparkly dress and microphone, but the boots have to be provided.
Nevermore Academy looms large in the mind, and there are just so many directions to go in for a Wednesday-inspired getup: They can go with a peter-pan-collar dress if they're looking for a classic Wednesday Addams look, or they can update their costume and go with a black tulle dress inspired by the outfit she wore when she did her famous "Goo Goo Muck" dance on the Netflix series. But if they want to DIY her Nevermore Academy uniform from the series, they can try this combo of a striped blazer, collared shirt, black dress, and knee socks, plus a possible wig.
RELATED: The Best Wednesday Addams Halloween Costumes
Witches are so versatile, kids can go trick-or-treating as them year after year and still never look the same twice. This costume is special in that the skirt lights up with LEDs (which parents also like from a safety perspective). You can get it in pink or in orange, and it comes with the dress, hat, belt, and broom.
RELATED: Unique and Easy DIY Witch Costume Ideas
They've seen these outside car dealerships and diners, and they never fail to make people smile. This costume inflates so kids can wave their arms around.
Pokémon is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and fans from the OGs to the new are all getting together to try to catch 'em all. To turn kids into Ash Ketchum, you just need a red trucker hat, a blue vest, and a pair of lime green gloves (cut the fingers off for even more authenticity). This trainer also made a DIY Pokéball out of a baseball, and has a Pikachu plush for another prop (though we suppose Gengar would also be Halloween-appropriate).
The end of Stranger Things brought with it a wealth of costume opportunities, from the WSQK DJ shirts to Mr. Whatsit's classic brown suit. (Or, for the truly lazy, throw on a Hellfire Lives shirt under a graduation robe and call it a day.) But for those who want to honor the show's true star—the creature that made it into the pantheon of Halloween monsters—there's no other choice than to go full demogorgon.
For some, the cowgirl costume of the Barbie movie was never it—it was all about the Mariposa Barbie and her butterfly wings. The outfit comes with the dress and layered skirt, and the wings come on and off separately.
They wear them all the time anyway—now they can put them on as part of a full-body Halloween costume. Don't forget the Jibbitz!
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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