9 Adorable Last Minute Halloween Costumes for Kids

With pumpkin spice season (aka October) in full swing, it's finally time to unleash a healthy dose of spooky spirit! For crafty parentswith busy schedules, it can be easy to spend hours decorating the house and baking spooky treats while pushing the most important item - Halloween costumes, of course - to the bottom of the list. If you worry you've waited too long to pull together the perfect costume, think again! Use the following outfits as inspiration if you're faced with slim pickings at the party store or planning to put a unique spin on your kiddos' costumes this year.

1. Bewitchingly Cute

Witch costumes are classic, simple, and perfect for all ages! Just pair black tops, leotards, tutus, leggings, or tights with neon-colored accessories in bright orange, green, or purple. Add a broom, black cat, wand, pointed hat, or even a book of spells for good measure!

2. Potter Heads

Parents and children (even babies!) can share in the magic of the Harry Potter series with costumes that celebrate “the boy who lived.” A Harry Potter costume requires little more than a pair of round glasses and a lightning bolt scar. You can also give a nod to other characters from the literary work by donning cloaks, scarves, and a house-specific crest (Hufflepuff, anyone?) while accessorizing with wands and broomsticks.

3. Case of the Sniffles

If your older children want to score extra points for creativity, look no further than costumes made from cardboard boxes! This tissue box costume is easy to make (score!) and sure to stand out in the crowd of trick-or-treaters. Some additional cardboard box costume ideas include trains, Rubik’s Cubes, robots, and boxes of popcorn.

4. Mystical Unicorn

Unicorns are arguably the coolest creature these days, and Halloween is the perfect time to embrace the trend! A unicorn costume can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be (and glitter is 100% optional – cue sigh of relief!) Just be sure to create a one-of-a-kind unicorn horn, fasten it to a headband, and prepare for your kids to radiate shimmery, sparkly magic wherever they roam.

5. Burrito Baby

Who says babies have to sit this one out?! There are plenty of imaginative ways to dress your littlest trick-or-treaters, including this adorable, homemade swaddle-based burrito costume. You can use foil, felt, and any other materials you have lying around the house to fashion the burrito wrapping and toppings. The photos and memories will be worth the time you spend creating the costume.

6. On Top of Spaghetti

If the burrito costume didn’t satisfy your craving for festive, food-inspired costumes, this simple spaghetti get-up should do the trick! To make this costume on your own, strategically layer a heaping helping of white or yellow yarn. Top it off with red “meatballs” to get the full effect of this classic Italian dish.

7. Prehistoric Pals

What better way to foster a strong sibling bond than through a mutual appreciation for dinosaurs?! Not only does this hoodie ensemble make a comfortable, durable Halloween costume, it can also be worn afterwards, either for dress-up or just to make a bold fashion statement on the playground.

8. Monkeys are a Boy’s Best Friend

Themed costumes are the superstars of any and all Halloween festivities, and this pairing of Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat is no exception. If you’re a skilled seamstress (or up for a challenge), you can sew the monkey costume on your own. If not, there’s no shame is purchasing a monkey outfit (even a monkey patterned shirt and pants would work in a pinch) and focusing your creative energy on George’s older, wiser counterpart.

9. A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Just because your children dream of dressing as fairytale princes and princesses doesn’t mean you have to shell out big bucks for name-brand costumes. By pulling together each element – gloves, dress, tutu, jewelry, tiara – individually, you allow your young people to put their unique spin on happily ever after. The end result is just as pretty, polished, and magical!

As you can see, there are seemingly endless options for dressing your entire family in fabulous, homemade Halloween costumes. Whether crafting is your passion or you're simply trying to stretch your holiday budget by designing your own attire, it's hard to go wrong when you opt to DIY your Halloween costumes this year, you can even use something as simple as a laundry basket to inspire costumes. Take this as your permission to continue filling your free time with baking and decorating - we're confident you can pull together the perfect costumes in no time flat!