My favorite part of Halloween is when you dress up to be anything you want to be and see others dressed up too. Every year I put a lot of thought into my costumes. Yes! I typically have more than one costume for each party that I have during this holiday. So when my niece was born, I knew that I had to play an active part in her Halloween costumes and couldn’t wait to help her pick them out.
Last year my niece was a little over a year old and to get her involved in the Halloween process I had her pick her own costume. To limit the confusion of the hundreds of costumes that were displayed in the store, I had her choose between three costumes. My niece decided that she would be a little lamb which I have to admit, was just too adorable! Now that she is two I’m even more excited to go costume shopping with her as I’m curious to see what she wants to be this year.
When picking a costume with your toddler it can be overwhelming so here are my top five tips on costume shopping with your toddler.
- I recommend doing a first visit to just look around at your options. Talk to your toddler about the costumes and cool characters you see throughout the store. Keep a mental note on some of the costumes that your toddler took more interest in. *Also keep in mind that if you live in an area where it may be cold on Halloween, your toddler should get a warm costume.
- On your second visit point out the costumes that your toddler expressed interest in (no more than three). Then have your toddler choose which one that they like the best and want to be for Halloween.
- I highly recommend asking the store ahead of time what their exchange and return policy is. As we all know toddlers can be impatient for a change room or can become fussy when waiting too long so this is why it is important to ask about the policy in advance. Most stores have a 30 day exchange or return store policy. Then you just have to focus on choosing a costume and purchasing it but trying it on in the comfort of your own home. If it doesn’t fit or worst case scenario they don’t show interest in that costume anymore, you can exchange it for another.
- Now that your toddler has picked their costume it’s important to make sure that it’s not too long. Some costumes may fit them perfectly everywhere but a little too big on their legs. Simple fix would be to roll it up or trim off the extra length. Also if the weather is cold that day and their costume exposes their arms and legs, just remember that they can wear a long sleeve shirt or pants underneath the costume.
- No masks! It’s important to expose your toddler to masks at your local store and explain to them that there are people behind them; however it is not appropriate for them to wear. Masks on children can be dangerous especially as a toddler. It will block there vision to where they are going and can also make it difficult for them to breath easily. If your toddler’s costume includes a mask, for example, Spiderman, just put it aside and not include it with your toddler’s costume. Instead you can face paint or use Halloween make up to complete the look.
Some Halloween costumes can cost anywhere from $20.00 (CND) to $50.00 (CND) but there are other stores that may sell Halloween costumes for less. For example Value Village may have some costumes that are below $20.00 (CND). You can also make a trip to your local dollar store and purchase some props to create your own Halloween costume for your toddler based on what they are interested in. Or if you are looking for a fun activity to do with your toddler you can always DIY (Make it yourself) costumes at home. Overall, have fun and be sure to capture this moment in their costume.
Until next time…..Happy spooking!
Karen Braga
Twitter: @Karenbabydoll22
About the Author
Karen Braga graduated from Sheridan College with an Early Childhood Education Diploma. She worked with children for about five years before expanding her skills in Administration. Karen is a loving Godmother/Auntie to one. Karen is passionate and knowledgeable about Halloween. Combined with her ECE background and passion on Halloween, she has recently become an expert writer on the topic for mom blogger, Momma Braga. Karen hopes by sharing her knowledge, tips and tricks, she can help families enjoy this holiday.
