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Whether you’re into scary, silly, or downright hilarious family Halloween costumes, we’ve got the best Pinterest-worthy ideas out there that are perfect for small or large families. And there are great DIY alternatives for crafters with enough planning, so you don’t have to purchase everything.

Some factors to consider when deciding on your family costumes — number of participants, favorite movie or show, and the cheapest route to get it done. Plan early and use what you have first before shelling out your cash.

Speaking of cash, family Halloween costumes are expensive! Whether you have a family of two, four, or more, we’ve got some tips on how to save on these big annual purchases:

Buy on sale

In October and November 2021, we saw these incredible sales:

  • Walmart: 87% off Disguise Disney Descendents 3 Tweens Evie Costume, $2.50, ($19.97 regular price)
  • Amazon: 35% off Disney Elsa Frozen II Classic Girls’ Halloween Costume, $9.75 ($15.00 regular price)
  • Dollar General: variety of makeup, masks, and more for just $1 each
  • Target: BOGO 50% off costumes

Use coupons

Look for mailers, sign-up promos, and text alerts from your favorite retailers.

Let the deals come to you

  • Sign up for the KCL app for the latest deals.
  • Text DEALS to 57299 and be the first to know about the hottest deals each day.

Know where to shop and when

  • If you can, shop the year prior and buy a bigger size (works best for kids).
  • Retailers typically start releasing Halloween items at the end of July and early August (we’ve seen Halloween discounts in August).
  • Use these 14 Spirit Halloween Tips to Save You Cash on Costumes.

Oh, and make sure you check out our Halloween deals and family tips pages before you head to the store. We’ve got you covered on the best deals out there!

 

1. Progressive and State Farm family Halloween costume.

Mother and son dressed as Flo from Progressive and Jake from State Farm costumes

Here’s your chance to become Flo from Progressive and Jake from State Farm without that high premium cost. You could pull off these options even easier if you actually worked for the company. Score the embroidered classic red shirt and white apron here to save yourself from the headache of a DIY project.

 

2. Minions family Halloween costumes.

family dressed in Minions Halloween costumes

Who doesn’t love the Minions? Denim overalls (or dress), black shoes, and yellow long-sleeved shirts turn this idea into a doable Halloween costume. Finish the outfit with the signature Minions goggles (if it’s not included in the basic costume).

 

3. Paw Patrol family Halloween costumes.

kids dressed in Paw Patrol Halloween costumes

Paw Patrol is an easily recognizable TV show, and if you’re a family of five you could pull off all of the characters. It’s all about the colored bubble vests and floppy ears. Don’t worry, you don’t have to tackle this costume alone. A DIY tutorial here will help greatly.

 

4. S’mores family Halloween costumes.

adults dressed as chocolate marshmallow and graham cracker s'mores Halloween costumes

Buying a family s’mores costume would be the quickest solution, but making it yourself isn’t as hard as you think.

Use cardboard to make DIY graham crackers (along with a brown permanent marker), some cotton batting, a white shirt for the marshmallow, and pick up a Hershey’s Bar costume on Amazon.

Decorate a wagon to look like the campfire and you’ll have one of the best family Halloween costumes on the block. This idea will surely melt your heart.

 

5. Donuts and bakers family Halloween costumes.

man and woman dressed in coffee and donut Halloween costumes

As a DIY option, a few donut pool floats and aprons are all you need to become the donuts and the bakers. Add a few spatulas and spoons in the adult aprons. You could even sprinkle flour on your apron or nose for an authentic look. We think these donuts are some pretty great Halloween costumes for adults, too, especially if you don’t feel like dressing up.

 

 

6. Trophy shelf family Halloween costumes.

man posing with gold bodysuit near crate, gold spray paint, basketball, and jersey

Talk about living your life until it’s golden! Get the entire family in the Halloween spirit by wearing gold outfits and using gold face paint while holding gold trophies. Yes, lots of gold.

As a DIY option, use gold spray paint on your clothes and old sports equipment. Cover a milk crate with black trash bags (add DIY signs), and use the gold face paint to cover your exposed skin.

 

7. Glow-in-the-dark skeleton family costumes.

family dressed up in skeleton Halloween costumes

How comfy and warm are jumpsuits on a cold Halloween night? You can easily make this a DIY project by using reflective tape on black outfits. Black hoodies and black sweatpants are super cheap at Walmart. Not only is this a cute costume idea, but you’ll easily be seen during your after-dark trick-or-treating.

 

8. Taco night family Halloween costumes.

man and woman dressed in chips and salsa Halloween costumes

Who doesn’t love taco night? Adults can be the chips and salsa, while kids’ Sriracha costumes complete your “meal.” Moms-to-be can still enjoy the Halloween fun and will appreciate the avocado costume cutout for their growing belly. Heck, anyone with a big belly can wear this costume. Head over here for the step-by-step instructions and photos.

 

9. Willy Wonka family Halloween costumes.

men dressed in DIY Mad Hatter and Willy Wonka costumes

You could certainly buy a Willy Wonka costume or assemble similar items from thrift stores or from your own closet.

A green wig and some orange face paint make an Oompa Loompa one of the best Halloween costumes for kids. Don’t forget about Willy Wonka or Violet Beauregarde.

As for Violet, many stores have the inflatable Violet chub suit. Don’t forget your golden ticket!

 

10. Superhero family Halloween costumes.

family dressed in Black Panther Halloween costumes

Choose your favorite superhero, or make up your own. Incredibles costumes are easy to locate and are great for larger families. Other superheroes like Superman, Batman, Black Panther, and Spiderman are great options as well.

TIP: Superhero costumes never go out of style, so consider buying end-of-season clearance at a place like Spirit Halloween. In fact, we have a bunch of tips on how to save cash at Spirit Halloween stores!

 

 

11. Ninja Turtle family Halloween costumes.

woman and man dressed in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Halloween costumes

Cowabunga, dudes and dudettes! To make this costume happen as a DIY, spray-paint four aluminum baking pans green. Get everyone a green T-shirt and black pants, then purchase stretchy fabric remnants in red, orange, purple, and blue for knees, arms, and headbands. The best part is that you won’t spend much time or cash.

 

12. Beetlejuice family Halloween costumes.

woman and man dressed in Beetlejuice Halloween costumes

You can never go wrong dressing as a classic. Think of all the candy your kids will score that you can help them eat. Beetlejuice costumes are plentiful online, so you can pick just a mask or a full outfit to complete the look. And if you get too much candy, then we have frightfully fun ways that you can use the leftovers!

 

13. Star Wars family Halloween costumes.

family dressed in Star Wars Halloween costumes

Hearing your husband say, “Luke … I am your father,” will never get old, making these super fun family Halloween costumes. Like so many Star Wars costume options, this could be a solely kid-themed idea, or your entire family could dive right in to cover all of the popular characters.

 

14. Ghostbusters family Halloween costumes.

family dressed in Ghostbusters Halloween costumes

Is there anything cuter than a baby Slimer? Yes, this is an older movie, but it’s easily recognizable (have you seen the Stranger Things Halloween scene?). If you can’t locate an official costume, a beige coverall will work along with a printout of the Ghosbusters logo.

 

15. Lego family Halloween costumes.

family dressed in DIY LEGO Halloween costumes

You could buy some Lego movie costumes, or you could easily DIY with some cardboard boxes, spray paint, and plastic cups. Legos never go out of style during Halloween. Just have fun and let able-bodied kiddos join in to help assemble or paint. We have some epic DIY Halloween costume ideas if you like to get crafty.

 

 

16. Toy soldier family Halloween costumes.

boy dressed in toy soldier Halloween costume

We hope you like green because you and your family are about to be that color from head to toe! These unisex costumes include the green plastic helmet, foam footplate with straps, belt, PVC jacket, and pants. Accessorize with toy grenades, binoculars, and knives.

 

17. The Smurfs family Halloween costumes.

man and woman dressed in Smurfs Halloween costumes

Girls’ and ladies’ Smurfs costumes come equipped with the iconic white dress, long blue sleeves, hat, and matching tights. For the male characters, the costume includes a blue shirt, red pants, beard, and hat.

Designate each family member a Smurf personality (i.e., sleepy, grumpy) and make signs with an applicable face.

 

18. Circus family Halloween costume.

mother and son dressed in clown Halloween costumes

Greatest Showman vibe, anyone? These would win my vote for best family Halloween costume! Other than a few custom items like a wig, kids’ mustache, top hat (or maybe a ringmaster costume), a barbell, and leotard, your family could really make it your own. Aren’t most families a circus of characters, anyway?

 

19. Family of tacky tourists costumes.

woman and man dressed in tacky tourist Halloween costumes

You won’t have to worry about the tacky Hawaiian shirt for this costume look — it’s included. To customize it, get more mileage out of those Disney hats and T-shirts and add them to your Halloween costume, along with binoculars, funny socks, and drink cups. And if Disney is your thing, then check out these budget Disney hacks before you go on your next vacay!

 

20. Where the Wild Things Are family Halloween costumes.

boy dressed in Where the Wild Things Are Max Halloween costume

The only question is, who gets to be Max? There are some limitations for this family idea given the selection of characters, but it’s a classic story. Bring the characters to life by making your own costumes or snagging an official Where the Wild Things Are costume.

 

21. Shark attack family Halloween costumes.

men and dog dressed in shark attack Halloween costumes

This is one of the best family Halloween costumes if you can’t seem to get “Baby Shark” out of your head. It’s even fun for the parents if you fake a shark attack with bloodied gauze. You definitely have to pass out Swedish Fish to trick-or-treaters!

 

22. Care Bears family Halloween costumes.

family dressed in Care Bears Halloween costumes

There are Care Bears Halloween costumes, but if you get a few different sweatsuits, just add ears and belly art. Given the array of Care Bears colors, you can turn your entire family into a rainbow. Plus, you’ll stay warm on those sometimes cold Halloween nights.

The Best Family Halloween Costumes for 2023