Halloween is one of the few days each year that are special for adults and for kids.
In many households it's more so for the kids.
It gets to be fun and exciting whether you're buying Halloween costumes for the kids or making them.
Below are three ideas to get the most out of Halloween costumes for kids.
1.
Whether you make or buy Halloween costumes, for kids it's always more fun if they have a say in the process, if they participate.
The easiest, if you have internet, is to go online and look at costumes.
Let the kids explore.
And listen to what they say.
They use the same words as you but not necessarily as you.
My oldest daughter wanted to be a bat, then a witch.
Now she wants a scary witch costume.
I thought I had seen just the one that would make her happy.
But, it turns out, what my 6-year old (sorry, six and a half - must never forget the half) considers scary is what I consider cute.
She rejected every costume that was entirely black, and definitely everything remotely looking like the ghouls on Scooby-do.
She liked one that was mostly black with a bit of orange on the chest.
To my surprise, the orange had to do with how colors look on her, she being of the opinion that orange is a great color for her complexion and hair.
2.
Take the participating to the next level.
Dress up as a team.
If your daughter wants to be Cinderella, you may be Cinderella's mother, even act out some of the scenes in that story.
If your son wants to be Scooby, you could be one of the many ghouls or ghosts Scooby and the team's always encountering.
3.
Participate but reverse roles.
You dress up as a baby or school kids, your kid as some serious looking adult, maybe even one with some authority, firefighters, detectives, come to mind.
If you're the baby, don't forget the accessories, bib, bottle, teddy or doll.
If you're the school boy, don't forget the backpack, the ink-stained fingers, the lunch box.
Obviously, it is more fun if you're basing your kids' Halloween costumes on stories or shows your kids like.
The most popular of them are easy, there are Halloween costumes for kids for pretty much all of them in stores.
If you and your child like less popular shows, you might have to create them.
The inexpensive way for you and your kids to 'build' your own Halloween costumes is to get very creative, look through old clothes, go to a second-hand and/or an arts and crafts store.
But mostly, be creative and involve the kids in the process as much as possible.
Even if that means a big mess.
A big mess is an essential part of fun for kids.
Now decide what role you want to play and if you want to make or buy Halloween costumes for kids and/or for you.
Then let the fun times begin.