Ways to use this list
- Three ideas and no decision: put your shortlist on the wheel and play best of 3, so the costume that wins twice is the one you make.
- Night-before panic: press Last-minute for costumes you can put together from a sheet, a stripy top, face paint or a cardboard box.
- Little ones who dislike masks: the Not scary list sticks to pumpkins, bumblebees and dinosaurs, which work with a hat and a onesie.
- Family or group costumes: spin once for a theme everyone can follow, such as pirates, and let each person choose their own twist on it.
- Class Halloween party game: each child draws a costume from names in a hat and designs it on paper in five minutes.
Press Spin the wheel, tap the game or press the Space bar. Change the list in the box as you
like: add your own, delete what doesn't suit you, or write *2 after an entry to give it double the
chance. The game buttons switch the same list to a duck race, hat, claw machine and more.
The full list (59 entries)
- Vampire
- Witch
- Ghost
- Mummy
- Skeleton
- Zombie
- Werewolf
- Bat
- Black cat
- Pumpkin
- Scarecrow
- Wizard
- Spider
- Swamp monster
- Mad scientist
- Goblin
- Troll
- Pirate
- Astronaut
- Alien
- Robot
- Dragon
- Dinosaur
- Superhero
- Ninja
- Knight
- Princess
- Fairy
- Mermaid
- Detective
- Chef
- Firefighter
- Cowboy
- Lumberjack
- Deep-sea diver
- Bumblebee
- Ladybird
- Owl
- Fox
- Unicorn
- Lion
- Shark
- Penguin
- Octopus
- Jellyfish
- Rock star
- Tourist
- Explorer
- Pilot
- Crayon
- Slice of pizza
- Avocado
- Traffic light
- Bunch of grapes
- Rainbow
- Rain cloud
- Garden gnome
- Sock monster
- Gingerbread person
📖 Related guide: Who goes first? 12 fair ways to decide
Questions people ask
What are easy Halloween costumes to make at home?
A ghost from an old sheet with large eye holes, a mummy from strips of white fabric, a black cat with ears and drawn-on whiskers, or a scarecrow in a checked shirt with straw at the cuffs. Press Last-minute for more.
Which Halloween costumes are not scary for toddlers?
Soft, friendly ideas such as a pumpkin, a bumblebee, a ladybird, a dinosaur or an owl. A onesie with ears or a simple hat does the job, and toddlers can take it off easily when they get tired.
How can I make a costume safer for trick-or-treating?
Add strips of reflective tape, keep hems above the ankle to avoid trips, choose face paint instead of a mask that blocks the view, and give each child a small torch to carry.
Why are there no film or cartoon characters on the list?
The list sticks to classic ideas anyone can make or buy, like vampires, astronauts and scarecrows, so it works for every family. Add your own favourites; edits are remembered on your device.
What is guising?
An old Scottish and Irish Halloween custom: children dressed up in disguise and went from door to door, telling a joke, singing or reciting a poem in return for a treat. Families who moved to North America took it with them, and it grew into modern trick-or-treating.