Spooky season is right around the corner, and for the grandkids, that primarily means two things: a fun costume and a bucket full of candy! While you may not be eligible for trick-or-treating anymore, Halloween is a fun opportunity to bond with your grandchildren by collaborating on a great costume! It’s a chance for you to engage your creative side, plus have fun with the kiddos — now that’s a Halloween win!
Tips for Dressing Up With Your Grandchildren
When you suggest dressing up together, be sure to come up with some fun ideas to share with your grandchildren and have them use their creativity to brainstorm options too! Chances are they already have a costume idea in mind, so you can ask them to suggest a costume for you that will match theirs. This should be a fun thing for both of you, so try to find a solid middle ground that fits both of your styles.
Stumped for ideas, or not sure if your grandchild will be interested? It might be good to check with Mom or Dad first to get a feel for what the little ones are interested in these days!
Here are a few things you can do to make this costume team-up even more fun:
- Plan a Halloween date to wear your costumes. Many kids have busy days on Halloween, from school parties to evening trick-or-treating, so be open to dressing up on another day! This could be trick-or-treating around St. Anthony’s or going to a family-friendly party together. Some neighborhoods and churches have “trunk or treat” events earlier in October, and you might be able to tag along!
- DIY (that’s “do it yourself”) for your costumes. Making them yourselves gives you and your grandkids a fun activity together over the weeks leading up to Halloween night!
- Make it accessible. If you have limited mobility, find a way to make that part of the costume! For instance, your walker or wheelchair can become a racecar!
- Don’t be shy. Some costume ideas may be wacky or silly. Embrace it and have fun with it! That’s what Halloween is all about!
10 Halloween Costume Ideas for Grandparents and Grandkids
If you’re looking for that perfect costume idea to suggest to your grandchild, here are some ideas we think you’ll both love.
1. The Little Mermaid
With the release of the new Little Mermaid movie, your granddaughter is probably already begging her parents for an Ariel costume. Grandma can join the club as Ursula, and Grandpa can dress up as King Triton or Prince Eric or even his dog, Max!
2. Bees and the Beekeeper
If you have particularly young grandchildren, this costume is a definite crowd-pleaser to show them off to your friends. Dress the little ones up as black-and-yellow striped bees, and get your hands on a matching beekeeper outfit.
3. A Witch and Her Cat
Keep it classic with this dynamic duo — a clever witch and her sneaky black cat. If you prefer not to go all-out, these costumes can be as simple as a pointy black hat for you and black cat ears for your grandchild, or vice versa. Other Halloween variations include a witch and a pumpkin, a witch and a cauldron, or a witch and a ghost.
4. Pirate and Parrot
This is another costume that can be either simple or spectacular, depending on what your grandchild prefers. If your partner-in-costume is a baby or toddler, have them be the parrot sitting on your lap during the Halloween party. Otherwise, let them pick, and then have fun gluing colorful feathers to your hat!
5. Scooby-Doo and the Gang
With five original characters to choose from, the Scooby gang should give you more than enough inspiration, even if you have more than one grandkid to dress up with. Don’t forget the Scooby snacks!
6. Flower and Gardener
Costumes you can make on your own are the most fun, especially if you create them together with your little loved one. Your ultimate goal is to show off how adorable your grandchild is, so dressing them up as a sweet little rose or daisy lets them take center stage while you play the supporting role of flower gardener.
7. Mario and Luigi
Another kid favorite this year is the Mario Brothers. If you have a grandson who won’t stop talking about the Super Mario Bros Movie, they will love this costume idea! Other characters you and your grandchild can dress up as from this movie include Princess Peach, Toad, and even Bowser (take a look at Jack Black’s red carpet outfit for inspiration).
8. Old MacDonald and Farm Animals
Everyone knows this song, and it gives your grandchild a lot of flexibility to dress up as their favorite animal. Let them pick the animal they want to dress up as while you take on the role of Old MacDonald. Even if they choose something like a tiger or dragon, that doesn’t belong on a farm, have fun with it!
9. Cruella and Dalmatians
If you’re brave enough to take on the role of Cruella DeVille, this costume will definitely be the talk of the party. Invest in some temporary black spray hair dye to get that black-and-white look she’s so known for, and have the grandchildren dressed up as the Dalmatian puppies she loves so much. Just don’t try to turn them into a fur coat, please!
10. Each Other!
Make the costume collaboration a costume challenge! Reverse the roles and dress up as each other. Since you’re unlikely to actually be able to borrow one another’s clothing, this may take some creativity, so have fun with it!
Family-Friendly Senior Living
Looking for a senior living community that both welcomes your family and treats YOU like family? You’ll find it at St. Anthony’s. While we’re designed for seniors, our doors are open to your loved ones of all ages. We know how hard it can be to choose the right senior living community, and we look forward to sharing more about what makes St. Anthony’s so special! Get in touch today.
