29 Fun DIY Family Halloween Costume Ideas

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Updated 11/12/20

family halloween costume ideas — Isobel Benesch

Halloween is a fun time for the entire family to play dress-up. In fact, there are myriad ways to coordinate family Halloween costumes. Some ideas require time and effort while others you can throw together at the last minute. But all of them will get you in the mood to go trick-or-treating with your family.

Here are 29 options for coordinated family Halloween costumes.

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Circus Family Halloween Costumes

Tell Love and Party

You can use clothing you already own, head to a thrift store, or sew some from scratch for this circus family costume idea. And don't forget about the accessories. For instance, include the weight using black balloons and painted PVC pipe for your "strong" human to carry.

Circus Family Halloween Costumes from Tell Love and Party
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'Wizard of Oz' Family Costume

Costume Works

It's easy to put together a "Wizard of Oz" family costume set by incorporating many articles of clothing from your current wardrobe. All you need to add are the classic touches, such as the tin man's hat using a painted funnel, the scarecrow's body using straw, and sparkly red Dorothy shoes using red fabric and glitter glue.

Wizard of Oz Family Costume from Costume Works
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Goldilocks and the 3 Bears Costumes

A Beautiful Mess

If you've ever enjoyed paper mache crafts, you'll love creating this family of three bears and Goldilocks. Make the bear heads out of paper mache sized to each wearer's head. Then have someone wear a bright yellow wig to play Goldilocks.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears Costumes from A Beautiful Mess
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Clown Costumes

Kickcan & Conkers

Sometimes dressing your family as a group of clowns is as simple as painting your face white and adding red lips and a rosy nose. However, you can also opt to alter the theme, such as using makeup to create sad or scary clowns. For finishing touches, sew a clown collar and cuffs as well as a clown hat.

Send in the Clowns from Kickcan & Conkers

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'Jurassic Park' Costumes

Cupcakes and Cashmere

Popular movies always make for good family-themed Halloween costumes. Take your family back to the "Jurassic Park" era by dressing up as Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and your favorite dinosaurs. The children in your family also can dress as Tim or Lex.

Five Things: Halloween Traditions from Cupcakes and Cashmere
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Pokemon Costumes

Where's My Dream Life

Is your family obsessed with Pokemon and catching them all? If so, create a team of your favorite Pokemon, along with characters such as Ash and Misty. The costumes can be easily sewn using templates or bought online.

Happy Pokemon Birthday from Where's My Dream Life
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Disneyland Tourists

Say Yes

This family Halloween costume idea is especially easy if you have ever taken a trip to Disney before. Chances are the entire family has a ton of memorabilia to make for a quick costume. Just be sure to add accessories, such as fanny packs and mouse ears.

Halloween Family Costumes Disneyland Tourists from Say Yes
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Mother of Dragons Costume

Isobel Benesch

There is a wide range of Halloween costume ideas that involve "Game of Thrones." But many of them are complex and involve a lot of sewing. However, this rendition is a play on the mother of dragons and uses a graphic tee to make the point.

Mom + Me Halloween Costumes from Isobel Benesch

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'Stranger Things' Costumes

Thinking Closet

Have you ever looked at a Halloween costume and weren't sure what it was at first? These puns are clever, and people will be having "a-ha" moments once they figure it out. Instead of dressing your family as the cast of "Stranger Things," dress as Dr. Seuss characters (Thing 1 and Thing 2) and then add elements from the TV show like this family did with the string of lights.

"Stranger Things" Punny Halloween Costume from Thinking Closet
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Lisa Frank Costumes

Theresa Burdine/Pinterest

This Lisa Frank-inspired Halloween idea is both fun and creative. The pregnant mom is a gumball machine based on a work by Lisa Frank. The two daughters are a rainbow unicorn and white tiger. And while the dad's costume isn't based on a Lisa Frank work, it is equally creative as he's the coin for the gumball machine.

Lisa Frank Halloween Costumes from Theresa Burdine via Pinterest
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Classic Costumes

Pink Pistachio

Sometimes you can dress your family in entirely different costumes but still be coordinated. This family opted to stick to simple Halloween classic costumes all in a black-and-white color palette. While you might not necessarily think of ghosts coordinating with cats, in this instance they do.

A Classic Halloween from Pink Pistachio
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The Incredibles

Freshly Completed

You can't go wrong going out trick-or-treating dressed as your favorite superheroes. These family costumes are easy to put together, even if you don't have great craft skills. Start with red shirts, pants, or tights, and then add the details with black, yellow, white, and orange felt.

The Incredibles from Freshly Completed

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'Where the Wild Things Are'

Tried and True

These adorable costumes are inspired by the book "Where the Wild Things Are." And they are relatively simple to DIY. Fashion some wigs with horns, and you're well on your way to recreating this theme.

Where the Wild Things Are from Tried and True
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Care Bears

See Vanessa Craft

A Care Bear family makes for cozy and cute Halloween costumes. The entire ensemble is easy to make by using appliques on matching sweatpants and hoodies. As a bonus, these costumes will be comfortable for cool fall weather.

Care Bears from See Vanessa Craft
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Rag Doll Costumes

A Beautiful Mess

Rag dolls are a timeless and easily crafted costume idea. To get started, find some vintage clothes at a thrift shop in fun colors. Then, make some wigs out of red yarn, and paint some red cheeks and eyelashes on your face.

Rag Doll from A Beautiful Mess
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'Harry Potter' Costumes

Jen Gilday Interiors

To achieve the "Harry Potter" look, fashion some simple black robes, and pair them with striped ties or scarves in the Hogwarts house colors of your choice. Adults in the family can dress as their favorite Hogwarts professors or other characters in the series.

Harry Potter from Jen Gilday Interiors

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'Scooby Doo' Costumes

Yellow Pear Photography

"Scooby Doo" makes for fun retro Halloween costumes. Shaggy, Freddy, Daphne, and Velma looks can be recreated using thrift shop clothes and perhaps the right wig and glasses. And don't forget to make a dog costume for someone to be Scooby Doo.

Scooby Doo from Yellow Pear Photography
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Cavemen Costumes

The Little Red House

Channel your inner troglodyte by dressing your family as some cavemen. To do this, get some animal print fabric for costumes that wrap simply around you. As far as accessories go, craft some paper mache clubs, wigs, and a few bones to use in your hairdo.

Cavemen from The Little Red House
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'Willy Wonka' Costumes

Mitch and Mickey

One fun way to dress your family as the cast of "Willy Wonka" is to have the kids be the adults and the adults be the kids. For instance, one child can be Willy Wonka, and another can be an Oompa Loompa. Adults can dress as Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, Augustus Gloop, or Charlie Bucket.

Willy Wonka from Mitch and Mickey
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'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' Costumes

Living Locurto

For very simple Halloween family costumes that are quick to throw together, consider this one inspired by "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." Bring the book characters to life with printable masks, white shirts, and black pants. You probably have everything you need for these costumes already.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid from Living Locurto

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'Toy Story' Costumes

Krazy Kingdom

Have fun dressing the whole family as characters from the movie "Toy Story." Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Andy, Mr. Potato Head, Mrs. Potato Head, Little Bo Peep, Slinky Dog, Rex, Hamm the Piggy Bank, and other characters provide lots of opportunities to be creative. And this theme is perfect if you have a large family or want to coordinate costumes with friends.

Toy Story from Krazy Kingdom
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'Star Wars' Costumes

Ashley Ann Photography

Dressing up as "Star Wars" characters doesn't have to cost a lot of money for store-bought costumes. Simply use bathrobes, and only spring for store-bought lightsabers and blasters to get the classic looks. You can use cardboard, felt, and other craft supplies to create the more complex costumes, such as R2-D2.

Star Wars from Ashley Ann Photography
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Family 'Peter Pan' Costumes

Bombshell Bling

"Peter Pan" can easily inspire costumes for the whole family. There's Peter himself, Wendy Darling, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, Smee, and the Lost Boys to name some options. These characters can suit family members of all ages and make you feel like you never want to grow up.

Peter Pan from Bombshell Bling
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Corny Family

She Always Loved Larking

Get a little corny with these farm-inspired costumes. Some options include ears of corn, other crops, farm animals, and farmers. Clothing in the appropriate colors, along with felt to add the details, can easily make these costumes come to life.

Corn Farm Family from She Always Loved Larking

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Family of Bees

Do It Yourself Divas

Creating your own little beehive makes for a fun and adorable family Halloween costume. The kids can dress as the bees, and the adults can be the beekeepers. In this family, the mother was pregnant and dressed as the hive itself.

Family of Bees from Do It Yourself Divas
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Where's Waldo Costumes

The Homes I Have Made

This idea is great if you need to put costumes together quickly. Simply find red-and-white striped shirts, red beanie hats, and black glasses to turn your family into a group of Waldos. You'll get to enjoy comfortable everyday clothes while having a clear costume theme.

Where's Waldo from The Homes I Have Made
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Doughnut Costumes

Pink Pistachio

Halloween is a time to bring on the sweets—including doughnuts. For this family costume, adults can dress in an apron and a baker's hat. And kids can dress as actual doughnuts. You can even let them choose their favorite flavor.

Krispy Hallowkreme from Pink Pistachio
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DIY 'Mary Poppins' Costumes

Make It and Love It

"Mary Poppins" has many classic characters with fun vintage style. From a candy-striped suit to chimney-sweep makeup, you can have a lot of fun putting together these costumes. And don't forget the quintessential black umbrella.

Mary Poppins from Make It and Love It

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Pacman Costumes

Watch Out For The Woestmans

It'll be all fun and games when your family dresses as Pacman characters. Dress the adults in cardboard Pacman costumes, and make the kids the ghosts. Once everyone's in costume, you can act out the game by having the kids chase the adults.

Pacman from Watch Out For The Woestmans