Halloween for toddlers?

[CupidIsFired]

I have a 16 month old DD and we have been invited to a couple of Halloween parties one is from her playgroup.

I wanted to dress DD as a zombie type princess, messy hair fake blood on dress, get her to eat some berries as she's a messy eater, and she loves puttin on make up so give her a make up sponge and some dark make up and go wild. I already have everything required to do this pretty much, would just need to get a bottle of fake blood to put on the dress.

DM says it's probably too much for her age, she should be in something cute, like a witch or cat etc.

Is this right? I'm a FTM so I don't really know what's appropriate or not, I thought it was a good idea myself, I love Halloween and gettin dressed up, even though I haven't done it in years. Just thought it would be funny, and DD can get in on it by doing her own "make up" plus IMO Halloween is supposed to be scary?

So who's right me or my DM?
Zombie princess or cutesy cat/witch costume bought from the likes of Sainsbury's or asda.

Your DM is right.

Listen to your mother.

Thought so, maybe I'll wait a few more years before I get the game blood out then lol.

Zombie!

But realise, every other child will be a cat/witch/pumpkin/fairy

Your mum is right. Being dressed up like how you describe is only for the entertainment of you /the adults, at 16 months she will have no clue how she looks or what she is supposed to be dressed up

Yes, best to leave it until a time when she can decide for herself. She's only 16 months so it's really not appropriate and other babies might not want to see that either.

I hated all the scary costumes when DD was that age, and she hated them too, found them very scary on other kids.

People always whang on about how Halloween is an American import, but as far as I can tell Halloween in the US is dressing up as anything, not something blood and guts. So maybe we should do it more like them.

@00100001 well this was my other reasoning for zombie... I wouldn't go to over the top, but i thought it might be different. So far though, it seems cute is winner. I personally much prefer scary. I'll see if any others say anything I've never been to a kids Halloween party, not since I was a kid and I was always dressed "scary"

She's not "supposed" to dress in any way. I'd looove it if kids had Halloween costumes like that 😂

Not for me I would personally stick with pumpkin, cat, witch etc

@CassianAndor I suppose you're right. Maybe I have something I can make her so she's a little bit different. Plus I love making stuff like this anyway, so partly was for my enjoyment too.

@Sparklingbrook that's a fair comment. This was one of my mum's thoughts, although in my head I didn't think it would be that scary, but to a small child yes it probably would be and they may not like it.

@Purplerain16 I was looking at some ideas on Google and some are so funny! I wasn't really thinking about other kids finding it too scary though....

Can't wait for DD to be older and get into Halloween haha. That's if she wants to of course. Of not I'll just get dressed up alone

I absolutely LOVE anything scary and am obsessed with horror films, but I would steer clear of putting a toddler in any costume that features blood/gore/horror. I would find it hilarious but other parents might not want their little kids seeing it.

If you were having your own Halloween party it would be absolutely fine, but probably not for nursery.

If I had kids I’d be so tempted to do them up as a creepy Victorian ghost child.

I’d be like you and want to dress my little one up like a zombie. But if it’s a kids party and other children will be there, I wouldn’t. I’d think about how they would react to it, and they might be scared or confused. Stick to cute for now.

@dollydaydream114 you're right. I love it too though. Maybe next year I'll throw my own party then

That's such a good idea! Lol
I saw a devil costume, I suppose that will have to do. Think I just got a bit too excited

You sound like great fun, OP. If I saw you and your child at a party I'd head straight for you! Go for the zombie look!

I would stick with a tamer costume for a playgroup party too.

Pumpkin outfit. Save the scary stuff for years to come.

@FenellaVelour cute it is then

Thanks for the replies, and they've all been nice. I was worried I was going to get shouted at

@BottleCrow oh stop, I'm easily swayed haha thank you!

Am I in the minority? I think your idea sounds great OP! It us true that some of the other kids may feel a bit scared. You mention you've been invited to a few parties - could she go as zombie girl to another non-toddler party?

You surely don't need to ask this question. Don't dress your baby up as a zombie with blood around her mouth. Ffs

I would find that horrid and upsetting. I’m generally a pretty cold person (also quite morbid and normally fine with death and gore) but I get reduced to tears by even the suggestion of dead children. I know that’s really mental but you may very well find a similarly mental parent at one of these parties.

Zombie! No, this is quite a new thread.

I dressed DD1 up as Chucky when she was 2. Scars, orange hair, blood dripping from the carving knife she carried.

Everyone seemed to like it and she loves looking at the photos. She wasn't at all upset at seeing the hair.

Another vote for thinking it sounds fab- you are too old to need mummy's approval.

Zombie sounds great, start make up early, just incase she doesn't like it and you need to remove it and go for cute plan B.