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.

[Pollywollydolly]

Believe me once she gets to about eight she will dress as a zombie schoolgirl EVERY BLOODY HALLOWEEN until she leaves school and reverts to cat costumes!

Go for cute while you still have any influence at all!

[CupidIsFired]

@Butttons one party is at a friend's house, she has a 20 month old, I don't know how old the other kids will be. Maybe I will ask her what she's dressing her DD up as and see if I can do it then.

@Sunshine93 I mean it would be berry juice rather than actual zombie blood



@donquixotedelamancha that sounds great! Maybe I'll do as a PP said and do scary for my friends Party, then cute for the playroup party.

[Bazie]

However she is dressed up in sure she will have fun. Just don't make her too scary, the other children might nit like it!

[PrincessPain]

Zombie.
Anything she wears will be for the entertainment of the adults, whether you choose a cat or a zombie.
Go big or go home!
And young kids shouldn't know much about zombies to find it scary either tbf.

[GinNotGym19]

Zombie but maybe a cute one! Or a mummy, wrap her top and leggings in some bandages!

[nonmerci]

Your DM is definitely right. My youngest will have just turned one right before Halloween this year and he’s going to be a pumpkin.

[FrauHaribo]

completely inappropriate to go for full on fake blood/zombie but you do sound lovely OP, and ready to listen to the majority of advice on here.

People who must go for the scariest costume should at the very least stay away from toddlers parties, and keep them for private events - and I still think it's wrong.

[CupidIsFired]

So there's a Halloween festival happening in the town next to us, it sounds great fun for all ages so I'm going to take DD there and dress her as the zombie princess. It won't be too scary, just a bit of fun and I'll try to make it cute like @GinNotGym19 said. For the other 2 parties I've seen a cute little pirate costume so i will get her that
@FrauHaribo thank you, I try to listen to other people's opinions. It's good to know what other people think about certain things/situations

[Ohflippineck]

You’ll probably frighten other kids, would tone it right down.

[CassianAndor]

only you're not listening. You;'re still planning to dress her up with fake blood and take her to an event where they'll be lots of children - despite many of us pointing out that the other little ones could find this very frightening.

[PEkithelp]

Listen to your mum.

[Sparklingbrook]

Halloween festival with a 2 year old. Righty ho. Not the stuff of nightmares at all for a small child?

[Confusedbeetle]

Halloween is a terrible idea

[Confusedbeetle]

Would you red her stories about blood and zombies? Or let her watch a horror film?

[stucknoue]

Under 5's tend to be cute Halloween, mine had frog outfits as toddlers for instance, cat, cute witch, pumpkin, mouse. And not too much makeup it's harsh on their skin

[Ohflippineck]

Agree, confusedbeetle. Only time of the year children are encouraged to wander the streets after dark and knock on God knows who’s doors.
I used to put a note up asking them not to knock when my children were little and in bed asleep. I still do (they’re 25 and 16 )

[Lunafortheloveogod]

What does DD want to be? Could you take her to the shops or show her some pictures n let her pick?

DS will be 7months n for his play group he’ll be a pumpkin n so will my bump.. yes I’m mad dc2 is due two days before his birthday. But for Halloween with family he’s going as Chucky.. I’m hoping (a little ambitiously) that he’s crawling so he can chase the dn’s 😂

[Sparklingbrook]

I don't live anywhere where Halloween is such a big deal with parties and events etc
On the 31st Oct (and only that day) after dark if you want to take part you put a lit pumpkin in your window. Then the neighbourhood children know which doors to knock, they dress up, ring your doorbell and you offer them a sweet.
When you have had enough, remove the pumpkin. Job done til next year.

[CassianAndor]

Ohflippineck this comes up every year at Halloween. Where we are the children all know you only knock on doors of those who have decorations or a pumpkin out, ie those who are inviting you to knock. When we run out of sweets we bring our pumpkin in and never get another knock. No one who doesn't want to get involved has to.

All the younger ones are accompanied by a bevy of parents. It's a really great community event round our way, the kids love dressing up and being out after dark.

[stucknoue]

I should add that despite my kids being young adults, my eldest, the dog (complete with devil horns) and myself went out last year to see the kids trick or treating, we helped out with the lightsticks being given out at the local church, and the adults accompanying the kids had some amazingly inappropriate outfits, gory yes, but the best was a guy dressed and frank'n'furter from Rocky horror ... went over the little ones heads but the teens seemed find it hilarious! Get dressed up yourself and have fun

[bobstersmum]

When my ds was in nursery they had a Halloween party, he was 3, I dressed him as Dracula (kids outfit) and put some face paints on, he saw himself in the mirror and was absolutely terrified he couldn't understand why he looked so scary I had to take it all off!

[reluctantbrit]

I am not a Halloween fan at all and only endure it for DD's sake since she is 5 and started going to parties.

I wouldn't mind a zombie toddler but I wonder if it is comfortable for her. let's face it most of the dress up dresses like witches can be a bit scratchy, not sure if she would enjoy the whole process.

Can you show her pictures of children dress up and see how she reacts to a zombie one?

[misspiggy19]

Grim. Your mother is right. Who would dress a 16 month old as a zombie????

[wonkylegs]

I wouldn't go too scary as some kids get a bit freaked out at this age BUT that doesn't mean you have to go for cutesy generic
When DS1 was 18mths I made him a mummy costume by sewing crepe bandages and strips of white and cream fabric to a white pair of pjs & a soft hat (so he could still be changed) - it was fab and so much better than some of the generic stuff and lasted well - it got a bit stained at nursery that day but washed pretty well and the stains just added to the look so it still looked good when DS2 wore it many years later.
This year DS2 is reusing the dinosaur costume I made his brother when he was 3
Last year he wore a sheet with a neck hole with battery operated white fairy lights sewn under it for trick or treating which although simple just looked like a floating ghost in the dark (also meant he could wear his coat under it)

[hazeyjane]

I love Halloween
When dds were little I made them cat costumes, pumpkins, werewolves... more cute than WAAAAAH!
As they grew up, costumes got more outlandish and dd2 especially, really goes to town....all homemade, sometimes scary, usually just weird and it is fab. This year they want to do matching Victorian ghost girl style, and are trying to work out how they died....bless.