20 Cool Halloween Costumes for Kids

By Sean O'Connell

From movies (Free Birds in Fandango theaters this week) to television (Modern Family now playing on our own Comcast family’s USA Network), there’s no lack of family fare to devour out in the pop culture, and of course, it being Halloween and all, it’s a perfect time to inform Fandango’s family filmgoers of the perfect kids costumes. We surfed the Web for the coolest, cutest Halloween costume ideas, both new and iconic.

Mike Wazowski

Monsters University was a huge hit for Disney and Pixar this year. With the film reaching DVD shelves right around Halloween, expect several kids wanting to dress up as MU’s top scare students – either Mike or Sully – as they head out into the night in search of treats.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Michael Bay’s TMNT reboot will put this classic franchise back on kids’ radars, but the coolest kids will already know it's coming back. Vintage fans can always slap on a Leonardo costume.

Iron Man and Iron Patriot

Is Iron Man the fan-favorite Avenger? Robert Downey Jr.’s charismatic turn as Tony Stark likely makes him tops, though Thor will contend for top pick with The Dark World this season. Still, thanks to Iron Man 3, Iron Man and Iron Patriot should be out on Halloween in droves.

A Disney Princess

TV's Sofia the First will no doubt trigger your little princess to want to dress up as any of the show's princesses, from Rapunzel to Cinderella to Merida. Best of all, she can wear it to see Frozen, in which Kristen Bell voices the newest princess, Anna, when that opens in November.

Spider-Man

A classic choice, even though we are between Spider-Man sequels. (The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will be in theaters next May.) It’s never too soon to teach your kids about great power leading to great responsibility … and putting them in a Spidey costume sets them on the right path.

Batman (Nolan version)

Obviously, the Caped Crusader is always going to be popular with kids. But which version does your kid want to play? The Christopher Nolan costume probably sells a ton of suits, though those movies are decidedly too mature for little children.

Dorothy

Did you take your children to see the re-released Wizard of Oz in theaters recently? Then follow the yellow-bricked road to your nearest costume shop, where you can get all the parts you'll need to make a Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow or Cowardly Lion.

Snake Eyes

G.I. Joe: Retaliation was a huge hit earlier this year, and what's cooler than ninjas, anyway? This pint-sized Snake Eyes costume should do the trick if your kids loved the movie. And there's afake sword involved – always a plus.

Tinker Bell

Finally, another classic from the Disney archives. Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Tinker Bell – they all make outstanding costumes on Halloween night. As does Tigger, Winnie the Pooh … honestly, with Disney, the list is endless and the possibilities are plentiful. Suit up and enjoy the holiday this year!

Yoda

You can’t go wrong with a Star Wars costume. As families get fired up for J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII, they will want to pick and choose a costume from a galaxy far, far away. The force will be very strong with Yoda …

Smurfette

Your daughter doesn't have to sing like Katy Perry to play Smurfette this Halloween. All it takes is a white hat, blue tights and a Smurfalicious attitude, and they'll be re-creating Smurfs 2 adventures with plenty of holiday treats.

Ewok

Meanwhile, if you have a chunky baby with a perfectly round face, how can you avoid putting them in an Ewok costume? If you can, you are a better parent than we are, because this costume makes us want to borrow someone’s baby just to dress him or her up as Chief Chirpa.

Luke Skywalker

The flip side of The Dark Side is for your clean-cut, good-natured kid who wants to get in on the Star Wars game--grab them a Luke Skywalker costume and send them off into the dark streets on Halloween night with a blue lightsaber in his hands.

Buzz Lightyear

Back to Pixar, which provides endless costume inspiration--from Nemo to The Incredibles or one of the Toy Story gang. Woody, Jesse and Buzz Lightyear costumes are a safe bet year after year, especially since your kids will probably watch ABC’s half-hour Halloween TV special “Toy Story of Terror.”

Capt. Jack Sparrow

The popularity of Johnny Depp’s boozy antihero has never swayed. So while Disney gets the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean up and running, kids likely will want to dance through the best Sparrow moves while sporting his beard, dreadlocks and signature pirate hat.

Hulk

It’s hard to choose which member of the Avengers your kids will want to portray. Black Widow and Captain America are a possibility. Thor could get votes, with The Dark World opening in November. But Hulk strikes us as a popular choice, mainly because it gives your child an excuse to run around and smash things.

Superman

Superman’s recent return to the big screen means we’ll likely see plenty of kiddie Kal-El’s this Halloween. Just remember that if your Superman Jr. runs into a baby Batman, they need to rush right over and pick a fight … then get Zack Snyder to film it. You’ll make millions!

Super Mario

Any kid who chooses Mario or Luigi as his or her Halloween costume earns instant bonus points. The throwback costume stands out for gamers, and pop-culture mavens in general. If you have twins, dress them up as the wrench-wielding plumbers and collect numerous compliments from jealous parents.

The Minions

Despicable? Hardly! The animated Despicable Me series is a monster hit, so you can expect to see countless kids wearing Minions gear as they grab candy from house to house. Now, if a kid wants to play Gru, I’d start to worry a little bit …