If you are thinking about buying your baby a Halloween costume this year, there are a couple of things that you need to consider. Most costumes that are made for toddlers and babies will be appropriate as far as not having small pieces and being non-toxic. However, not all costumes will be appropriate for your particular child and for your intended activity. Here are a few things you should consider when buying a Halloween costume for your toddler.
Will your baby wear the costume? Some babies don’t like wearing ball caps or sunglasses. If you are thinking about buying a costume that includes wearing something on the head or face, you should try it out before buying it. Little headbands that have ears or antennas attached are a great example of things your child might not want to wear. The headbands that are horseshoe shaped and sit behind the ears are particularly uncomfortable. Even if your child is remarkably compliant and does keep the headband on, it will likely cause discomfort if left on for any length of time. Try to find ears that attach to a hood rather than a headband. Most babies have spent enough time wearing little stocking caps or little hoody sweatsuits that they will tolerate a hood better than other types of headwear.
Will you be carrying your child? There are plenty of cute costumes out there that come with wings or with turtle shells. These look great while the child is walking around but, as you know, toddlers often only toddle for a short time before getting tired and wanting to be carried. Try the costume out both with your baby on his own two feet and in your arms. If the outfit is awkward when carried, try to find something that is more parent friendly. Unless you can count on your child walking the whole time that you are out trick-or-treating, you should really consider the carry-ability of your child’costume.
Will your child need a coat? If you live in a cold place, think about what your child will need to wear on Halloween night. Stuffable costumes like pumpkins are darling and they are quite warm. Don’t spend the money to buy your baby the Little Mermaid costume that she points at in the store if she is going to spend the whole night with the costume covered up by blankets or a coat. On the other hand, if you live in a warm place, don’t dress up your baby in warm pajamas, a hat, gloves, and booties if he is going to want to run around in a diaper all night. Make sure you consider the temperature when you are selecting your Halloween costume.
Does you child have sensitive skin? Before buying any costume that comes with makeup, you should consider your child’skin. While all makeup for toddlers will be non-toxic, some of it will still irritate sensitive skin. Try a little dab of the makeup on the back of your toddler’hand and try to wash it off before deciding whether you want to put it on your child’face. If your baby has sensitive skin, look for a costume that doesn’t require any makeup. You should be able to find plenty of these.
Avoid masks. Masks are not appropriate for toddlers. Even masks that only cover a portion of their face. Your child will probably be interacting with other children on Halloween and masks are very frightening to other children. When choosing your Halloween costume, go for cute, not for scary. Even if the mask is the cutest thing you ever saw, leave it at the store, it might be cute to you, but it could still scare a baby.
