Let’s face it.  Halloween is perpetually around the corner and you’re contemplating buying a Costume for your baby or toddler.  You Google “making baby costumes” and you’re underwhelmed by the choices. They’re too lame. They’re too simple. 

You want something better.  Something cooler. Something more creative.  Because let’s face it, a toddler costume reflects the parent’s taste, since the little one has nothing to do with the decision-making, beyond whether or not to urinate in the costume at a particularly inopportune time. 

Of course, you can create a truly creative costume yourself.   Perhaps with parts of your own wardrobe. But the truth is, what parent with an infant or toddler has time to sew or even put together a costume for Halloween, a costume party, or just for a fun event? Especially with the abundance of options out there for purchase.   Even considering the cost/benefit allowance, how much time and effort is one willing to put into an outfit that will likely only be worn once — even if the number of Instagram, Facebook and Snapchats posts of your child will be in the thousands?  

Unless, of course, your goal is to torture your child with pictures you’ll be sharing with her/his future spouse, co-workers and, eventually, their own children for the rest of their lives.  If that’s the case, you’re better off spending the time rifling through your closets (or the local thrift) store to find the most embarrassing 80s/90s/millennial clothing you can find…

To help you to avoid this particular fate and to simplify your life, we’ve put together a list of the best, cutest, cheapest and funny costumes being sold online. This wasn’t easy, since there are a lot of choices out there. 

Editor’s Choice

The Lineup At A Glance

The Best Baby & Toddler Costumes on the Market

1. Aeromax Jr. Astronaut Suit –  Best Classic Unisex Costumes 

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The astronaut suit is a staple for Halloween costumes and has been for fifty years. I wore one as a child (I can still feel the horrible, scratchy polyester on my skin); my son wore a jacket we purchased for him at the JPL store and the current generation will surely embrace the Aeromax Jr. Astronaut Suit.  

This item is exceptionally well made (of high-quality materials), the suit is designed for the comfort of your child. For generations, boys and girls have been obsessed with space travel. 

It seems to pass genetically from one generation to another. (Perhaps it’s something in our breakfast cereal.)  Kids of all ages find themselves mesmerized by documentaries like COSMOS, science fiction such as the STAR WARS films and news footage of rockets taking off on a seemingly weekly basis. 

With the Mars mission in our not-too-distant future, it’s not surprising that children have fully embraced the astronaut look. The Aeromax Jr. will thrill any child.  

With a very realistic look (replete with NASA patches), easy to use snaps and zippers, and a cap (which comes with the under 18 month version), it is sure to start a discussion — among the babbling kids, their older siblings, their proud parents, and even the grandparents who remember the first mission to  the moon.

Reviews:

“This costume is incredibly adorable! My daughter has to wear a helmet for medical reasons so I wanted something that would accentuate her helmet rather than cover it up. This worked perfectly and made her helmet look like a part of the costume.”
“The quality is AMAZING and he has been wearing it for dress up play almost everyday. The suit is a sturdy windbreaker type material, the color is vibrant and the patches are good quality and look authentic.”
“I’m so glad I bought this costume. I highly recommend it for any space loving kiddos!”

2.  ReliBeauty Princess Costume – Best Classic Girls

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For fans of the Disney classic “Beauty and the Beast” (animated and live-action) as well as anyone who likes a good Princess story, the ReliBeauty costume is an excellent choice. It’s a beautifully made outfit with awesome accessories (wand, gloves, crown, bracelets, and rings), packaged in a separate bag tucked in with the dress. 

 Unlike some other princess dresses, it isn’t flimsy and fits most children perfectly. Reviews state that the pictures on Amazon do not do the dress justice.  

Most of the children not only wear the dress on Halloween but choose to wear it for playdates and even shopping with their parents. (We hope they leave the tiara and wand at home.) 

 It appears to be well made and will survive cleaning and normal wear and tear. The only thing it won’t survive is the eventual growth spurt — which will either require the purchase of a new dress or the child grows out of the “Princess phase”.

3.  Little Mermaid Costume- Best Costume Before Live-Action 

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With the arrival of the live action Little Mermaid next year, there will surely be a run on the Ariel dress costume, so my advice is to order now from Amazon — before they undoubtedly sell out. 

Although the ReliBeauty Belle costume owns the market on Beauty & The Beast fans, Party Chili’s Princess Costume for Toddler Girls takes the cake for the rest of the Princess Universe. (Soon to be known as DCPU, the Disney Cinematic Princess Universe.). Each dress comes with a wand and will make your princess feel like a Princess once she puts it on. 

Manufactured with cotton and tulle, it’s soft and comfortable against your child’s body — which eliminates the number one issue people have with most princess costume dresses.

The reviews have been full of praise, which is why we rated this dress so highly:

“Great product for a good price.”
“A very cute alternative to your itchy/hot/glittery princess gowns. My princess loved it and it worked out great for our Disney trip.”
“This dress was such a big hit with our 2 1/2 yo granddaughter. The second she saw the outfit she put it on, waved the wand and was saying ‘Bibbity Bobbity BOO’ over and over. It was a priceless moment and made it worth every penny.”

4.  Funhall Costumes – Capes and Masks – Best Simple Halloween Costume

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As a parent, we’ve all experienced the frustration of maneuvering our children into a costume, removing it for a diaper change or bathroom break, and maneuvering yet again to get them back into the costume. 

This simple Capes and Masks costume simplifies the process beyond measure. Instead of spending hours putting your child’s arms through various layers and the insanity of changing them in a public restroom, this is the rare costume that toddlers can take off themselves.  

The only downside to this product is the very reason the costume is so affordable.  Instead of paying Marvel, DC, Pokemom or other companies the license fee for their superheroes, Funhall has decided on the far lesser known semi-heroes, Gekko Green, Owlette and Catboy. 

The toddler won’t mind, but there might be some gentle ribbing from other parents. Although the fact that the costume cost less than ten dollars will give you the last laugh.

5. Lil’ Lobster Costume – Best Crustacean Costume

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Winning the prize for Most Adorable Costume, the InCharacter Lil’ Lobster is sure to be a hit — at a Halloween party, at playdates, for dress-up day at daycare… 

The lobster costume is a high-quality, warm, comfortable crustacean costume that will be sure to make your child the belle of the ball (without actually being Belle from Beauty & the Beast). 

To be honest, there isn’t much we can say that the vast majority of reviews don’t state more eloquently that we can.

Here’s are two examples from very happy parents:

“So adorable!! I tried this on my little guy tonight and it was too stinkin’ cute!.”
“This costume is adorable! It is a quality make and material and is not chinsy like so many of the costumes in the Halloween stores.”

6. Baby Panda Costume- Best Panda Costume

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With a cotton lining and a flannel exterior, this IDGIRL Baby Panda Costume is a winner.  Parents love it. Their kids love it. Everyone who sees the costume falls in love with it.

In fact, from what we’ve seen here at Child Mode, it’s difficult to get the babies and toddlers out of the costume.  Fortunately, it also serves as a romper, pajamas and jumpsuit.

Since the quality is high and everyone seems to love the product, there truly isn’t much to add — so I’m going to let the esteemed critics (parent reviewers) state their case. 

“I love this costume/flannel romper. It will be perfect for when it gets cold outside or for Halloween. It is very warm. The material is super soft, cuddly and CUTE.”
“Quality – is really good. Soft flannel and the hood has a cotton lining inside as well. Very snug and has care instructions as well.
The fit is right – I usually order a size bigger so the baby can grow into it.. but it’s a proper size 90 – 18M
The delivery was prompt and the packaging was neat!
We all loved seeing our 10.5 Mo old daughter excited to wear the outfit and see herself in the mirror!!
Love it – would recommend and buy the rest of the animal characters when needed!”

7.  Born to be Wild – Coolest Kid Costume

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This is a very affordable, very unique and very cool infant and toddler costume.  It’s very simple and won’t require maneuvering your baby into a complex outfit.

The costume is comprised of a pair of pants, t-shirt, do-rag, and sleeve tattoos. Your child will be the envy of all the “cool kids” immediately.

The material seems to be well made, but a few reviewers noted that the items seemed a bit delicate. Considering it’s mainly a t-shirt and pants, this isn’t altogether surprising — and not a dealbreaker for us at Child Mode.

Overall, this is a highly rated infant and toddler costumes. Easy to wear.  Easy to accessorize (although after sliding the sleeve tattoos onto your child, I cannot imagine another accessory that would enhance the costume. 

Reviews are mostly stellar, ranging from “really cute outfit!!!” to “best costume ever”. We highly recommend the BORN TO BE WILD costume.

8.  Fun World Monkey Costume – Best Costume Cold Nights

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This costume wins the prize for “warmest costume for cold Halloween Nights”.  It is made of flannel, easy to slide your child into, and cute as heck.

It’s a classic — and available in a wide variety of animal species and sizes.  From Leopard to Duck to Panda (and more), this is the costume to wear if you’re taking your toddler trick or treating along with the rest of the family!

Wonderfully detailed; check out that belly button on the monkey! So well made, you can pass it along to little sibs and cousins. Imported.

Premium jumpsuit features back zipper, ribbed cuffs, and snap legs for easy diaper changes. Tail is wired so you can pose it.

Slip-on booties with slip-resistant soles are designed for indoor wear. Headpiece features 3D stuffed ears and top tuft of hair comprised of polyester and acrylic.

A Warning: The manufacturer recommends machine washing with the delicate cycle and hanging dry, but certain reviewers recommend hand washing.

9.  Baby Animal Costume – Best animal costumes

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This costume comes in multiple sizes for you to choose from newborn to 36 months of age. There is a costume for every child no matter what size they wear and that is exactly how it should be for everything when it comes to children.

It is made out of a flannel material so no matter what month your child wears it they are sure to be kept warm while they are out and about. The material is also breathable so that your child won’t become overheated easily while wearing the costume.

It features a double zipper, a hood, two little sew ears, and a zippered closure. The zippered closures allow you to take it on and off your child easily as well as change their diaper without a hassle. To clean the costume you have a few options you can hand wash or place it in the washing machine.

10. Melissa & Doug Doctor- Best Future Professional Costume

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Melissa & Doug is a name we respect. They back up their products — from puzzles and toys to race cars and other children related items — so we were excited to see that they had entered the costume business. 

Their Doctor-Role Playing Costume is an excellent product. Well made, fun — and one that both parents and their kids will appreciate for years to come.  What kid doesn’t like to play doctor?

With a “working” stethoscope (that makes appropriate noises), jacket, mask, reflex hammer, ear scope, syringe and reusable name tag, your child will spend countless hours marveling on all that a mere costume can do. 

In other words, it’s an interactive costume — something that nothing else on this can offer.

Two reviews that perfectly encapsulate why the Melissa & Doug costume is the best of the doctor costumes on the market:

“So cute and well made.”
“My daughter LOVES the doctor kit. The pieces all fit nicely in the jacket; which is very well made! The heartbeat stethoscope was a huge hit, as many of the more inexpensive doctor kits we have purchased in the past, simply did not do anything. “

How to Choose the Best Baby & Toddler Costume

Since taste is inherently subjective (and some people’s taste is awful), this is a more difficult category than most.  The cost factor must be taken into account. Since the purchased baby costume (boy costume or girl costume) will probably only be worn once, quality is not the same factor as it for most baby and toddler clothing. We chose based upon five criteria: The “cute factor”;  whether the item was unique; whether it was practical (a warm costume for a cold Halloween night), comfortable (scratchy material is a big no no) and convenience (whether the costume was equipped with snaps for easy diaper changing access.

1. Comfort

The most important element to consider before purchasing a costume for your little girl or boy.  After all, even if your baby wins the prize for Best Costume at the party, it won’t matter if she/he is uncomfortable.  No one wants a squirming, unhappy baby or toddler, so we look for products that allow your toddler to move with ease and are soft against their delicate skin.

2. Cute Factor

We had a serious debate about whether this should be the first or second criteria.  After all, this is what people will notice. This will be the reason you post dozens of photos on your Instagram account, shared the pictures with your family on Facebook, and perhaps even venture out into the physical photobook you order for Grandma and Grandpa.  To accentuate your own baby’s cuteness, just enough of their face has to shine through. We studied this carefully to find the best Halloween toddler and baby costumes on the market.

3. Unique

While beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, uniqueness is even more personal. Some parents might embrace the Disney Princess or Hero model; other parents might want something that makes their child stand out of the crowd. We tried to mix the classic and unique costumes, but we know that most parents favor a costume that makes their child stand out.  After all, one doesn’t want to be the seventh Princess Jasmine at that costume party!

4. Convenience

The number one issue fo