Halloween can strike fear in the hearts of unprepared parents every October. Coming up with a clever costume idea for one child is already a challenge, but what if you have more than one kid to dress for the holiday? Well, why not choose a theme and dress all your kids in related costumes? From classic fairy tales to hit movie series, we've found the cutest ideas for sibling costumes… read on to get inspired for your kids’ Halloween looks this year!
Down The Rabbit Hole
The great thing about an Alice in Wonderland-themed Halloween is that you can adjust the costumes and characters according to your family's needs. Have a huge group? Then include more characters – there are plenty to choose from!
And the costumes can be as simple or as complex as you want. This family's outfits could all be made at home with supplies you probably have on hand already. Get the kids onboard and they’ll probably come up with some imaginative ideas to help out.
So Sweet!
Who doesn't have a soft spot in their heart for the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes? The daily newspaper comic followed the creative six-year-old Calvin on his adventures with his beloved stuffed tiger Hobbes.
What a sweet tribute for two brothers! The full look even includes a cardboard box, which could be turned into anything Calvin wanted when his imagination was going wild. We give this costume choice two thumbs up.
Who You Gonna Call?
We know who parents should call if they're having a hard time thinking of costume ideas for their kids - Ghostbusters! The classic '80s movie found a new audience with its 2016 remake, and it's the perfect look for a group of siblings.
We've seen a variation where the oldest child dresses as the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man but this one with the smaller sibling is totally cute, too. You could get more kids involved too, by including more of the Ghostbusters team. And don't forget about Slimer!
Stranger Things Costumes Can Get The Whole Family Involved
The hit Netflix series Stranger Things has so many interesting characters that make great costume ideas. You can get the whole family involved with a Stranger Things-themed Halloween! These three siblings are clearly fans of the show (or more likely, their parents are).
You've got Dustin in his signature ball cap on the left. Then there's a little Barb in the middle, who's holding hands with Elle (still in her wig phase). The possibilities are almost endless with the theme, but this family nailed their costumes.
Where the Wild Things Are
This sibling costume theme is especially great for families with kids who aren't quite old enough to walk around on their own yet – you can just pull them around in a wagon. Which means it’ll be easy to carry all that candy home, too.
These "wild thing" costumes from Where the Wild Things Are can be easily recreated at home. A white onesie pajama and foil crown will work for Max's outfit, and the monster Carol can be made from a striped orange shirt with a knitted brown hat or hoodie top. So cute!
The Force Is Strong With Them
Star Wars costumes have been huge since the film series was first released in 1977. Kids and grownups alike love to dress as characters from the sci-fi franchise because there are so many great ones to choose from.
These twins are absolutely adorable dressed as Princess Leia and Chewbacca. Although they are clearly wearing store-bought outfits, this is another Halloween choice that can be suited to your crafting skill set or budget.
The DeLorean Is Optional
Back to the Future is a 1980s movie that has held up to the test of time, and still makes a great Halloween costume idea today. These brothers are dressed as Marty McFly and "Doc" Brown. The greatest news is that the clever costumes are super easy to put together, even at the last minute.
For a Marty outfit, you just need an orange puffy vest (or even a denim jacket) worn over a button-up shirt and jeans. The Doc look will need a white wig and goggles over a white lab coat, Hawaiian shirt and khaki pants.
They're Off To See The Wizard
You can't go wrong with a theme as timeless as The Wizard of Oz. And this costume idea lets you get any number of kids involved as you want! In this example, an older sister is dressed as Dorothy while her little brother looks 'fierce' in a Cowardly Lion costume.
Depending on how many siblings or friends want to be apart of your cute group, you could include the Wicked Witch, the Good Witch, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Wizard, some Munchkins... the list goes on and on! Have fun with this one.
The Keeper And The Kept
Trick or Treat is all about collecting sweet things to eat, so a beekeeper and bee costume are perfect for a sibling duo to wear! One can dress as the beekeeper, with a jumpsuit or coveralls and a netted hat. A hand-painted honey pot is just a candy bucket in disguise.
The other sibling (or siblings, if there are more than one!) can dress as a bee. A bumblebee costume is fairly simple to put together. It helps to have a headband with antenna attached and a store-bought set of yellow and black wings, but these can also be homemade if you're crafty. A solid black unitard or sweatsuit will complete the look.
The Most Important Meal Of The Day
If your family loves breakfast, then there's a good chance your kids will love these costume ideas. Each child here is dressed as a favorite breakfast food. Whether it’s the kid’s own favorite or the parent who made the costumes, we’ll never know.
Older kids can pick their own favorite foods, making this a great choice for families with lots of age ranges. Mom and dad can get involved, too! You can't deny that you'd love to walk around the neighborhood dressed as a strip of bacon!
Somewhere Over The Rainbow...
This is a costume idea that you can really get creative with! A rainbow costume and a rain cloud costume… individually they're cute enough but put them together on two siblings and they’re totally aww-worthy.
If you have some sewing skills you can easily whip up a rainbow costume by following patterns found online. And the rain cloud costume can either be store-bought or handmade depending on how much time you have to spend. Another option is to have one sibling dress as a cloud and the other in full rain gear (galoshes, umbrella, etc.)
The "It" Siblings
This is an amazing idea for anyone who's a fan of horror books and/or movies and wants to get their kids in on the action for Halloween. These siblings are dressed perfectly as "Georgie" and Pennywise the Clown from the terrifying Stephen King story It.
Even better, this costume is an easy one to pull off. With some embellished white tights and a top, along with a tutu and some creative makeup the older child is transformed into Pennywise, while Georgie really just needs a raincoat for his look. Don't forget the all-important balloon!
Neverland Awaits
"And we're off!" That’s what your kids will say as they head out the door to trick or treat in their Peter Pan getups. This is another group idea that’s flexible depending on how many kids you have to dress.
This trio of sibling costumes includes Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and Tinkerbell. There are lots of other characters to choose from, too. This is a great way to get older kids involved -- they can choose which one they'd like to dress as and help put their own outfit together.
Kermit And Miss Piggy Are A Winning Team
The Muppet characters Kermit and Miss Piggy have had a long and confusing relationship over the years, but whatever their current status it's sure fun to see them together on Halloween. We love that the older child dressed as Miss Piggy and the baby is all decked out in a little green Kermit outfit.
We hope the parents have taught the little girl some of Miss Piggy's best quotes, such as "There is only one gift you should accept on your first date — diamonds."
You Remind Me Of The Babe
Anyone who has a new baby this Halloween and is also a huge fan of the 80s film Labyrinth should be excited about this idea! This adorable older sibling duo is dressed as Jareth, the Goblin King (played by David Bowie). And although he doesn't realize it, the baby is wearing a pajama set just like Toby from the movie.
Toby's costume is easy enough to assemble. The one here even includes a nametag so people are sure to recognize who the baby is. Jareth might take a little more work but if you can snag a similar wig and jacket-shirt combo the rest of the outfit can look however you want it to.
Seeing Spots
The good news is that you don't need 101 kids to recreate this cute costume idea. Even one is enough, but we personally think it’s adorable to have a Cruella De Vil along with a pup or two. Your 101 Dalmation costumes can be as simple or as elaborate as you want or have time for.
This might be the easiest version possible. For the dogs, just paint black spots onto pajamas or even a set of long johns if you live in a colder climate. A little black nose and whiskers are all the makeup it takes. Depending on how old your Cruella is, you can either just put her in a red onesie or step it up to a red boa and black-and-white wig combo.
They'll Charm You Out Of Your Candy
These little Harry Potter fans might be too young to cast any magic spells, but their cuteness has us totally charmed! Harry Potter has been around for more than 20 years now but there's no chance that the characters from J.K. Rowling’s books will ever lose their popularity.
You can get your entire family in on the magical action by dressing everyone in a different Harry Potter costume. There's a character for everyone, no matter your age.
Dr. Seuss To The Rescue
Not only are these kids' costumes an awesome tribute to Dr. Seuss and all the magical stories he wrote, but they’re also a very easy DIY project for any parent to make. For Thing 1 and Thing 2, all you need are red pajama onesies and blue wigs. You can print the circular chest badges from online patterns and pin or sew them to the PJs.
If you have a third child who wants to get involved, a Cat in the Hat costume will take a bit more work but you'll probably be able to assemble something from clothing items you already have around the house. Some fabric paint will also come in handy.
Sweet Swine Siblings
What's a more perfect costume theme for a family with four children than the Three Little Pigs? It’s a classic story and one that just about everyone knows. If you don’t have four kids, mom and dad can get in on the action, or the kids can include their friends in the group costume if they want.
Three little pigs and one big, bad wolf are all it takes to make this look a success. This family turned regular pink hoodies into pig outfits, and the oldest sister wore a furry and headband to pull off a perfect Big Bad Wolf.
Pot Of Costume Gold
"Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and caldron bubble." This sibling costume idea gives new meaning to that famous line from "MacBeth!" The chef and lobster duo is just too cute, and couldn't be much easier.
Unless you're a pro on the sewing machine, it’s probably easiest to buy a pre-made lobster costume. But the older child’s chef costume can be made at home with just an apron and a hat to accessorize. Put the little lobster in a big pot, give the chef a big spoon, and they’re all set for Halloween.
I'll Huff And I'll Puff
What's sweeter than seeing two small children who are so obviously happy to be wearing their Halloween costumes? Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf are the perfect characters for a brother-sister pair to dress as for Halloween.
You can make these costumes as elaborate as you'd like. As long as you have a mask or headpiece for the Wolf and a red hoodie or sweater for Little Red Riding Hood, your kids will be a hit while they’re out trick or treating.
It's A Bird, It's A Plane
This is a costume idea that's terrific for kids of any age, although we have to admit that these infants look just adorable in theirs! Superman and Clark Kent are the perfect fit for these twins.
Superman costumes are pretty easy to find just about anywhere. And Clark Kent's getup can easily be made at home, with a button-up shirt and tie as well as eyeglasses (and a Superman logo peeking through the open shirt). We’ve even seen babies wearing glasses constructed from soft pipe cleaners!
Let The Games Begin!
These Operation-themed costumes are perfect for parents who have some decent sewing skills (but there is an easier version you can make). The Hasbro game was first introduced in 1964 and is as popular with kids today as it was back then.
One child will be the doctor and one will be the patient in this two-person theme costume. The doctor's outfit can be as simple as a pair of scrubs, but the patient will require more work. You could just paint the various body parts onto a sweatsuit or make something as elaborate as the one pictured here. Just be sure to include the red nose!
Cute And Cuter!
These little guys aren't "Dumb and Dumber" even though that's the theme of their clever sibling Halloween look. Here we see mini versions of the movie's clueless duo Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne, all decked out in their "finest" suits.
They even have a wagon that's been converted into the Mutt Cutts van. It's the perfect way to travel from door to door collecting candy. Excellent job on this one!
The Cutest Trolls We've Ever Seen
The word "troll" can mean a couple of very different things in modern pop culture references, but fortunately, these siblings are dressed like the cute ones -- troll dolls! These dolls were really popular in the 1960s and then have been in and out of style since then.
Luckily, the 2016 movie Trolls brought them back into the public eye because they make excellent Halloween costumes as you see here. These sisters couldn't be much more adorable.
Meghan Markle And The Queen Of England
This is too much! These twins, Emma and Mila Stauffer, are famous on Instagram for their amazing costumes. Their mom captioned this one "My royal Hineys!" The costume was to celebrate the marriage of Meghan Markle to Prince Harry but could be adapted to a Halloween costume fit for royalty.
Anyone who follows the royal family knows that Queen Elizabeth II prefers to wear brightly colored clothing to official appearances so she's easier to spot in the crowd. This lime green dress is absolutely perfect!
A Winning Combo
There's a good reason for the expression "you’re the peanut butter to my jelly." The two food items go together perfectly and for many kids, PB & J sandwiches are a staple of their diet.
This sibling team is showing just how close they are with this clever costume choice. One is dressed as the peanut butter half of a sandwich and the other is wearing the jelly half. Put them together and you’ve got a delicious Halloween costume idea!
Gremlins Are Back!
We love it when great movie franchises keep their popularity up over the years. In the case of Gremlins, the first movie was released way back in 1984. There was a sequel in 1990 and now fans are excited about a new animated series featuring the characters.
This sibling duo looks terrific together, with the younger one dressed as Gizmo and the older child in a bright green Stripe outfit. These two are sure to be a hit as they trick or treat together!
The Mouse Is In The House
Actually, make that mice! Mickey and Minnie Mouse are still a hit with little kids, and we couldn't be happier. This brother and sister make the perfect Mickey and Minnie with their trademark polka-dotted outfits, big mouse ears, and Minnie's hair bow.
Parents who are good at DIY projects could make their own version of the costumes, or there are plenty of different styles for purchase. Either way, siblings are going to be super cute dressed as the Disney icons.
They Just Keep Going And Going And Going...
Anyone who's watched enough television, especially in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, will be sure to catch the reference these parents made with their kids' Halloween costumes! The Energizer Bunny is one of the most recognizable rabbits in pop culture today.
One of the children is dressed as the Bunny, and the other is dressed as an Energizer battery, making sure that even people not familiar with the company's commercials recognize what they're dressed as. This is such a cute idea for young siblings!