Classic Halloween Costume Ideas for Families Celebrating Halloween is a staple of American culture and camaraderie. Nothing gets kids more excited than dressing up as their favorite characters and trouncing around the neighborhood for candy and a ghoulish good time. Halloween is a holiday that can bridge the gap between generations in your family – you can easily organize group costumes and go out with your children. Whether greeting or accompanying trick-or-treaters, Grandparents can join in the holiday fun, as well.

The catch, of course, is deciding on Halloween costumes that everyone in the family can relate to while picking something relatively easy to pull-off. In these situations, classic and timeless costumes help please everyone and create a sense of unity. Follow along for some classic Halloween costume ideas that the whole family can partake in.

Gilligan’s Island

This Halloween costume idea works for a variety of reasons. First of all, as long as you have a Gilligan in your group everyone else’s costume becomes self-evident. You can mix and match cast members based on who is going out for Halloween in your family. Your son can dress up as Gilligan, Dad can be Skipper, Mom can be Ginger, and Grandma and Grandpa can easily be the Howells. Once you have the red sweater, grey slacks, and floppy bucket hat for Gilligan, you can complete the costumes with pieces from your own wardrobe. It’s a low-cost group costume that’s a ticket for instant fun.

Ghostbusters

Classic Halloween ideas draw on cultural icons that kids and grandparents alike can appreciate. The Ghostbusters franchise is timeless and universally loved. Your entire family can gear up in their ghost-fighting garb and become recognizable immediately. And with the all-female Ghostbusters film heading for theaters no one will be left out.

This costume idea may seem expensive at first, but you can save a lot of money by thinking outside the box. Purchase beige jumpsuits or beige collared shirts and pants at a local army surplus store. For the Ghostbusters logo/arm patch, simply print an online image or have your family draw them together for a fun pre-Halloween group activity. For the equipment simply strap on backpacks, and spray paint some Nerf guns to finish the look. If you want extra points for detail, connect a string to the Nerf guns and fasten them to your backpacks. Now your entire family is ready for action.

Clue

Who hasn’t played Clue? The six iconic characters need little introduction, and doing Halloween with your family as the Clue crew is a great excuse for everyone to dress up. Again, you can allot characters based on your family. Young boys and girls relish the chance to dress up in fancy attire – simply get them a dress or a fun coat and tie to make the evening a success. Grandparents can go all out and wear their finest cocktail garb. Be sure to stick to a solitary color scheme for each person so no confusion occurs. Dressing up as the Clue characters on Halloween is also a great excuse for posh accents and excessive use of the phrase “by Jove!”

To connect your family and get the most out of Halloween, consider one of these classic group Halloween costume ideas for this upcoming holiday.

10 GREAT FALL ACTIVITIES FOR GRANDPARENTS & GRANDCHILDREN

Looking for fun fall family activities that are suitable for all ages? Grab your fleece jacket, wool socks, and sturdy boots and treat the whole family to some of these terrific things to do with grandchildren.

• Roast s’mores at a bonfire. You can make your own if you have the property and space to make a fire safely, or you can organize a trip to a local farm and bring your own s’more ingredients. The no-frills “cooking” and potentially messy yet delicious treats make a great bonding experience.
• Attend the local community theater. In the fall there’s always at least one spooky production of Frankenstein or Dracula being produced. Attending the theater is a great way to entertain and educate your grandchildren, without the risk of inclement weather or getting too cold.
• Navigate a corn maze. Corn mazes crop up (pun intended) all over in the fall, and they don’t involve much running or climbing. If you’re physically able to walk for a few hours, consider taking your grandchildren on a fun romp through a corn maze in your area.
• Build your own scarecrow. You don’t even have to leave the house for fall family activities. Invite your grandkids over and build your own scarecrow using hay, old clothes, and a wooden stake. Post it in your yard after so your grandkids know how proud you are.
• Pick pumpkins in a local patch. Sure, carving pumpkins is fun. But most kids are too small to handle sharp knives. Travel to a pumpkin patch and make the acquisition part of the fun. Let each grandkid travel the patch and choose their favorite pumpkin, for carving or painting.
• Rake leaves. If you have a large yard with foliage, raking leaves doesn’t have to be a chore when grandkids are involved. Make sure the end goal is to build a giant pile for them to jump on. Just don’t let them jump from anywhere too high!
• Have a campout in your own backyard. Pitch a large tent and have a rugged campout with your grandkids without leaving the neighborhood. If they get spooked or uncomfortable you can always relocate inside and have a sleepover in the living room.
• Write ghost stories together. As it gets closer to Halloween, have your grandchildren write their own ghost stories. Grab some flashlights, sit in a circle, turn off the lights, and then take turns reading the ghost stories with spooky voices, flashlights, and sound effects.
• Attend a haunted house. Be sure to do your research and go to an age-appropriate haunted house. Especially if the grandkids (or you!) frighten easily, find one hosted at a local school or community center. That said, haunted houses are a great way to bond and laugh as a family.
• Spend time together! The most important aspect of any season is to see your grandkids. Call them. Invite them over for a scary movie night. Surprise them with hot chocolate. There are plenty of things to do with grandchildren as it gets cooler this fall.

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