by: Erin Dower
Every year, certain children's Halloween costumes take center stage because of new movies, TV shows, video games, and other trends. See which costumes will be a hit with kids in 2016. Also, consider these great group costumes for families.
Finding Dory Costume
Your child will love going door-to-door as the lovable Dory this Halloween! Disney Pixar's Finding Dory has been this year's biggest hit at the box office, so Dory and Nemo costumes are sure to go over swimmingly.
Pokémon Pikachu Costume
Thanks to the new Pokémon Go app, kids around the globe have a renewed interest in Pikachu and his friends and foes, including Charizard, Squirtle, Eevee, and Ash. Which one will your gamer choose for his Halloween costume?
Mermaid Costume
Mermaids are all the rage right now! Your child will make a splash when she transforms into the infamous Ariel (of The Little Mermaid) or any other mystical mer-creature on October 31!
The Secret Life of Pets Costume
Real dogs can't eat chocolate, but your little trick-or-treater will rake in candy bars galore when he dresses as Max, Gidget, or Duke, the adorable pups from the hit movie The Secret Life of Pets. Furry friends Chloe (the cat) and Snowball (the rabbit) are also cute costume picks!
Ghostbuster Costume
Hopefully your kid won't bust every ghost she sees on Halloween, if she chooses to dress as one of the iconic Ghostbusters! This year's successful reboot (with a female-lead cast) of the classic movie Ghostbusters makes the ghost-fighting jumpsuit a go-to choice for girls this Halloween.
Willy Wonka Costume
The recent death of Gene Wilder — the actor best known for his leading role in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory — makes Willy Wonka a bittersweet costume pick this year. Looking for a group costume idea? Find some pals willing to dress as Oompa Loompas!
Race Car Driver Costume
Start your engines, trick-or-treaters! The Indianapolis 500 turned 100 this year, and what better way to celebrate this milestone than to dress up as a race car driver on Halloween?
Shakespeare-Inspired Costume
All hail Shakespeare! This year marks the 500th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death. Encourage your child to explore her theatrical side with a costume inspired by one of the famous bard's plays, such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, or Julius Caesar (toga party, anyone?).
Captain America Costume
Captain America: Civil War was another box-office winner in 2016, especially among tweens and teens. Suiting up as this Avengers superhero will definitely help your kid score some sweets.
Uncle Sam Costume
Your civic-minded child can help remind friends and neighbors that 2016 is an election year by rocking an Uncle Sam costume on Halloween. (Psst, it's OK for kids to point their finger when they're dressed as Uncle Sam!)
