Kids' Halloween pyjamas: ideas that aren't (too) scary

Kids' Halloween pyjamas are the costume that doesn't come off at 8 pm: a hooded fleece onesie they pull on for the party, eat their pumpkin soup in and end up falling asleep in, in front of the cartoon. You still need a character that amuses more than it frightens, a size that lets them run without tripping, and a few safety rules for the evening of 31 October. Here are our ideas, from toddlers to 10-year-olds.

Why pyjamas rather than a Halloween costume?

With children, the classic costume has three flaws: it's itchy, it's cold at the end of October, and it ends up rolled into a ball at the back of a cupboard on 1 November. A fleece onesie solves all three at once.

• It keeps them warm. Thick flannel is the ideal outfit for knocking on the neighbours' doors when it gets dark early.
• It can be worn all evening. No tight elastic, no tulle that catches on everything: the child plays, eats and finishes the evening on the sofa without getting changed.
• It gets worn all winter. A friendly monster or an animal is still proper pyjamas once the party's over.

It's also a "one-piece" costume that's complete on its own: the hood makes the character. No make-up needed, which suits children who hate having paint on their face.

The right level of fright for their age

Halloween can be a funny celebration or a genuinely scary one, and it's the youngest who pay the price when the dose is wrong. A few simple pointers:

• Under 3: stick to really soft, cuddly animals, with no hint of fear. Toddlers experience Halloween as a fancy dress party, and that's just fine.
• From 3 to 6: monsters are allowed, as long as they're funny, colourful and recognisable. The child's face should stay visible: lots of little ones are frightened of not recognising themselves in the mirror.
• From 7–8 upwards: the child often has their own idea. Let them choose, even if that means suggesting a slightly more "monstrous" character than at 4.

In every case, the best idea is still the one the child chooses themselves. A costume that's imposed is a costume that comes off after ten minutes.

6 kids' Halloween pyjamas ideas that make them smile

1. The star monster, for fans of "real" monsters

It's our most Halloween monster, in black: the Star Monster Kigurumi is a onesie in black fleece with a crackle print, and a hood shaped like a red star with white polka dots, edged with felt teeth. Pulled up, it frames the face like an open mouth… without hiding it. It comes in kids' sizes, from 100 to 140, and in adult sizes, with the same cut: perfect for a matching parent and child.

2. The dinosaur, the favourite monster of 3-to-6-year-olds

For lots of children, a dinosaur is already a monster. The Kids' Plush Animal Onesie comes as a green dinosaur and a red dinosaur, with horns on the hood and a contrasting belly. Add some cardboard claws at the feet, and you've got a T. rex ready to demand its sweets.

3. The shark, for those who love going "chomp chomp"

A shark has teeth, but it's still a soft toy. The Kids' Plush Animal Onesie comes as a blue shark and a grey shark: perfect for the child who wants a character "that bites" without going gory. Parents can join in with a rubber ring and a straw hat, for a shark-and-swimmer duo.

4. The black cat… in purple

The cat is the Halloween animal par excellence. On the Kids' Plush Animal Onesie, it's purple: a nod to witches, without the all-black look that's hard to see at night. A paper pointed hat for a parent, and the witch-and-her-cat picture is complete.

5. The little dragon, for toddlers

For babies and children up to 4, the Baby Animal Kigurumi offers green and red dragons and a whole range of dinosaurs, from 0–6 months to 4 years. The hood carries the animal's face, with a crest of spikes or a tail on the back on most designs. For a first Halloween, an orange fox or a lion also do the job nicely, in the colours of the season.

6. The tiger or the panda, the whole family matching

If the idea is to take the family Halloween photo, the Family Fleece Onesie comes in kids' sizes (from 8 to 16), women's and men's: ginger tiger, panda, brown bear, dinosaur or capybara, each in their own size. It's loungewear more than a party costume, but a ginger tiger on 31 October is already on theme. For more family ideas, see our guide to matching family pyjamas.

Choosing the right size of kids' Halloween pyjamas

The size of children's pyjamas is chosen by height, not by age: two 6-year-olds can be two sizes apart. Measure your child standing up, barefoot, then check the chart on the product page. On the Kids' Plush Animal Onesie, for example, size 110 corresponds to a height of 100 to 110 cm and size 130 to a height of 120 to 130 cm.

Three pointers to avoid getting it wrong:

• Between two sizes, take the larger one: the cut is deliberately roomy, and children grow fast.
• Check the legs. Trailing hems mean a guaranteed fall on the stairs or the pavement. Roll them up or tuck them into slippers (not included).
• Do the movement test: the child should be able to crouch, raise their arms and run without the onesie pulling at the shoulders.

Our article what is a kigurumi and how to choose one goes into fabrics and cuts in detail.

Safety: the rules for a Halloween in fleece

No flames near children

Any garment can catch fire if it touches a candle or a tea light, and a roomy onesie, with its wide sleeves and hood, quickly gets too close. The London Fire Brigade reminds us that rule number one, in costume or not, is to keep children away from flames (London Fire Brigade, fancy dress costumes). Put LED candles in the pumpkins, and give children a torch for playing in the dark.

Being seen when trick-or-treating

A black monster or a grey shark on a badly lit pavement is a child a driver doesn't see. France's road safety agency, Sécurité routière, recommends that pedestrians wear light-coloured clothing or reflective items at night (Sécurité routière, pedestrian leaflet, in French). A reflective armband, a glow stick or a head torch over the onesie is enough. And an adult always goes along.

Toddlers: hood by day, sleeping bag by night

Under 3, check before every outing that small parts (appliqué eyes, felt teeth, horns) are firmly attached, and take the onesie off if anything comes unstitched. For sleeping, a hooded onesie is not nightwear for a baby: France's national health insurance service (Assurance Maladie) recommends putting a baby to sleep on their back, on a firm mattress, in a baby sleeping bag suited to their size, in a room at 18–20 °C (ameli.fr, how to put a baby to bed safely, in French). So the baby kigurumi is for the party, worn under an adult's eye.

After Halloween: the pyjamas stay

On 1 November, the monster goes back to being pyjamas. They get worn in the living room in the evening, during the winter holidays and at sleepovers with friends: our guide to organising a kids' sleepover explains how. For the night itself, our plan for a family Halloween party at home covers flame-free decorations, an orange menu and an age-appropriate film. And to keep them soft all winter, follow our advice on how to wash and care for fleece pyjamas.

In short

Good kids' Halloween pyjamas make them smile, keep them warm and can be worn all evening. Choose a friendly monster or an animal, let the child decide, pick the size by height, and ban flames. For a real monster, the Star Monster Kigurumi comes from 100 to 140; for a dinosaur, a shark or a cat, see the Kids' Plush Animal Onesie; and for toddlers, the Baby Animal Kigurumi.

Cover photo: Tolgahan Akbulut / Unsplash