Halloween Costume Parade

Aiden Sinha, age 4

"Some kids like cows and some like goats, but Aidan has a soft spot for chickens. He sends me off to work every day with a hug and a peck."

-- Mom, Shari Sinha

"He started to walk a few weeks before Halloween, and he just took off. So a runner seemed fitting. His homemade bib number was his birthdate."

-- Mom, Amanda Kingloff, Parents lifestyle director

Lilla, age 2 1/2, and Mom, Vela Burke

"For Lilla's third Halloween, she chose to be a ghost. White tulle over white dresses provided the phantom look I was going for."

-- Vela

Nelly Otcasek, age 3

"My kids love mushrooms; they like to look for them in the woods. A friend gave us this vintage dress that we layered with white clothes."

-- Mom, Kamila Otcasek

Valentino, age 4

"We were talking about cool things in outer space and he said he'd like to be a rocket ship for Halloween. Luckily, we found most of the materials at our local hardware store."

-- Mom, Lola [last name withheld]

Charlie Hutchison, age 16 months

"He sleeps with his Blabla doll every night, and I often find them lying in exactly the same position."

-- Mom, Elizabeth Bower

Luca Pereira-Frears, age 7

"He chose to be a tiger for three reasons: It's his favorite animal, he likes their stripes, and they're orange just like his hair."

-- Mom, Amy Pereira

Anju Andren, age 7

"He's of that age that loves scary things like mummies, zombies, and ghosts. And scary, he was."

-- Mom, Mayumi Andren

Oscar G. Hernandez, age 15 months

"This one paid homage to a classic. I cut a hole in a cheap pashmina to make a poncho; then I taught him my best Clint Eastwood stare."

-- Mom, Kristina M. Hernandez

Ruth Kenny, age 7 months

"Her grandmother collects vintage chicken figurines, so I made this costume in her honor."

-- Mom, Corinne Gill

Eli Owles, age 1

"I wanted to create something cozy that would keep him warm. The tail was the best part. It dragged on the ground as Eli toddled through the grass."

-- Mom, Katie Nelson

Penelope Shulman, age 18 months

"Fairies are such cute mythical creatures, and she seems to be just about their size."

-- Mom, Jocelyn Miller

Benjamin J. Fernando, age 1

"We called him our little spaceman from the time he was born. It just stuck! His helmet was open in the back, so he could breathe just fine!"

-- Mom, Jade Doskow

Aiden Moyer, age 5

"He really wanted to sport a Mohawk, so we gelled his hair and colored it with spray hair dye. Holes in an old T-shirt and a studded dog collar completed the look."

-- Mom, Sarah Adams

Aria Bevacqua, age 4

"Rather than be a typical bat, Aria wanted to be a sweet one like the fruit bat from Stellaluna, by Janell Cannon. By the end of the night, she was calling herself the 'candy' bat!"

-- Mom, Amy Bevacqua

"With the wig and gloves (costumescollection.com), Jack practiced looking like the creepy character for weeks before he even put the makeup on."

-- Dad, Ben Gibberd

Lulu Chamness, age 18 months

"The costume was sent from her aunt in California. But the nose and whiskers were all me— drawn with the eyeliner from my purse."

-- Mom, Mary Hermant

Lucy and Pip Booth, ages 3 & 6

"They are dressed as characters from Lego Ninjago. The costumes were super simple with cardboard swords, a T-shirt headdress, and pajamas from Chinatown."

-- Mom, Nora McCauley

Sofie Jackson, age 3

"Sofie's favorite books are the Knuffle Bunny series, by MoWillems. So the costume was a must!"

-- Mom, Cari Hanzl

Zadie May Jones, age 15 months

"I thought she'd be a cute baby owl, plus it was something I could put together without too much difficulty."

-- Mom, Joanne Jones

Originally published in the October 2012 issue of Parents magazine.

Benjamin Langland, age 9 months

"My wife and I have a fondness for gnomes; we even used them in our wedding invitations. That, and an infant with a white beard is totally hilarious."

-- Dad, Matthew Langland

Willa and Griffin Maurette, ages 5 & 3

"Every year we do a family-themed costume. I made it easy on myself and just dressed up some store-bought costumes."

-- Mom, Molly Kohl