Carnival costumes for children: how to choose the most suitable and safe one

Parents love to buy carnival costumes for children. In fact, it is impossible to resist the sympathy and sweetness of a small child in disguise, even with a simple costume or a simple hat. But how to orient yourself in the choice? Here are some tips!

Parents love buying carnival costumes for their kids . In fact, it is impossible to resist the sympathy and sweetness of a small child in disguise, even if it is with a costume made at home or with a simple hat.

The occasions to dress up children during the year can be varied: Carnival , Halloween, a theme party, school plays, country performances. Obviously, especially on the occasion of carnival, parents and children are inclined to choose the most original and nicest type of costume, but perhaps it would be good to give the highest priority to the safety and comfort of the dress rather than style.

Carnival costumes for children: buying guide

If you want or need to dress up your child for Carnival or any other occasion, there are two possibilities:

1. or create a homemade costume with your own hands
2. or buy a mask costume already made

Creating a do-it-yourself costume is certainly more demanding and requires a minimum of manual skill, but it is the most suitable choice if you want to decide for yourself the model, the measurements, the fabric and what other material to use to make it. With DIY you can also save money, but this is not always a rule.

Buying a ready-made costume, on the other hand, is the recommended choice if you don’t have time or if you are not inclined to do manual work. You can find many carnival costumes on the market for both newborns and older children, but sometimes it happens that you have to settle for the model, the size and the material with which it is made.

What to disguise children as?

The choice of the theme of the costume is always very personal.
If the carnival dress is intended for a very young child, you can indulge yourself with ideas because he still has no say in the matter and you can enjoy it disguised as you like (animal or fruit themes are the most popular for newborns).

If, on the other hand, the costume is for an older child , you can direct him towards costumes that are consistent with your lifestyle, but don’t impose your tastes, unless it’s an unthinkable costume and in that case try to find a compromise. Kids have their heroes, their favorite characters and dressing up as their idols will bring them a lot of fun.

What aspects of a costume deserve more attention?

However, the theme of the costume is not the only important thing to evaluate. When purchasing the costume or fabric, these are the things to pay attention to:

1. Quality and type of fabric

Many carnival costumes are not made with high quality fabrics . For example, make sure that the dress is soft and breathable. Babies don’t like clothes that are too stiff or uncomfortable, and the skin of babies and toddlers is sensitive and can overheat quickly, so pay attention to the fabric it’s made from.

And if you have the opportunity to sew the costume yourself, then you will have no problems making it with the fabric you prefer. To help you, here is a → list of shops where to buy the most suitable fabric and here where to find → patterns for carnival costumes .

However, always consider where the masquerade party will take place . If it is indoors, buy a light fabric bathing suit to prevent the child from sweating (a cotton bathing suit is best if you can find it). If, on the other hand, it is outdoors, fleece, felt or various furs are warm and soft fabrics but, better to know, they are synthetic.

2. Simplicity of the model

It is true that carnival costumes for children are beautiful when they are imaginative and cheerful, but for children (and also for mothers) the simpler the costume, the better. This is because children must be free to move, jump and play and mothers must feel comfortable in getting the dress on and off quickly without needing an engineering degree.
For babies and toddlers, for example, the best costumes are those in the shape of a onesie or with press studs for the legs and crotch. The openings from the bottom and above all tear-off are always the best even for a quick diaper change.

3.Comfort of the dress 

A comfortable carnival dress is a dress in which the child does not feel constrained or restricted in his movements and does not experience discomfort of various kinds such as heat, cold, itching but also discomfort or shame. Children need to be happy wearing their dress and if they feel uncomfortable they will start crying or sulking. Therefore, keep in mind that:

• some children don’t like hats, headbands, so don’t push them to wear them even if the costume calls for it;
• masks that cover the face can be irritating to the skin as well as making walking difficult and causing balance problems. Better to complete the costume with a nice make-up on the face, obviously with colors suitable for the skin. For example, I found them here → Children’s makeup color set
• buttons, zippers, Velcro and other applications can be in annoying places. Make sure they are not close to children’s skin.

4. Safe Parts and Accessories

Children’s masquerade costumes are often accompanied by decorative applications and various accessories. Make sure they are not dangerous for your children. For example:

• Could the laces, elastic bands or ribbons tighten around the baby’s neck?
• Are there any decorations and accessories on the costume that are attached badly?
• Are there applications or parts of accessories that can become detached and cause choking if swallowed by small children?
• Does the costume have hems that children can trip over easily?

5. Of the right size

Considering the age of the little one and comparing it with the size of the costume is the best thing to choose a suitable carnival dress. Usually in the description of the costume there are the age ranges and the size of the dress in height and width, so make sure that the size is right for your child. Generally it is preferable to take a costume that is slightly larger, either because the children may have to wear the costume with some extra clothing underneath, or because the parents want to be able to use it for the following year as well. However, my advice is not to oversize. Having to wear a costume that is too big and bulky is really annoying and awkward.

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All I have to do is wish you a lot of fun and suggest you take a look at our section dedicated to CARNIVAL in case you need ideas and suggestions for buying or sewing clothes for small children, older children and for the whole family.