When my son was a toddler we couldn’t take him to our local Kroger around Halloween because they had this super-scary life-sized zombie thing at the front of the aisles that would make him scream and cry.

Let’s face it. some Halloween stuff is too scary for little kids. At the same time, youngsters are fascinated by all the Halloween excitement. Here are five fun Halloween DVDs for the six-and-under set that won’t make them worry about what’s hiding in the closet.

• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse – Mickey’s Treat Mickey and pals have to use teamwork to get to a costume party in time.
• WordWorld: A Kooky Spooky Halloween: Two episodes from the educational PBS hit.
• Franklin: Franklin’s Halloween We have this one in book form and it’s really cute. Franklin attends a Halloween party with a mysterious guest.
• Hit Favorites: Halloween Spooktacular and Trick or Treat Tales: More than a dozen Halloween-themed treats from Barney, Bob the Builder, Angelina Ballerina, Thomas the Tank Engine, Fifi and the Flowerpots, and Kipper.
• Yo Gabba Gabba!: Halloween! It’s Yo Gabba Gabba. Need I say more?
• Dora and Diego Celebrate Halloween (2 DVD set): Dora and Diego help out some Halloween characters while your tykes learn a little español.
• Nick Jr. Favorites, Happy Halloween: New DVD features the Halloween adventures of four faves: Dora the Explorer, The Wonder Pets, Yo Gabba Gabba, Blues Clues and Kai-Lan.

I’ve linked to the movies at Amazon so you can learn more about them. See if you can check them out from your local library or pick them up used.

Now that Labor Day’s over, the competition for your costume dollar really heats up. There are dozens of places to shop, and the process of finding the best costume at the best price can be overhwhelming. Hopefully, this post will point you in the right direction.

I wanted to find out where parents could find the best deals on new Halloween costumes, so I compared prices of two popular toddler costumes, the bumblebee and the dragon, at a variety of stores.  Take a look:

Things to know before you shop:

• New toddler costumes cost anywhere from $10 to $50.
• Costumes at stores like Walmart, Target, and Amazon and the specialty stores are made by only a few manufacturers, like Morris, Fun World and  Seasons (read this post to learn more). Costumes at stores like Old Navy or Gymboree are different.
• As always, check for coupons and watch shipping costs before you buy.

Price Comparisons:

Kid-Clothes Stores and Discount Department Stores:

Note: There are several varieties of each costume.

Target (good selection)

• Bumblebee: $12.60 to $19.99
• Dragon: $19.99 to 29.99

Amazon (really good selection)

• Bumblebee: $12.99 to $39.95
• Dragon: $11.78 – $29.99

Gymboree

• Dragon: $32.95
• Baby Bumble Bee: $39.95

The Children’s Place

• Dragon: (Dinosaur, actually) $15.90 after coupon
• Bumblebee: n/a

Specialty Stores

BuyCostumes.com

• Bumblebee: Starts at $24.99 after 15% off coupon.
• Dragon:$25.49 after coupon.

CostumeSupercenter.com

• Bumblebee: $22.97
• Dragon: $28.97 to $49.97

HalloweenExpress.com

• Bumblebee: $24.99 to $30.99
• Dragon: $26.99

OrientalTradingCompany

• Bumblebee: $25
• Dragon: $25

The verdict? Overall, I like the offerings at Amazon and Target the best. Each store had a good selection and good prices. Amazon, of course, has better shipping options. As the big day approaches, I’ll keep you informed of the best deals on kids’ costumes.

Have any Halloween shopping tips? Be sure to share them in the comments.

Related:

The Early Shopper’s Guide to Halloween Costume Savings

DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids (my board at at Pinterest)

How To Find Scary-Good Deals on Second Hand Halloween Costumes

 

Halloween costumes don’t get a lot of wear, so it’s pretty easy to find great deals on gently used costumes on the second-hand market, especially if you start looking now. In fact, you may be able to get your child’s costume for free! Here are my best tips for saving 50% or more on Halloween costumes for babies, kids and toddlers:

• Costumes often don’t change much from year to year. Start your search by browsing new costumes online and choosing a few favorites to hunt for on the second hand market.

• Check your local Freecycle.org board for freebies. Mine had a few when I looked this morning. If you don’t see anything, post a “wanted” message and see if anyone responds.

• You might also organize a costume swap with friends, your neighborhood, church, or preschool. You could do it via email or get together in real life.

• If you don’t mind a little hunting, thrift stores and consignment sales (there are probably some near you this weekend) are great places to score costumes on the cheap.

• Call your local consignment stores to see if they have any in stock. They might cost a little more there, but they’ve been checked over more carefully than some of the other second-hand sources.

• There are lots of costumes on Craigslist right now. eBay.com is a great place to look, too. Each has its plusses and minuses. With Craigslist, you’ll have to arrange to pick up the costume from the seller. On eBay you’ll have to contend with bidding or buy it now and possibly pay a higher price. I searched for  two popular toddler costumes– the bumblebee and the dragon– on Craigslist and eBay to see what I could scare up: The Bumblebee was as low as $6 on Craigslist (via Craiggers.com). On eBay, it was anywhere from $4 to $20 in the Buy it Now section. The Dragon started at $6 on Craigslist and went for $6 to $30 on eBay.

Keep in mind that you can also use these sources after Halloween to recoup some of your costume costs.

Coming soon: Who’s Got the Best Deal: Toddler Halloween Costumes

Related posts:

• The Early Shopper’s Guide to Halloween Costume Savings
• DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids (my board at at Pinterest)