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Calling all ghosts and ghouls, monsters and goblins; spooky season is officially here. With October 31st being just a couple short weeks away, there’s never been a better time to embrace all things fall, but more importantly, Halloween. The countdown is finally underway to the creepy, crawly holiday, and if you haven’t thought about costumes, now’s the time to start. 

For adults and kiddos who live for Halloween, finding the right costume is crucial. For some children, this is the one time of year where they get to truly embrace imagination and embody their favorite person or character. So much so, some kids start thinking about their costumes as early as the year before. And while you can appreciate their eagerness, it’s usually not until this time of the year that it becomes more apparent who or what they’ll actually want to be. After a summer filled with blockbuster movies and tons of viral moments, we did some digging to find out the most popular Halloween costume ideas for kids in 2026 plus where to buy them. 

I know we shop for everything online nowadays, but this is especially true for Halloween costumes. While going to the store used to be a pastime, there’s just not enough inventory for everyone. Most major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target offer much more variety online, including different costume options and sizes. But it doesn’t stop there. Back in the day, places like Spirit Halloween were usually pop-ups that you could only shop in stores, but now they’re also online! So you can browse all sorts of Halloween costumes right from your fingertips. 

But aside from the main options, there are plenty of other niche stores, like BoxLunch and Hot Topic, that carry costume pieces and accessories to help create the perfect look.  

See: Spirit Halloween Coupon Codes & Discounts for October 2026, Including This Week’s Online-Only Deal

There’s quite a bit, and it’s all thanks to pop culture! Last year, the characters from KPop Demon Hunters took the world by storm. This year, they’re still one of the go-to options, as well as characters from One Piece, with kids leaning more and more into anime than ever before. You can also expect to see your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man swinging into the spotlight this fall thanks to the latest movie. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 

In no particular order, we’ve gathered the top 10 most popular Halloween costumes for kids that are sure to be everywhere this year.  

Maybe it’s because I’m a New Yorker and we love Peter Parker over here, but there’s no denying that Spider-Man is one of the coolest characters to ever come out of Marvel. After the release of Brand New Day, it’s safe to say the most superhero-loving kids will want to be Spider-Man this year. 

The ladies of HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys are still some of the most popular characters for kids this year. And with brands making more products for the franchise, the Halloween costumes and accessories are sure to be better than ever before for 2026. 

Although the Pokémon brand is a lot older than most children dressing up this year, the franchise has never been more popular with children. Whether it’s through the actual Pokémon themselves or the trainers that catch them, embodying them in any way will be a sure-fire hit for kids this year.

Speaking of brands older than most kids, the Super Mario Brothers is another set of characters that plenty of children will want to dress up as this year. And since there are so many memorable characters from the video games and the new movies, this is a great idea for duos or groups.  

Chances are Toy Story has always been a classic Halloween costume idea, especially for the whole family. But with the latest movie being such a hit with kids this summer, we’re expecting a massive resurgence this Halloween.   

For the younger kiddos, think six and under, Bluey and her sister Bingo are for sure going to be another set of popular characters you’ll see this Halloween. Considering kids and their parents adore Bluey, and it’s an easy costume to execute, it’ll probably remain a go-to costume option for years to come.

But for the kiddos who like to get a little scary, Five Nights at Freddy’s will be the way to go. There are a bunch of costumes that look like the spooky animatronics from the movies, so there’s something for everyone. Plus, they get to keep it spooky!

As a 90s kid, I grew up on SpongeBob SquarePants and refer to the show at least once a day. So, seeing that today’s generation has such an affinity for our favorite sponge and his pals is very heartwarming. There are tons of options out there that can work for every child. 

As I said before, anime is becoming increasingly popular among younger generations, and One Piece is a generational fave. The extensively long series (over 1,000 episodes for the anime!) follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as they travel the Grand Line and search for the “One Piece.” Since there are a ton of characters in the show, there are a lot of options to choose from.

Last but certainly not least is Minecraft. The video game-turned movie has become a major phenomenon among kids today. This is a great option that will be super recognizable to others while being one your kiddo will remember for years to come.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below: