Kids Scary/Gory Costumes - What Age? Update #48

[mtemm]

I voted any age, but honestly I don't believe scare is the only thing halloween is about. I do believe it can be about trying out different things, who you want to be when you grow up, who you admire, who you are into, too. as a little kid, mom wanted me to be something cutsie...made me and my sister clown costumes one year. begged me to be princess leia when I was around 10. I wanted to be a WITCH. I wanted the scare, the wind through the leaves and that little chill down my spine kind...not the hacked blood and guts kind.

I would have no problem with any of my kids (10/8/8) wanting to be a zombie. in fact, we kept trying to convince my dd8 (then 7 last year) when she wanted to be yet another princess, to consider being an undead princess. lol. she wouldn't have it, and that is okay too.

no, we don't watch super scary movies with our kids. but I don't think the two go hand in hand. I was huge into scooby doo as a kid...that was good enough for little scare-thrills for me. my kids are scared of scooby doo, lol, so don't think they will be looking to be zombies any time soon. but I'd let them!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I let DS switch to scary costumes when that was what he asked for.

 

[U2_rocks!]

For those of you who restrict costumes: who are you doing that for, your kid or the other kids? If you're trying to send a message to your own kid then I can see restrictions about weapons. But if you're thinking of the other young kids who may come in contact with yours on Halloween, I would think that too gory/scary would be a bigger concern.

Our neighborhood always has some very young kids going trick or treating at the same time as the older ones, and we have had occasions where a kid was really scared of a costume that one of the older kids was wearing. So we try to be mindful of that. These young kids aren't afraid of replica weapons because they don't really understand the potential deadliness of the real thing yet.

 

[shoney]

It is up to you and your child.

I have no problem with scary costumes! My kids didn't start picking those kind until about 3rd grade. By then they were done with cutesy!
We always make our own costumes and have lots of fake blood and cool things in the Halloween bin!

When my older son was in 5th grade, we transformed his cutesy chef costume from 2nd grade into a scary chef costom. We put fake mice and blood all over the coat. Wrapped his arm in bloody bandages. Had a fake bloody knife in his pocket. had a plate of pasta with eyeballs and gummy worms.
It came out so good.
In fact we got a call from one of his friends mothers that night. She asked if she could borrow the costume for a party...She said it was sooo much better than the one she bought.

My youngest son, ds11, is in 6th grade and loves all things scary! Always did...his favorite show at 5 was goosebumps. Now, he is looking forward to the next season of Walking Dead. Him and his dad are researching to find the scariest haunted house to go to. Me and the older one will pass on that!

As for school, we could only dress up in k to 2. No weapons, no masks. The only costume that made me go was a 2nd grader dressed as a pimp..thought that was a strange choice, but whatever...the kids didn't know!

 

[mjkacmom]

Yup.

I guess it doesn't matter that 99.9% agree with her ds about his halloween costume...

 

[goofyintoronto]

So weapons are OK but fake blood is bad?

I have no restrictions really...it's Halloween.

Yup! I agree with this.

So he can dress up like all the other boys his age just about when they think about not going out any more?

7th grade is usually about the last yr most kids think it is a big deal to dress up and go out trick or treating. Yes some do in 8th but it isn' the big deal it was when they are 8.

I think 10 is the ideal age to dress up scary and gory. Wanted to add they can do it younger if they want , I just think boys are really into it at 10. That is when most of the boys I know were really into it! (son, nephew, all their friends) My DS was a soldier when he was 6.

I also don't think Halloween is just about scary but I have no problem with kids playing make believe in costumes at any age gory or cute.

Halloween is about being anything you want to be! - except if you want to be a zombie, then you're out of luck.

Add me to the - zombie is out because fake blood is scary but you'll let your 10-year-old run around with a fake fatal weapons pretending he's a soldier? Who in the what now? Honestly, is this a joke post?

They're FAKE, they don't actually kill anything because they're not real. Guns are real and actually kill people.

OP, I honestly think you need to lighten up a bit. Its halloween! Halloween is suppose to be fun and scary at the same time. I find it strange that you wont let him be a zombie with FAKE blood when everyone knows zombies are COMPLETELY FAKE, yet you'll let him have FAKE guns??? He's 10 for crying out loud, not 2! By now he knows that zombies are not real.

So even if your son goes trick or treating until the age of 12, he only has 2 more trick or treating years left to pick the costume that HE wants. Thats VERY sad IMHO.

 

[scrapquitler]

I think zombie even with some blood is fine for a 10 year old if that is what they choose. I wouldn't let a 5 year old dress as a zombie, but somewhere around 7 or 8, If that was what they chose, I'd go with it.

Keep in mind that you can make the zombie 'less' gory by putting somewhat less blood, too. So that can maybe make it more acceptable to you.

And like someone else said, I'd be more worried/concerned about 'sexy' than 'scary'

 

[JamesMom]

Op here,

First thanks to all who participated in my poll and made comments. It gave me something to think about.

I have discussed with DH and we have decided to permit our DS9 to dress as he wishes on Halloween (within reason). He looked through the catalog that my husband said he would have drooled over at DS age and he picked....

Zombie Hunter. http://www.partycity.com/product/bo...ogleMerchant&gclid=CP3HyoXb57ICFbKiPAoddBQASw

A costume with guns and a bit of blood. Not what I would have expected when he said he wanted to dress as a zombie, lol. So I guess this was much ado about nothing.

Thanks again.