How do I get my toddler to wear his Halloween costume?

Question

My son who is almost 3 used to be a very agreeable child. Now he objects to every routine. I picked a costume character that is is one of his favorites and introduced him to the costume last night. He wants nothing to do with it and had a screaming tantrum when we put it on. We have several ideas for how to get him to "warm up" to the costume but I thought it would be interesting to hear what others have to say.

Update:
Here is what I did.
I put the costume on every night for 2 days leading up to Halloween and he protested every night and ripped off his hat. I hung the costume on his closet door so he could get used to seeing it and he did talk to me about it. On Halloween morning I woke him up wearing a silly hat on my head. He started to think that was fun and then later he put on my silly hat. We usually don't let him have candy but I will admit I totally bribed him with candy on Halloween eve. I gave him some resee peices and told him that if he wanted some more he would have to put his hat on. He left the room to go looking for his hat, put it on and got a good attitude quickly! One "fun size" bag of resee peices went a long way! Then he forgot he was wearing a costume and just went out to play. When his little friend came over and we started trick-or-treating he was then totally having a good time but I don't think he cared about the costume.

Answer 1

At our house, I have a very disagreeable son and he was not up for it at all. I let him pick out his own costume and he knows that if he wants candy tommorrow night then he needs to be in costume, that's the rules of halloween. He's extremely shy and doesn't like doing a lot of public stuff but he seems like he's giving it a go. Worst case, I've got a pumpkin hat to slap on him if he doesn't want his costume.

Answer 2

There is no good reason to press the issue. He has no idea why he's "supposed" to have to dress up, so reasoning with him isn't gonna work that well.

This is why it makes no sense to buy costumes for babies and toddlers.

I have two boys, and I can tell you, there are a LOT of costumes that can be made that are cute and that are made up of real clothes and easily assembled stuff.

Once, my kids both went trick-or-treating as "army pirates". Originally, one wanted to be an army-man, and the other wanted to be a pirate. On the way to the trunk-or-treat, they switched costume pieces, and when we arrived, one was dressed in camo, a pirate hat and an eye patch, and the other was dressed in the typical pirate costume, with an army hat and a belt with a walkie-talkie.

They were the talk of the event.

Be flexible. It's okay for him to not want to wear it, and even though I know you got it because you thought he would have fun, if he's terrified and kicking and screaming, he's clearly not having fun.

Answer 3

At our house, we didn't make a big deal out of wearing the whole shooting match. We let our kids wear the whole costume or just part of it, whatever they wanted. We've had just the cowboy boots and hat worn out of the cowboy outfit and just the wand and tiara from the fairy princess costume. It's a fun night for the kids to go trick or treating and we never felt it a big deal if they wouldn't wear the costume or if they started out with it on and gradually took off pieces of it as the night progressed. We always let our kids pick all their own costumes so they were more likely to be enthused. I suggest you just let the costume lie around and let him choose when or if to put it on. If it involves screaming tantrums and it isn't that important, I generally lean towards letting the issue go.

Answer 4

He is probably terrified. Threes don't have a clear understanding of the difference between fantasy and reality. Why does it matter? If he doesn't want to wear it he shouldn't have to. Maybe he will let you paint his face, or make a mask on a stick he can hold. Maybe he'll like the costume with no mask. In any case, it's simply not worth traumatizing him over.

Answer 5

you would be best off in case you seek for a gown that suits like ordinary outfits. It seems such as you have already picked a topic, so in keeping with possibility you are able to adapt the gown to circumvent his head. what's it, by using ways? My son grew to become into the comparable way approximately that age, and that's the 1st twelve months that he's wearing something on his head (he's 3, and he picked out a Yoda gown with an ears/hood combination). I extensively utilized to artwork for Olan turbines, and distinctive teenagers get petrified of having dressed up and going to the photograph studio at that age. I bear in mind one mom who got here back 5 cases attempting to get Halloween pictures. in the experience that your son is uncomfortable, you're able to attempt sitting him down exterior with a pumpkin/leaves/different fall themed prop and doing all your individual pictures. stable good fortune!

Answer 6

Don't force him to wear it. Let him just go around trick or treating. He'll see all the other children wearing their costumes. So he might want to wear one next yr. Or even that day.. Bring it along with you! good luck and have fun.

Answer 7

Well, he didn't choose the costume, and he's 3, so I'm not at all surrpized that he won't wear it. You could give him a few options: wear this costume, choose another one, or skip Halloween.

Answer 8

If he doesn't want to wear it, don't make him. You'll just make him mad and him not want to have any fun. My daughter is 2 years old and we gave her a few options of what she wanted to be. She chose about a million different things. Then gave her 3 choices. That way when I came home with a costume I knew she'd like it. Not to mention that way I had a few store options in case they didn't have one she wanted or one in her size. You maybe should've let him choose. Just because you got him one of his favorites, doesn't mean that's what he wanted to be, and I wouldn't make him wera it unless he wants to and unless it's his choice he wants to. He's old enough to make choices.

Answer 9

Don't make him wear it. It is just a costume and in the light of the world holds no big deal. But I would confront that behavior.

Answer 10

Tell him that he can't Trick or Treat unless he wears a costume. If he doesn't want to wear it, don't force him. Rent Pooh's Halloween Heffalump Movie.