Which dinosaur costume is for you? 6 different costume types to consider

With Halloween right around the corner, we’ve decided to take a look at some of the potential costume options out there for those of you, or parents, who are planning to either go as or dress their little ones up as dinosaur this year. 

But with so many different types and styles of dinosaur costumes to choose from, picking out the perfect one can be a little tricky. There are just so many, from store-bought costumes and accessories like tails and masks to elaborate and impressive blow-up costumes!

This is exactly why we’ve created this article – bringing together all the various options and offering an overview of each to help you make the right decision for your next costume or Halloween party.

6 different types of dinosaur costumes  

In this article, we look at some of the more comment types of costumes available for dressing up as dinosaurs. We’ll look at some of the pros and cons of each, giving you an overview of each that could help you pick out the best option for you or your kids.

So, without further ado – here are our picks and round-up of the various types of dinosaur costumes to consider for your next costume party.

1. Dinosaur Tails

For anyone looking for the ultimate in low-effort dinosaur costumes, then a dinosaur tail could be exactly what you’re looking for – simply clip it on and you’re good to go. There are no oversized, elaborate costumes to contend with or making a fool of yourself while traveling out in public to get to the party.

Dinosaur tails come in a range of sizes – for both children and adults – and are hands-down the easiest costume option, requiring little to no effort. For parents, they also make great additions to a kid’s dress-up box, being an item that will get plenty of use in the long run.

They’re also great if you’re somebody who likes to accessorize, as there are even dino tail sets that come with things like dinosaur-themed hoods, hats, footwear, or even bowties. You can also use them as part of a more elaborate costume or use them for other tailed-animal costumes in the future, not just dinosaurs. This is because many of these products tend to have more of a generic look and feel to them, doubling up nicely as dragon tails, for instance.

2. Dinosaur Masks

Masks can be a great pick – either as a standalone, low-effort costume similar to that of a tail or as part of a more elaborate dinosaur costume, adding that all-important finishing touch. 

Just like tails – masks are a relatively simple, low-effort costume if they’re worn on their own – or a great accessory to a more elaborate costume. They also – and again, just like dinosaur tails – make great additions to a dress-up box, making them a worthwhile investment for parents of young children.

There are a ton of great dinosaur masks – from hyper-realistic to more cartoony masks, and even those with sound effects, blinking eyes, and moving jaws! You could even make your own mask at home if you’re feeling especially creative and have the time for it.

3. Inflatable Dinosaur Costumes

If your objective is to cause a stir, making you and your costume the focal point of any Halloween or costume party – then an inflatable dinosaur costume is going to be your best bet. They’re impressively huge and great fun to look at!

One of the obvious drawbacks of this type of costume is that it can get a bit much, having to wear it for extended periods, which can become pretty hot and uncomfortable. So, while they’re great to look at for other partygoers, they’re often not as great to wear.

If you decide on this type of costume, make sure to keep yourself properly hydrated and don’t keep the thing on for more than a couple of hours at a time to decrease the risk of you becoming overheated. You might also want to keep spare batteries on hand, as the portable, battery-operated blowers that keep these costumes inflated tend to use a fair bit of juice throughout an afternoon or evening.

4. Ride-on dinosaur costumes

Although a sub-set of inflatable dinosaur costumes, we feel that ride-on dinosaur costumes deserve their own mention with so many on the market. They come in all shapes, sizes, and dinosaur types – including ride-on T-Rexes, Velociraptors, and even Pterodactyls. You can also get this type of costume in both adult and kid sizes – however, when it comes to kids, this sort of costume is best for older kids who are more confident walkers than younger toddlers.

These inflatable costumes have many of the same pros and cons of more general inflatable costumes. However – and given that you’ll only be wearing the costume on your bottom half, as opposed to a full-body costume – they tend to be much more comfortable to wear and have a far lower risk of you becoming overheated.

If we had to choose – we’d go with a ride-on inflatable costume and not a full body – but you might be a little more committed than we are!

5. Dinosaur Onesies

Onesies are great; everyone loves them! They’re super comfortable, snug, and cozy – making them great to wear while lounging around the house, especially during the colder months. And they’re not just for kids either – there are now plenty of excellent adult dinosaur onesies on the market to choose from these days!

This pick is especially great for parents. This is because it makes far more sense to either use a kid’s dinosaur onesie they already have or buy one over a costume, as they offer better value over costumes in the long run.

If you don’t have any dinosaur onesies at home already, you will need to go out and purchase one. You’ll find that they are often much cheaper than purpose-made costumes – as much as half price, if not more – making them an excellent option for budget-conscious parents, whether your little one already owns one or not.

6. You could always make your own

If you’re feeling particularly creative, and you’ve got a dab hand for all things crafts – then why not crack open your craft box and whip up your own unique dinosaur costume?

This option will obviously be the most time-consuming. However, it will also be the most rewarding – especially with all the compliments you’ll get from other partygoers, provided you’ve done a good job with your creation. If you’re a parent, this pick is especially great, as it offers a great activity to enjoy and bond with your little one while helping them to develop and improve their fine motor skills.

As well as being rewarding, making your own costume could also be more eco-friendly – especially if you make sure to include common home recyclables, giving them a second lease of life as opposed to shipping them off to landfill. 

Final thoughts

Well, there you have it, that was our round-up of the six different types of dinosaur costumes to choose from.

Along with the types, we also looked at some of the pros and cons of each respective costume type that are worth considering before jumping in and picking one up.

Ultimately, the dinosaur costume you decide on is up to you – but provided you keep in mind some of the points made in this article when weighing up whether or not a particular type is right for you, you’ll be fine.

One thing is for sure – dress-up play is not just great fun, it also comes with plenty of benefits. Playing make believe by putting on a costume, can be a great way to understand basic emotions and feelings, being a great way to introduce concepts like empathy to young children. This is just one of the benefits of dress-up play for younger children, but there are numerous others – making it an essential part of growing up.

We hope that you found something helpful in this article and that you and your family have plenty of fun this Halloween, whatever you end up dressing up as!