12 DIY Masks for Kids This Halloween

The Cat in the Hat + Goldfish

This costume was completely DIY for the little goldfish, and the Cat in the Hat was super easy because we purchased the accessory package that made this look come together. (via Brit + Co)

Trolls

We are still in love with Brit's pregnant troll costume — nude body-con dress, YASSS girl! We updated this costume for the whole family — it's pretty simple, and all you'll need is tan colored clothing and wigs for you and your family.

Peter Pan and the Lost Boys

Harness that rebellious spirit as a whole family this Halloween. All you'll need are some PJs , cardboard swords and a Pan getup. (via A Beautiful Mess)

Big Bird and Elmo

We decided to go ALL IN on DIYing Big Bird's costume, so we felt it was best and more realistic to just purchase the Elmo costume for your mini. Real talk: Who has time to make BOTH costumes? :) It's okay, because your mini will lose their minds when they see the life-like Elmo 'fit in person! (via Brit + Co)

Outerspace: If you need an awesome and easy family costume for Halloween — we've got you. ICYMI, the Morin Fam is kind of a big deal around here (obvi), and they never disappoint when it comes to creative Halloween costumes. This year they really hit it out of the park (or rather, the atmosphere)! (via Brit + Co)

Beekeeper + Bees

Keep it light and sweet this year with an adorable beekeeper-themed costume. (via Costume Works)

Monster Family

Take a little inspiration from the famous Munster family this Hallows' Eve. We're sure your little mummy and bat will approve. (via Tell Love and Party)

Sriracha and Taco

This one is a show-stopper! The popular hot sauce will give you an excuse to turn your mini into a teeny tiny taco!

Disneyland Tourist

Okay, this one might be a little confusing to the kiddos, but just tell them you are just practicing for that trip later this year ;) (via Say Yes)

Superheroes

Let your little ones choose their favorite superhero for this year's costume. They'll be full of all kinds of powers and fun once they get into character. (via The Rollins Ruckus)

Pac Man

Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, and the cutest little ghost you ever did see? Yes please. This retro family Halloween costume is colorful, fun, and super affordable to DIY. (via Brit + Co)

Finding Dory

Delight your little Dory fans with this family favorite. (via Brit + Co)

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

It's never too early to break out those Christmas socks. Whoville won't know what hit it with this family costume. (via Vintage Revivals)

Toy Story

Get ready to go to infinity and beyond this Halloween. Feel free to add more characters depending on your family size. (via Brit + Co)

Circus Family

Everything about this costume just screams cuteness. We can't decide which we like better: the cute lion or the super strong little man. (via Tell Love and Party)

Labyrinth

Okay, to be fair, this isn't a full tutorial, but take this fam costume as some seriously adorable inspo. (via Brit + Co)

Princess Peach and Toad

Forget Mario and Luigi. We all know *these* were the fastest characters in Mario Kart. (via Brit + Co)

Paw Patrol

Kiddos love PAW Patrol? This is the cutest group costume for you, paws down! Click to learn how to DIY costumes for everyone — like firedog Marshall, high-flying Skye, recycling Rocky, and police pup Chase.

Care Bears

Perfect for busy moms and dads, this tutorial is even no-sew, so you won't be up all night before trick-or-treating. (via See Vanessa Craft)

Pirate Family

Excuse us while we try to get over how adorable this baby parrot is with his pirate dad. (via Monkey Mash Button/Flickr)

Queen Bey[oncé] and Blue Ivy

Go for a punny pop culture costume with this playful look at the Queen and her kin. (via Brit + Co)

Addams Family

Get creepy and spooky with your favorite scary family this Halloween. “Thing" required. (via Loft 3 Photography)

Raggedy Ann Dolls

Dressing up like your mom is one of the best parts of being little. Plus, making these yarn wigs is an activity you can do together. Feel free to add another parent to the mix with a short (or long!) wig. (via A Beautiful Mess)

Simpsons

Believe it or not, your fave dysfunctional family can be achieved with yellow long underwear and lots of foam. (via Coolest Homemade Costumes)

Robbers

Steal everyone's hearts with this sweet + sneaky costume. (via Jen Loves Kev)

Clowns

Any costume with pom poms is a winner. Give your family the carnival-chic vibe with this amazing costume. (via Kickcan & Conkers)

Shark Attack

The kiddos will definitely be into this under-the-sea-inspired costume. (via The Fickle Pickle)

Incredibles

Not only is this one super easy, but it's also perfect for all those Pixar fans. (via Brit + Co)

Goldilocks

There's nothing scary about the bears in this costume. (via The Kirbys)

Minecraft

A little Minecraft action never hurt anyone. This costume would be a fun DIY with the little ones. (via Life Among Pirates)

King Kong and Empire State Building

How hilarious is this costume? Monkey costumes are pretty easy to find for kids, and you can make the Empire State Building from cardboard boxes. (via 1337 Mom)

Ninja Turtles

Two words: turtle power! (via Costume Works)

Beetlejuice

Throw it back with this '80s classic. While this costume costs $3000 on Etsy, you could probably DIY something just as rad with foam. (via Brit + Co)

Root Beer Float

A sweet costume for your favorite sweetie. (via Costume Works)

Monsters Inc.

What family member doesn't love Monsters Inc.? Not only do you get to dress up as one of your favorite Disney characters, but you get to dress up as a monster too! (via High Heels to Sneakers)

The LEGO Movie

Everything about this LEGO cast is awesome. (via Instructables)

Nightmare Before Christmas

No wonder this was a costume contest winner! The attention to detail here is totally on point. (via Stevenson Insider)

Rainbow Brite and Twink

One of the '80s best BFFs also make an amazing family costume. (via Pink Suede Shoe)

Top Gun

Looking for an easy family Halloween costume that works for years to come? Yeah, we thought so. '80s babes, we have you covered with a simple holiday look that works for you, your boo, and your little one too.(via Brit + Co)

Russian Nesting Dolls

A group of Russian nesting dolls is the perfect group Halloween costume for families of all sizes. The key is to dress every member of the family the same and include a piece with an intricate pattern. (via Brit + Co)

Have you ever done a group costume with your family? Let us know @BritandCo!

(Additional reporting by Katie Bond)

We kicked off our fright fest with plenty of haunted DIY stations, ghoulish activities, creepy decor, and of course, fun DIY costumes. The food was spooktacularly cute too: candy apples, mozzarella witch fingers, chocolate spider cookies and jalapeño mummies. My favorites were the pumpkin mac and cheese and the classic “worms in chocolate dirt” dessert.

We all got our DIY on, Halloween style! Kids made their own spooky masks, haunted balloon ghosts with LED lights, and they even scored a DIY trick or treat bag with vinyl decals for decoration. Our face painters and balloon artist conjured up all kinds of cool costume props, designs, and haunted hats. Here’s my little guy with his balloon sword and DIY Tic Tacs costume.

As we sat down to chat with our co-hosts, we learned more about Hello Bello. The brand originated from Kristen and Dax's passion for making plant-based baby products that are accessible to everyone. All Hello Bello products (diapers, bubble bath, wipes, lotion and a really great sunscreen) focus on sustainability, natural ingredients, and affordable prices. Walmart stocks them nationwide, or you can buy from their website. They also donate diapers to organizations dedicated to getting kids the things they need. This week, they announced a 20 percent discount for all first responder families to support fire victims, and those risking their lives to save their communities.

Kristen and Dax have two kids, ages four and six. Their best parenting tip: "Have patience. Breathe deep. One strategy is not going to work for two human beings [about raising two kids]. Stay flexible," said Dax. For couples ready to hit the aisle: "Go into it knowing it's a beating,” said Dax. “But it's worth it. You gotta go in knowing it's going to be endless work. It’s just like your body: you're not going to work out, have that perfect six pack, and never have to exercise again.” They did a family costume this Halloween, as Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. The little ones dressed up as Rudolph and a Christmas tree. Even the dogs went as elves and a snowman!

Of course, we had to talk about a little thing called Frozen 2. "Frozen has matured with its audience,” said Kristen. “It's a little bit more dramatic this time, as you can see from the previews. It's still a story about the sisters, but we're no longer in Arendelle, and Elsa has started to hear a mysterious voice calling to her. You will meet a lot of new characters and you’ll learn a lot about their past, and what will threaten the kingdom.” Kristen shared. Spoiler alert: We’re also in store for some really amazing songs, including one by her!

What a phenomenal night. Huge thank you to our co-hosts: the Hello Bello team, Kristen Bell, and Dax Shepard. Hope y’all had a very Happy Halloween!

Until next year!

Brit

Photography by Brittany Griffin and Anne Carney

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard family photo from @kristenanniebell

As a Power of Women honoree, Mariska was recognized in regards to her work as an advocate for sexual assault survivors. She took the stage and used her platform to discuss rape and assault conviction reversals, shining a light on the recent overturned ruling in Harvey Weinstein's landmark NYC case. Here's what she said:

Today I want to talk about reversing convictions, and more specifically I want to talk to you about how impossible it is to reverse mine. It’s impossible to reverse my conviction that survivors matter. It is impossible to reverse my conviction that what happens to us matters, and that our society must respond to survivors with a more a compassionate, holistically, deeper, and more nuanced understanding of what healing means.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that after a trauma, survivors can reclaim lives of hope, of possibility, of audacious risk, beautiful intimacy, and glorious, glorious abundant joy. And I stand before you as evidence of that statement.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that we must listen to survivors as experts on what justice means. It is extraordinary how little their voices are consulted, let alone incorporated, in the process of deciding how to repair harm. Justice is not a one-size-fits-all journey.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that patriarchal impunity has to end. Patriarchal impunity is when a male-dominated system exempts perpetrators from punishment. Studies show that only 20% of all rape cases in the U.S. are reported to the police, and that between 5 and 0% of all rapes result in a guilty plea or a conviction. So why do 80% of victims not report? Because they're met with a system that grants impunity to perpetrators; a system that blames victims; a system that accepts only those victims who are experienced as "real" rape; a system that completely misunderstands the neurobiology of trauma, which causes behavior in women that doesn't fit the picture of how a "real victim" would act.

Is that change needed that victims should just pull themselves together? Just buck up and report anyway? No. No, it's the system that receives them that needs to change

It is impossible to reverse my conviction — and the conviction of my extraordinary team, The Joyful Heart — that the backlog of untested rape kits can be brought to zero; that the testing of all new kits must be mandated; that we need a statewide kit tracking system; and that survivors have the right to access the status of their kits.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that grammar — yes, grammar — that we use when we speak about rape must change. In the sentence, "A woman is raped," there's a crime and there's a victim, but there's no perpetrator. Where's the perpetrator? Where is he? Statistically, as we know, most likely he's walking free. He's so free that he doesn't even appear in the language about the crime that he committed. Is that not extraordinary? It's extraordinary that in the very grammar, the perpetrator goes free. Reintroducing perpetrators in the language of rape will make some very unwieldy grammar, but that's the nature of change. It's unwieldy, it's messy, it's uncomfortable, but it's necessary.

Hargitay continued on in her prolific speech to describe that rape shouldn't be considered a "crime of passion" because it's "not simply the next step in the trajectory of his passion" when a man takes a consensual hookup too far and assaults a woman against her will. She stated that it's "an exercise of power," doubling down that the language we use is important.

The speech went on to address that rape is both about power and control, as a "construct" that was "built, and assembled, and reinforced over time." She noted that there are people with these positions of power — and she specifically called out those in the entertainment industry — that could make a difference and aligned themselves to victims and survivors.

After this and some other remarks, Hargitay specifically called out the Weinstein conviction reversal. She said:

I do want to say something about the Harvey Weinstein conviction, specifically about the reason that it was overturned: too many women's voices. Too many women's voices were allowed to speak. Hallelujah! Amen! I can't imagine anything more beautiful than that. The Daily podcast episode talked about how it was so risky for the prosecution to have that many women testify. Risky to let women speak? You're damn right it is!

Too many women speaking brings change. Too many women speaking shakes the establishment. Too many women means we get listened to more, and people might actually hear what we have to say. Look what happened when women started saying just two words, right? Me too — just as an example — a tidal wave of change. Me too.

And then of course, there was the response: the Me Too Movement. The backlash. The examination of whether the changes that have come are lasting, or are even positive. Of course there's a backlash! What did they expect? For women to speak repeatedly, loudly, together, with a purpose — for there to be no backlash? The backlash is evidence of how powerful those voices were, how powerful those voices ARE.

Watch Mariska Hargitay's Full Speech Here

Turns out that your TV heroes really can be your IRL heroes after all. Long live Olivia Benson! Long live Mariska Hargitay!