Holidays & Seasons
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31 Best Halloween Costumes for Teachers and Their Work BFFs

Costumes are better with friends.

Examples of teacher Halloween costumes, including a box of Crayola crayons and the Grammar Police.
By We Are Teachers Staff
Sep 14, 2022

Do you and your work besties really want to impress your students this year with top-notch teacher Halloween costumes? No need to worry! We’ve got you covered with everything from the educational to the absurd. We’ll even help you gather all the essentials for each, so the whole crew looks their festive best.

Whether you’re the artsy friend who owns a coveted Cricut or more of a click-to-cart type, there is something for everyone on our list of the best teacher Halloween costumes. We have hilarious options from everyone’s favorite comedies like Napoleon Dynamite and The Office as well as educational choices that will fit in with your wellness and science units. Who knows, you might even win a costume contest while you’re at it! Go ahead and grab your fellow teachers to pick your favorite from our list below.

(Just a heads up: WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

1. Crayola Crayon Box

About a dozen people are wearing different colored pointy hats and different colored shirts. They are all standing inside a huge yellow box that says Crayola Crayons 12.
Ashleigh Ford/Crayola Crayons via Instagram

We just love teacher Halloween costumes that look like they belong in their students’ backpacks. This super-easy costume idea works well for bigger groups, and you really only need some primary-color T-shirts and party hats. It will help to have someone crafty to create the lettering and big box. Here’s how to get the look:

2. Blue’s Clues & Co.

Four people are dressed as various characters from the show Blues Clues.
tooschool_forcool/Blues Clues via Instagram

We’ll give you four clues about what this next group costume is! How clever is this group’s idea for painting chef hats for the Salt and Pepper toppers? We also found an exact replica of Steve’s shirt from the show and some fun options for Blue! Here’s how to get the look:

3. Napoleon and Pedro

One character has brown hair and glasses and a white shirt that says vote for pedro. The other character has a western themed shirt on and a fake moustache.
sisterhood_of_bffs/Napoleon Dynamite via Instagram
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Some teacher Halloween costumes like this one may appeal more to your fellow teachers than your students since they hearken back to an old-school movie. It really couldn’t be easier to pull off this dynamic duo! We subbed in a blue shirt for Pedro (another one of his iconic looks from the film), but really any button-up will do. Here’s how to get the look:

4. Bucket Fillers

Four women teachers are shown wearing buckets around their waists with smiley faces on them. They have hearts and stars taped to their shirts.
Kathy Trainor-Bruso/Bucket Filler Costume via Pinterest

A group costume that also reinforces a message about kindness and filling others’ buckets—yes, indeed! The hardest part will be cutting the plastic buckets to shape, but from there you’ll just need a little hot glue and your imagination. Here’s how to get the look:

5. Mother Nature and the Four Seasons

A woman in the middle is wearing a green dress with a sign that says mother nature. A woman dressed as winter and another dressed as spring are standing to her left. A woman to the right is dressed as summer and another woman to her right is dressed as fall.
Allison Bates/Four Seasons via Pinterest

Teacher Halloween costumes that can be mostly assembled with items you already own are a win-win in our book. This look will work well with a science unit on weather for younger grades. Here’s how to get the look:

6. The Princess A-Team

Six women are dressed up as different Disney princesses.
craftanoon/Princess Costumes via Instagram

Teacher Halloween costumes that make you look like a beloved Disney character will be sure to please. We took inspiration from the Fairy Godmother on the far left and found some lovely pieces, plus pre-made costumes to let your inner Disney princess shine! Here’s how to get the look:

7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Teachers

Several female teachers are dressed up like ninja turtles.
PS889K/Ninja Turtles via Twitter

Did you know a group of turtles is called a “bale”? Yep, you can use this fun costume as a teaching moment too! Here’s how to get the look:

8. Cruella de Vil and Dalmatians

Three women are shown. The two on the outsides are dressed as dalmations. The one in the middle is dressed as Cruella Deville.
Teaching_in_Skirts/101 Dalmations via Instagram

If you wanted, you could gather 101 of your teacher besties to join in! On top of DIY supplies, we found some ready-to-wear Dalmatian shirts, ears, and a Cruella you can pop on instead. Here’s how to get the look:

9. Candy!

Seven teachers pose wearing t-shirts with different candy logos on them.
karenscheuer/Candies via WordPress

This costume idea will be sure to have your students debating over what’s the best candy. You’ll need an artistic peer to get in on the fun since someone has to paint the logos on the T-shirts. Here’s how to get the look:

10. The Emoji Keyboard

Teachers are shown dressed as different emojis.
slooplions/Emojis via Instagram

Anyone else especially relate to the emoji on the far right? Let students know how you really feel with this adorable and easy-to-make costume. Here’s how to get the look:

11. Alvin, Simon, and Theodore

Three women are dressed up as Alvin, Simon, and Theodore in a blue sweatshirt, a red sweatshirt with a yellow A, and a green sweatshirt.
lifewithmrswasick/Alvin, Simon, Theodore via Instagram

Caution: Whoever picks Alvin as their costume will probably hear it screamed at them more than once throughout the day. Otherwise, this costume is totally easy to put together! Here’s how to get the look:

12. Slinky Dog

Gutsy Feelings/Slinky Dog Costume via gutsyfeeling.com

To re-create this look, just wear all brown, have one person don dog ears, and put some curly metal wire between you and your buddy for a perfect slinky pup. Here’s how to get the look:

13. Rock, Paper, Scissors

whatwhitwore/Happy Halloween via Instagram

You can show off your DIY skills like these ladies—we’re especially impressed by those scissors!—or grab a pre-made costume set. Whichever way you go, everyone wins with this sweet idea. Here’s how to get the look:

14. Jellyfish

7 teachers stand under different colored umbrellas that have eyes attached to make them look like jellfish. There are streamers coming down from each umbrella.
All About 3rd Grade/Jelly Fish Costume via allabout3rdgrade.com

This idea is so easy to re-create and will be sure to delight your students. Purchase some cheap umbrellas or grab some from home, add some large googly eyes, and finally, attach some crepe paper. Here’s how to get the look:

15. The Office

The Office Halloween Costume for Teachers shows 5 of the characters including Jim, Pam, Dwight, and Ryan.

We appreciate the meta-level of wearing a character’s costume while wearing a costume of said character with this Office group’s “Three Hole Punch Jim.” Here’s how to get the look:

Image: @_jaden.busnardo

16. Grammar Police

Seven women are shown wearing police officer hats and wearing black shirts that say Grammar Police.
Mrs. Patricia J. Leister/Grammar Police via Twitter

This is the perfect group costume for the English/Language Arts Department. Your students will be on their best grammar behavior to avoid arrest! Here’s how to get the look:

17. A Wearable History Lesson

A man is dressed as Uncle Sam and wearing a tall hat. He is standing behind a poster that says I want you. A woman is shown with her hair in a red and white polka dot bandana making a muscle with her arm. She is standing in front of a poster that says We Can Do It.
ESC Region 11 Social Studies/Costumes via Facebook

This one is perfect for the history department. Get yourself a recognizable hat and headscarf to bring good old Uncle Sam and Rosie the Riveter to life. Finally, get to work on those famous posters. Here’s how to get the look:

18. Dominoes

Two women are shown dressed as dominoes.
christiekipp/Dominoes via Instagram

Teacher Halloween costumes like this one that are simple and easy to put together mean more time for grading and bonding with your students. Just make sure your pieces can score a nice amount of points in case another pair of domino’d teachers challenges you to match. Here’s how to get the look:

19. Magic School Bus

Eight women are inside a cardboard bus that reads Magic School Bus. The woman in the front has a red, curly wig on.
Coolest Homemade Costumes/Magic School Bus via coolest-homemade-costumes.com

A childhood staple for millennials and even their kids thanks to the revival series, The Magic School Bus is a beloved show and book series that makes for a perfect group costume. You’ll definitely want to get a red wig and the perfect dress for everyone’s favorite teacher, Miss Frizzle. If you’re really feeling adventurous, buy some battery-operated tap lights to use as working headlights! Here’s how to get the look:

20. Coffee and Donut

A man is dressed as a coffee cup and a woman as a chocolate sprinkle donut.
Amazon

Why not re-create your favorite teacher’s-lounge snack? Especially when it’s as easy as picking up ready-made costumes to slip on over your regular clothes! Here’s how to get the look:

21. Beanie Babies

Eight teachers are in a group photos dressed as different animal beanie babies. They all have large tags around their necks with the trademark TY on them.
Esther Chae/Beanie Babies via Twitter

Since kids love Beanie Babies, this will be the perfect teacher costume to grab their attention. Pick your favorite animal onesie, then find your artsy friend who owns a Cricut and get some help making the signature TY tags. Bonus: You’ll never be more comfortable at work! Here’s how to get the look:

22. 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Alexlexlalove/Fish Costumes via Instagram

Bonus: You can reuse these tutus next year for Day the Crayons Quit costumes. It may be difficult to find the fishy headgear the teachers sport in this pic, but you could try cutting out fish shapes from construction paper or similar creative options. Here’s how to get the look:

23. Food Groups

Six teachers are dressed up as different foods including peanut butter, peas, a carrot, an apple, milk, and a strawberry.
Littleton Public Schools/Food Groups via lpsfoundation.com

Teacher Halloween costumes that double as a wellness lesson—yes, please! This is a great ensemble costume idea if you’re in a time crunch and need an inexpensive, pre-made option. Plus, you can add more folks in on the fun—like someone covered in purple balloons as a bunch of grapes! Here’s how to get the look:

24. Best Friend Necklace

Two women have large pink hearts around them. Each heart fits into the other and is meant to be the sides of a friendship necklace.
jamierose23/Best Friends Necklace Costume via Instagram

You probably had one of those “best friend” heart necklaces as a child, right? Pretty much any color of construction paper will do, but we went for old-school nostalgia with a gold-and-silver theme for our product picks. Here’s how to get the look:

25. The Holidays

Five women are dressed up as different seasons.
fall_in_love93/The Holidays via Instagram

Everyone picks their favorite holiday! There are so many ways you can go for the outfits, depending on your mood and closet, so we focused on finding the best seasonal headgear to top you off. Here’s how to get the look:

26. The Care Bears

Six women are dressed up in different colored shirts with different symbols on them. They are all wearing bear ears.
ntmyerica/Care Bears via Instagram

Teacher Halloween costumes can be nostalgic like this one from your favorite childhood cartoon. Choose the bear that fits each group member’s personality the best, and give your students the Care Bear Stare! Here’s how to get the look:

27. Expo Markers

Halloween Expo Markers Teacher Costume; a large group shot shows women all dressed as different colored markers.
mmeelarue/Expo-Markers via Instagram

Have a showdown with another group dressed as the Crayola colors for an epic battle of the best school supplies! Or just have fun posing like this group. Either way, grabbing some card stock for the cap hats, white aprons, and fabric paint will do the trick. Here’s how to get the look:

28. Field Trip Survivors

Field Trip Survivors costume for teachers
typeainprek/Happy Halloween via Instagram

So easy to put together with a simple poster-board sign—and you can mix things up by basing it off whatever your most recent school field trip was. These ladies seem to have survived a visit to the local pumpkin patch. Did you go to a museum recently instead? Try ripping up a cheap print of famous artwork that was on display for another fun spin (and then maybe reprinting some to hang up in class). Here’s how to get the look:

29. Giraffes Can’t Dance

Several teachers are dressed in giraffe costumes and holding the book Giraffe's Can't Dance
nofluffteachingstuff/Giraffes Can’t Dance via Instagram

Teacher Halloween costumes should be comfortable like this cute look. Giraffes Can’t Dance is one of our favorite books for teaching social skills—and reading it to your kids will be even more magical while dressed in a fun onesie! Here’s how to get the look:

30. Pooh and Friends!

Pooh and Friends Halloween costumes for teachers, poo, piglet, eyeore, and tigger are shown.
Firstie Land/Winnie the Pooh via Instagram

You can’t go wrong with these classic characters from the Hundred Acre Wood! These DIY shirts are adorable, but we also found some pre-made ones to make life easier for you. Here’s how to get the look:

31. Hippie Teachers

Two women are shown dressed in tie dye shirts, flower crowns, and sunglasses
Cmsheppard/flower children via Pinterest

Know anyone who’s stashed away some old 1970’s duds? This group costume is the perfect time to show them off! If not, there are a couple of other options we found for embracing your inner hippie. Here’s how to get the look:

Do you have an amazing group or partner Halloween costume? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers chat group on Facebook.

Plus, take a look at these book character teacher Halloween costumes and classroom crafts and activities for Halloween.

31 Best Halloween Costumes for Teachers and Their Work BFFs