School Halloween Costume Swap Tips

Halloween costumes can be expensive, especially when kids outgrow them after wearing them once...for all of 27 minutes while trick or treating. 😱  A school costume swap gives those barely worn costumes another life, and provides an opportunity for families at your school to get costumes for their kids without adding another big expense to the budget.

A costume swap is also a great way for your PTO to make Halloween more inclusive for all families. Everyone can browse and find something that works for their child, whether or not they have something to donate. Below, we round up how to organize a school costume swap. 

1. Set a costume collection window

Start collecting costumes 2-3 weeks before the swap. Put a clearly marked collection bin in the school lobby, front office, or another convenient location. The goal is to make sure every student who needs a costume has the chance to get one before Halloween or school Halloween events, like Trunk or Treat. 

Ask families to donate clean, gently used, family-friendly costumes and accessories that are still in good condition. Let families know what your PTO will (and won't) accept. Some schools, for example, say no to any costumes with weapons, blood and gore, or masks. Tips: 

• Ask that each costume is clean and dropped off already on a hanger.
• For costumes with multiple pieces, ask that all accessories are put in a resealable plastic Ziploc bag so that everything stays together. Things can quickly get messy with families rummaging through everything! 

2. Decide how your costume swap will work

• Keep it free. Families donate costumes, then everyone is welcome to shop the collection. No donation required! This is an especially inclusive option because kids aren't excluded if their family doesn't have a costume to contribute.
• Try a one-for-one swap. Give families a ticket for each costume they donate, which they can use to choose another costume.  
• Give donors first dibs. Let families who donated shop first, then open the remaining costumes to everyone.  
• Run your costume swap as a mini fundraiser. Some PTOs will charge $2-$5 per costume. Lilja PTO lets families know if they can't afford to pay, to tell a volunteer privately that they're "looking for a little magic". 

3. Sorting and set-up 

Sort costumes by size and have a separate spot for any loose accessories (like wands, etc.). You don't need fancy displays, either. All you need are a few tables, clothing racks or labeled bins, with signs or labels showing sizes, and a few volunteers to keep things organized. 

The best way to do it, in our opinion? Display costumes on collection racks for kids and families to browse.

4. Make it easy for families to participate

Consider holding the costume swap during a time when families are already at school—such as pickup, a family night, or another fall event (like the fall festival). You can also make it a student-only shopping event during the school day if that's easier for your school. One school hangs donated costumes along the school's front fence for families to take ahead of their Trunk or Treat event to ensure every student has a costume. Another PTO shared that they put a rack of donated Halloween costumes labeled "free for the taking" next to their lost and found rack, and they were all gone by Halloween! 

And, don't make donating a costume a requirement. A child who needs a costume should be able to choose one whether their family had something to contribute or not.

5. Have a plan for any unclaimed costumes

Decide what your PTO will do with any unclaimed costumes. Your PTO can donate costumes to another school, a local nonprofit, or an organization serving families in need. Or, if your PTO has the storage space, hang onto those costumes for next year's swap!

6. Make a costume swap a school tradition

A costume swap can quickly become a fun annual fall tradition, and you can expand the idea to other things kids outgrow and need, like books, school uniforms, even sports equipment! 

To get families buzzing about your costume shop, promote it ahead of time with a little fashion runway fun. Recruit a few brave PTO volunteers, teachers, and staff members (maybe a willing principal?) to model a few select costume accessories during the swap. They can walk the “runway,” strike a pose, and show off some of the costumes up for grabs. It’s a fun way to get staff involved, and might just convince a few more families to stop by and see what’s in the costume closet! 

Don't have enough costumes to have a swap and shop event? Use your PTO Facebook page for a last-minute virtual swap; families can post photos of costumes they have available or ones they're looking for.