If your little one loves to dress up, you can get some great deals on Halloween costumes that translate to inexpensive holiday or birthday gifts. This Gretel costume, for example, is currently on sale for just $9.99 at Diapers.com. The fairy tale theme is fun for pretend play, or for the inevitable preschool dress-up day. My daughter is very into dress up at the moment and will be having a dress up party for her December birthday, so these sales are well-timed for us.

This Whimsical Autumn Splendor Fall Tutu by Posh Little Tutus has a wonderful seasonal appeal. It could be used in place of a Halloween costume, or just for an autumn occasion where you want to dress your little girl up in a tutu. Made of orange, brown, red, and yellow tulle with a double layered orange & brown satin/chiffon ribbon bow, the tutu also features a removable sunflower that can be worn as a hair clip later. This tutu is available in sizes from 0-3 months up to age 9/10, for $39.99 to $44.99, at PoshLittleTutus.com.

This year I bought our family’s first Tom Arma costume. My three year old fell in love with the skunk. She has been asking me for weeks when it would be here, so I finally got down to business and bought it. I have to say that it was a bit of a frustrating process. Halloween Express is the only store that sells them, leaving ebay as the only other option. I watched a few used and new costumes on ebay, but was shocked to see people paying near retail and huge shipping fees for them. I thought I would be smart. I sought out a coupon code for 10% off at Halloween Express, and discovered they also offer free shipping with purchases over a $100. The skunk costume in my daughter’s size was already $60, so my older daughter’s costume easily put us over $100.

Then annoying things started to happen. It tuns out that having a monopoly on the costumes allows for some somewhat shifty things. For example, no coupon codes apply. I’ve run into this before with high end baby items, so I could live with it. What was a little harder to swallow, however was the ridiculous shipping charge ($15-$16, I think) tacked on to this “special” item. I think I got $2 knocked off of it for having spent over $100–so shipping was hardly “free.” My entire purchase, by the way, arrived in one standard-sized box. That said, my daughter is already wearing the costume, and she loves it. I was feeling a little taken advantage of before it arrived, wondering if the hype was all due to great photography. The costume, however, is very thick and luxurious. I think she will be able to wear it for another year, and pass it down to our little one if she wants it one day.  You an check them out for yourself at HalloweenExpress.com. I actually think ebay is a better option, however. Even most ebay sellers don’t get quite so greedy on shipping!

If you’re tired of the usual Halloween costumes based on TV characters and old standbys such as ghosts and goblins, you might want to consider something that will be a learning tool as well as a fun dress-up costume. This Abraham Lincoln costume looks cute and educational at the same time. It comes complete with stovepipe hat, beard, and coat with attached vest (child must wear his/her own pants). In addition to Halloween, this would be appropriate for school plays or history lessons. You can purchase it for just $19.99 at HalloweenMart.com, where it’s available in sizes from 4-6 up to 12-14.

Is your toddler a fan of the show “Yo Gabba Gabba?” If so, he or she might want to consider one of the hottest new costumes this year, DJ Lance. While the costume makes me laugh just to look at it, I’m sure some kids (and maybe even adults) would get a real kick out of it. It’s available in size 3T/4T only, for the sale price of $29.97 (regularly $34.97) at TysToyBox.com.

The top-selling Halloween costume this year at TysToyBox.com is this one from the PBS show Super Why. Super Why is a show I approve of, as it teaches kids about story structure and language skills. The costume is super cute, that’s for sure, and available in sizes 3T/4T and 4-6. You can purchase it for your own Super Kid for $24.99 at TysToyBox.com.

You can encourage your child’s love of books and let her act out her favorite stories when you purchase this fun Madeline costume.  The set includes the dress/coat and matching yellow hat. The manufacturer suggests that moms might like to accompany their little Madelines dressed as the long suffering Miss Clavel. This costume retails for a very reasonable $16.99 at  spirithalloween.com (although I’m not sure how durable it looks). An infant version is also available. This will also come in handy if your child’s preschool has a “dress like your favorite book character” day.

Girls everywhere will appreciate this Pottery Barn Butterfly Tutu Costume. It features luxurious velour wings, a tulle tutu, a satin top, wings, and a headband. This is one costume that will easily transition to dress up gear after Halloween Night. It is available in toddler and girls sizes up to 7-8 years. You can purchase one for $69 at potterybarnkids.com.

I received this gorgeous lady bug poof from Prissy Poofs for my middle daughter, and it is perfectly adorable. Part of the company’s “Spooky Poof” collection, this red poof features black ladybug spots made from pom poms and comes with a ladybug headband. As the name “Spooky Poof” suggests, this outfit can serve as the basis for a fun Halloween costume (especially in warmer climates), but it will also get a lot of mileage as a dress up piece year-round. While a lot of poofs that I have seen are a bit thin/cheap, this one is very well-constructed, with a very full skirt that any little girl will appreciate.

I have no doubt it will last as long as it fits, and my daughter is going to get a ton of use out of it. We have lots of ladybugs where we live, so it is extra special. Moreover, she has just suddenly become obsessively interested in dressing up after I started showing her possible Halloween costumes online. I would highly recommend this for any little girl with a passion for dress up. It will make a great gift. You can purchase the set for $49.95 at prissypoofs.com. If ladybugs aren’t her thing, check out other designs perfect for any season and taste at prissypoofs.com.

Last year a little boy in my daughter’s daycare class had this pirate costume, and it really stood out. I assumed someone had made it for him because it looked so nice. The fabrics just look very luxurious. I was shocked to discover that it came from Old Navy. It looks like it was popular, because it is back again last year. It is available in sizes from 0-6 months up to 4T/5T, and is currently on sale for $16.88 at oldnavy.gap.com. It looks like the kind of costume that will get used for dress up even after Halloween.

There are a lot of pirate costumes on the market, but this is one of the cuter ones that I’ve seen. It includes everything your child will need to transform himself into a fierce (or not so fierce) pirate: cuffed jacket, elastic waist pants, a belt, boot covers, eye patch, and pirate hat. Available in sizes from toddler through young adult, this is sure to be a favorite even after Halloween. You can purchase one on sale for $27.99 (down from $41.95) at overstock.com.

This sweet little infant/toddler ladybug costume is as cute as can be. I love the soft pink colors, and the costume itself looks very snuggly. This one looks like it will be easy to get on and comfortable enough that little ones won’t mind keeping it on. You can purchase one on sale for $24.99 at costumeexpress.com.

Here is a fun costume for little girls who love to get all dressed up. Designed to fit toddlers up to 24 months, this fairy costume includes a shimmering dress, matching booties, and a fancy headpiece and wings. This is the kind of thing that my middle daughter would want to wear for dress up throughout the year. You can purchase one for $24.99 at HalloweenExpress.com. The only downside to this one is that it may not work so well in cooler weather.

We almost bought a skunk costume for my middle daughter last Halloween. We may actually follow through with that idea this year. She’ll need something extra special to compete with her baby sister’s peacock costume. This particular skunk costume is definitely top-notch. Like all Tom Arma costumes, it is heirloom quality. It is cute as can be, and lined in cuddly fleece so it will be as comfortable as can be too. Each costume also comes with a sheet of animal facts to help you and your children learn about their animal friends. These costumes often sell out, so plan ahead. You can purchase one in infant sizes for $49.99 at halloweenexpress.com. Toddler sizes retail for $59.99.

Usually I find that the options for girls’ clothing at Gymboree are far better than the boys’ choices. When it comes to Halloween costumes, however, the opposite always seems to be true. While I’m not terribly excited by the princess and fairy costumes that abound on the site, I quite like this dinosaur costume. Available in sizes from 6-12 months up to 4T/5T it is mostly sweet with just a little bit of fierce thrown in. I think most children, boys and girls alike, go through a dinosaur phase at some point, and this costume would be a perfect choice for such kids. You can purchase one for $29.75 at Gymboree.com.