For children, Halloween is a magical time because they get to take what may be their favorite pastime of fantasy and turn it into an all-day event. What comes before the Halloween night is just as much fun as trick-or-treating itself. For children who would like to be scary creatures, this is one time when they can be encouraged to do so. You might not know that research has shown that children who pretend to be the scariest of Halloween creatures are far less likely to be afraid of imaginary monsters they encounter. So find that perfect Halloween costume for your child and start the night off with a magical tone.

Let's face it; life could get a bit hairy if Jr. or little Suzy was allowed to dress themselves every day. It takes practice to understand that "pants ARE important," or "one-armed monsters are not allowed at the dinner table." But on Halloween . . . a kid can truly be a kid. This does not mean that a kids Halloween costumes need to be obscene. There are many children's Halloween costumes that are "just scary enough." Just the option of choosing their very own costume will be exciting to Johnny or Suzy.

Although Halloween has its detractors, it is truly meant to be a magical night that gives children a chance to engage in fantasy and realize that things are not always as they seem. For example letting your child dress up as Frankenstein, you are giving him (or her) the chance to confront those common childhood fears. Through this type of dress up, children can see that these types of monsters are, indeed, fantasy, and nothing to be afraid of.

I saw a ghoulish princess last year, all dapper and primped in her little dress and her tiara. From the back she looked like just another princess in the sea of little girl dreams. When she turned around, her hallowed out eyes and the fake blood that ran from her lips was quite convincing. The stuffed animal she carried with her had its guts sewn to the outside, to make it look like the little princess had a snack before her treats. Creepy? Yes. Imaginative? Absolutely. Harmful? Not a chance.

With Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean running as some of the most popular costumes, it can be difficult to come up with new and improved creepy costumes for kids. Using siblings, parents, and very kindly and gently using pets, as additives for a costume get up can make a simple theme go much farther. There's nothing wrong with one child dressing up as a pirate while the other one dresses up as a complimentary parrot. A willing parent can dress up as a prisoner about to walk the plank in tow. All of this make pretend is healthy, and the more the family gets into together the more the kids are going to get out of it.

Whatever your budget, you should be able to find or create something suitable for your child. You don't need to break your bank to make your son or daughter a Halloween costume. An old white shirt of yours tied at the waist with a jaunty red sash, accessorized with some black leggings and some inexpensive tall boots, plus some skillfully applied makeup with an eye patch, makes a perfect pirate costume. Of course, you can also find ready-made costumes in every dollar range online, should you not want to make something yourself.

If you do happen to buy your child's costume, start looking at least a month before Halloween makes its appearance. And even though children tend to change their minds a lot, you can impress upon your child the importance that this is a decision he or she will have to make for good once the costume is bought. Regardless, the perfect costume will make for the perfect day and make you a hero to your children, even after they have taken off their own superhero costumes.