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We have sorted 13 of our animal costumes and fancy dress outfits by three jobs: the school play or book day, Halloween, and a party or stag do. They run from a hooded kids' tiger in ages 4 to 14 to an inflatable ride-on horse for adults, with the pack contents and sizes taken from each product page. Four of the 13 are inflatables, and each takes 4 AA batteries, which are not in the pack.
Table of Contents
- Our 13 animal costumes at a glance
- What is the easiest animal costume for a school play?
- Which animal costumes suit Halloween?
- Which animal costumes work for a party, stag do, or hen do?
- Should you pick a one-piece or an ears-and-tail set?
- How do inflatable animal costumes work?
- How do animal costume sizes and care work?
- Frequently asked questions
Our 13 animal costumes at a glance
All 13 animal costumes in this guide are listed below with their occasion, their size range, and what comes in the pack. Cats and dinosaurs have guides of their own, so this one leaves them out: see our black cat costume guide and our inflatable dinosaur costumes for kids. The wider ranges sit in our animal costumes for adults and our kids' animal costumes, and our best kids' Halloween costumes guide covers the Halloween end for children.
| Costume | Occasion | Who it fits | What is in the pack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kids Tiger Costume | School play, book day | Kids, ages 4 to 14 | Hooded all-in-one tiger suit |
| Kids Penguin Costume | School play, book day | Kids, ages 4 to 14 | All-in-one penguin suit, penguin feet shoe covers |
| Kids Fox Costume | School play, book day | Kids, ages 4 to 14 | Jacket with waistcoat insert, necktie, fox headpiece |
| Boys Monkey Onesie Costume | Nursery, toddler parties | Baby to small child | Plush hooded onesie, detachable tail, foot covers, plush banana |
| Kids Deluxe Werewolf Costume | Halloween | Kids, S to L by age and height; not for under-3s | Muscle top, trousers, 3D werewolf mask |
| Women's Tiger Bodysuit Costume | Halloween, party | Women, small to X-large | Tiger-print bodysuit with attached tail, headband with ears |
| Mens Shark Costume | Party, stag do | Adults, one size fits most | All-in-one shark suit |
| Men's Giraffe Onesie Costume | Party, stag do | Adults, M to XL | Hooded fleece one-piece with tail, padded nose, horns |
| Adult Dog Ears and Tail Set | Any dress-up day | Adults, one size fits most | Ears headband, bendable tail, novelty nose |
| Horse Ride On Inflatable Costume | Party, Halloween | Adults, one size fits most by height | Inflatable ride-on horse, fan and battery pack |
| Kids Unicorn Ride On Inflatable Costume | Birthday, party | Kids, one size fits most | Inflatable ride-on unicorn, fan unit and battery pack |
| Kids Lil' Man Eating Shark Inflatable Costume | Party, Halloween | Kids, one size fits most | Inflatable shark costume |
| Kids Giant Frog Inflatable Costume | Party, Halloween | Kids, one size fits most | Giant inflatable frog, fan, battery pack |
The four inflatables each take 4 AA batteries, which are not in the pack.
What is the easiest animal costume for a school play?
A hooded all-in-one worn over school clothes is a quick animal costume for a school play, because the child steps into one piece: our Kids Tiger Costume has an attached hood and a zip front. The penguin is an all-in-one with feet covers in the pack, the fox swaps the onesie for a tailored jacket and headpiece for book day, and the monkey onesie is sized from baby to small child for a nursery play.
Shepherds, sheep, and donkeys in a nativity are a different brief, so they have their own guides: our nativity costumes for the school play, plus our nativity costumes range. For World Book Day, our kids' World Book Day costumes cover the book characters.
Kids Tiger Costume
Our Kids Tiger Costume is a soft hooded all-in-one in 100% polyester with a zip front, designed to be worn over everyday clothes, in S (4-6 years), M (7-9), L (10-12), and XL (12-14). For a child between sizes, the product page recommends sizing up.
Kids Penguin Costume
Our Kids Penguin Costume comes with matching penguin feet shoe covers in the pack, so the look is complete from the box. It is 100% polyester, designed for boys and girls, and sized S (4-6 years) up to XL (12-14).
Kids Fox Costume
Our kids' fox costume is the dressed-up option rather than a onesie: a tailored brown jacket with a checked waistcoat insert and a detachable tail, a necktie, and a soft faux fur fox headpiece. There are no trousers or shoes in the pack, so plain trousers and boots finish it, and it comes in the same four age sizes.
Boys Monkey Onesie Costume
Our Boys Monkey Onesie Costume is a plush onesie with big eyes and 3D ears on the hood, a front belly pocket, and anti-slip foot covers, with a detachable tail and a plush banana in the pack. It comes in four sizes from baby to small child, so it suits a nursery play or a toddler party. Take the tail off before washing.
Which animal costumes suit Halloween?
Our Halloween animals are the Kids Deluxe Werewolf Costume and the Women's Tiger Bodysuit Costume, and the ride-on horse, shark, and frog inflatables further down are listed for Halloween too. The werewolf comes with a sculpted 3D mask. Among the one in six GB adults who dress up for Halloween, 42% say they will make their costume themselves and 47% will turn to online shops, according to YouGov's September 2025 survey. A ready-made animal costume with the mask or ears headband already in the pack suits anyone shopping online. Our Halloween costumes and kids' Halloween costumes carry the full range.
Kids Deluxe Werewolf Costume
Our Kids Deluxe Werewolf Costume is a fur-printed muscle top, matching trousers, and a sculpted 3D mask, in small, medium, and large by age and height. It is designed for children aged 3 and over and is not suitable for under-3s. Wash the top and trousers separately from the mask, and wipe the mask with a damp cloth.
Women's Tiger Bodysuit Costume
Our Women's Tiger Bodysuit Costume is a stretchy 87% polyester, 13% elastane bodysuit with an attached padded tail and a matching headband with ears. A back zip makes a snug fit easy, and the sizes run small to X-large by standard clothing size.
Which animal costumes work for a party, stag do, or hen do?
For a party, stag do, or hen do, our adult animals are the Mens Shark Costume and the Men's Giraffe Onesie Costume, with the tiger bodysuit and the dog ears set as two more ways to dress as an animal. The shark is one all-in-one suit in a single size for most adults, and the giraffe is a hooded fleece in M, L, and XL. Aviva's 2023 survey found that guests at a UK stag or hen do who bought fancy dress spent around £105 each on it. Our stag do and hen do costumes cover the themes beyond animals.
Mens Shark Costume
Our Mens Shark Costume is an all-in-one suit in one size that fits most adults, so there are no separate pieces to match. Turn it inside out before washing to protect the outer fabric.
Men's Giraffe Onesie Costume
Our Men's Giraffe Onesie Costume is a unisex hooded fleece one-piece with an attached fluffy tail, a padded nose, and horns, in medium, large, and XL. A front Velcro closure and ribbed cuffs help it stay put, and the product page suggests thin layers underneath for extra warmth.
Should you pick a one-piece or an ears-and-tail set?
A one-piece puts the whole animal in a single pack, while an ears-and-tail set adds the animal to clothes you already own. Our Men's Giraffe Onesie Costume is the one-piece end, a hooded fleece with the tail attached plus a padded nose and horns, and our Adult Dog Ears and Tail Set is the add-on end: a headband, a tail that clips to a belt loop, and a nose.
| One-piece (suit or onesie) | Ears-and-tail set | |
|---|---|---|
| What you wear | The costume is the outfit, worn over everyday clothes or a thin layer | Your own clothes, with the set added on top |
| In the pack (our examples) | Giraffe onesie: hooded fleece one-piece with attached tail, padded nose, and horns | Dog set: ears headband, bendable tail, novelty nose |
| Sizes | By age for kids, from baby sizes up to 14 years; M to XL for the giraffe onesie | One size fits most adults |
| Care | Hand wash only | Spot clean only |
Adult Dog Ears and Tail Set
Our Adult Dog Ears and Tail Set has a bendable tail with a wire core that clips to a waistband or belt loop, in one size that fits most adults. Wear the ears alone for a quick look, or add the tail and nose for the full puppy character. Spot clean only: wipe the pieces with a damp cloth and store them flat.
How do inflatable animal costumes work?
An inflatable animal costume stays inflated because a fan, run from a battery pack, keeps air moving into it while you wear it. Between 22 April and 11 October 2026, around four in ten of the orders on our UK website that included one of our animal costumes (not counting cats, dinosaurs, dragons, or werewolves) included an inflatable animal. The horse, unicorn, and frog pages quote over 4 hours of battery life, and the shark page up to 4 hours. Each is one size, with elasticated seals at the openings that hold the air in. For more, see our inflatable costume how-to, our top 10 inflatable costumes, and the kids' inflatable costumes and adult inflatable costumes ranges.
Horse Ride On Inflatable Costume
Our Horse Ride On Inflatable Costume is one size, fitting most adults by height; check the size guide image for the range. Wear close-fitting clothes underneath so the seals sit flush, and use the built-in pocket to reach your phone without taking the costume off.
Kids Unicorn Ride On Inflatable Costume
Our Kids Unicorn Ride On Inflatable Costume is one size that fits most kids, and sizing is not by age alone, so check the size chart to confirm your child sits within the range. A thin base layer underneath makes it easier to get on and off.
Kids Lil' Man Eating Shark Inflatable Costume
Our Kids Lil' Man Eating Shark Inflatable Costume pulls on over regular clothes, with adjustable straps to tailor the fit, in one size designed for most children. Check that the seals sit snugly at the wrists and ankles when your child is wearing it.
Kids Giant Frog Inflatable Costume
Our Kids Giant Frog Inflatable Costume is one size that fits most children, and the fan keeps it inflated for over 4 hours. Fasten the seals first, then switch the fan on, and remove the fan and battery pack before any cleaning.
How do animal costume sizes and care work?
Our kids' fabric animal costumes are sized by age, our inflatables are one size, and the Men's Giraffe Onesie Costume runs M to XL. The tiger, penguin, and fox run S 4-6 years, M 7-9, L 10-12, and XL 12-14; the monkey onesie has four sizes from baby to small child; and the werewolf is S, M, and L by age and height and is not suitable for under-3s. Check the size chart image on each inflatable's page.
If your child is between sizes, the tiger, penguin, monkey, and werewolf pages suggest sizing up for comfort, and the tiger, penguin, and fox pages each point to a size guide to check against. Every costume goes through over 30 measurement checks. All of our kids' products are safety tested by accredited labs. For any children's costume, the London Fire Brigade's October 2025 advice is to look for the UKCA or CE mark and the seller's details on the packaging and labels.
Our fabric animal costumes are hand wash only and air dried, never machine-washed. The inflatables are hand wash only too, with the fan and battery pack removed first and a full air dry before you inflate again, and the dog set is spot clean only. Take the monkey onesie's detachable tail off before washing, and wipe the werewolf mask with a damp cloth. The 13 here are a cross-section, and our full animal fancy dress and costume range holds the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest animal costume for a school play?
A hooded all-in-one that goes on over everyday clothes, such as our Kids Tiger Costume with its attached hood and zip front, is a quick way to get a child ready for a school play. Our Kids Penguin Costume is an all-in-one with penguin feet shoe covers in the pack, and both come in four sizes for ages 4 to 14. For a toddler or a nursery play, the Boys Monkey Onesie Costume comes in baby to small-child sizes.
What animal costumes are there for adults?
Adults can choose a shark suit, a giraffe onesie, a tiger bodysuit, a ride-on inflatable horse, or an ears-and-tail set. The Mens Shark Costume is one size fits most, the Men's Giraffe Onesie Costume runs M to XL, the Women's Tiger Bodysuit Costume runs small to X-large, and the Adult Dog Ears and Tail Set adds ears, a tail, and a nose to your own clothes. The rest are in our adult animal costumes range.
What size animal costume does a 7-year-old need?
A 7-year-old sits in the M band, 7-9 years, on our Kids Tiger Costume, Kids Penguin Costume, and kids' fox costume. If your child is between sizes, the tiger and penguin pages suggest sizing up, and the inflatables are one size, so check the size chart on the page instead.
Do inflatable animal costumes need batteries?
Yes, each inflatable has a fan and battery pack that keeps it inflated, and the 4 AA batteries are not in the pack. Fit the batteries, check the seals at the openings sit snugly, then switch the fan on. Take the pack out before any cleaning.
How do you wash an animal costume?
Fabric animal costumes are hand wash only and air dried, never machine-washed. Take the monkey onesie's detachable tail off first, wipe the werewolf mask with a damp cloth, and for inflatables remove the fan and battery pack before hand washing, then air dry fully before inflating again. The dog ears and tail set is spot clean only.
