Easy DIY Toddler Halloween Costume Idea | Ace Ventura Pet Detective -

I’ve been working on my son’s Halloween costume this week, and it reminded me that I never shared the breakdown of his Toddler Ace Ventura: Pet Detective DIY costume from last year! I was lucky enough to pick out three of his Halloween costumes, but this year, he’s officially decided on his own. Luckily, he chose a fun one for me to DIY—so stay tuned for that!

Check out his Toddler Chuckie Costume!

ACE VENTURA COSTUME:

Growing up, I was forced to watch Ace Ventura so many times that I eventually started to despise the character. Anyone who had a brother in the ’90s can probably relate! My brother would quote that movie over and over (and over again). Since my son is basically a mini version of my brother, I couldn’t resist dedicating his Halloween costume to his uncle’s favorite character—Ace Ventura, Pet Detective.

And this is the part where I blame my mom for my life’s issues—but don’t worry, it’s a nice one. Growing up, my mom made all of my costumes. We’d sit in Walmart’s sewing section flipping through pattern magazines, and she’d hand-sew every single one. My mom has always been incredibly creative and completely obsessed with anything that sparkles. She made me the most amazing costumes—ones that looked like they belonged on a movie set.

So now, I think she’s ruined me a little. I can’t just grab a costume off the shelf or order one from Amazon—I have to piece it together or make it myself. Anyone been here since the time I spent 48 hours making a piñata costume? I imagine if I had a little girl, I’d be doing exactly what she did, but since I have a boy, it’s a bit easier. Still, I can’t wait for you to see what I’ve been working on for my son’s costume this Halloween 2025!

Here is everything I bought for his easy DIY Toddler Ace Ventura costume:

DIY ACE VENTURA TODDLER COSTUME:

Props: Iguana
Props: Shoulder Parrot
Black Toddler Boots
Toddler Hawaiian Shirt
White Undershirt
Ace Ventura Toddler Red & Black Striped Pants
For the name tag, I cut out a printed graphic and hot glued it to the shirt!

Costume’s finishing touches:

My son’s hair wasn’t very long last Halloween, but he had just enough for us to spike the middle with hair gel—just like Ace Ventura. I considered adding a little cocoa powder to darken it, but the gel actually gave it enough color and texture to pull off the look perfectly against his natural blonde hair.

Even though my son loved his costume—and I showed him a few fun (and appropriate) clips from the movie—the adults were the ones who really got a kick out of it! We got so many compliments while out trick-or-treating. It brought back a wave of nostalgia for everyone who grew up watching Ace Ventura.

We live in a dream neighborhood for trick-or-treating—I would have absolutely loved it as a kid! There are so many houses that you’d never run out of places to go (or need to double-dip), and about 90% of them go all out with Halloween decorations. This year, our friends are joining us because our neighborhood is just that much fun on Halloween night. Watch the video I included in this post to see it for yourself!