There’s something special about a homemade Halloween costume. While quick and easy costumes from the store are…well, easy…they just simply cannot compare to a homemade costume.
The key to making a Halloween costume is to let the kids in on the action. Let them help you come up with ideas, plan the costume and create it. While planning will save you stress, some of the best costumes are ones that are thrown together at the last minute with items around the house.
When looking to do a DIY costume, don’t forget mom and dad’s closet. An old plaid shirt can be transformed into a farmer, while mom’s old blouse could be the making of a pirate shirt.
Recycle paper goods such as boxes, paper plates, and toilet paper or paper towel rolls. Combine them with markers or paints to create costumes such as cars, a fish (the paper plates could be the scales), or a robot.
Look through social media sites such as Pinterest.com with your kids to find great homemade Halloween costume ideas.
Here are some easy DIY Halloween costumes to try:
Use a box, egg cartons and paint to create a life-sized Lego® for your child to wear.
Make a Minecraft head out of a paper bag.
Turn your little girl into Pippi Longstocking using mismatched clothes and adding some braids to her hair.
Create a doctor’s coat out of dad’s old white shirt. Add a name tag with the letters “Dr.” before your child’s name. Make a stethoscope out of yarn and foil. Be Princess Moana from Disney® by using a brown grass skirt covered with some old cloth. Create her top out of an old red shirt and have your child decorate it with black sharpies or markers. You can create her sash with the remaining red top. Create a sushi costumes out of an old pillow and a black sash. Cover the pillow in a salmon-colored pillowcase or orange felt. Then draw on white lines with whiteout or paste on white material for a Salmon Nigiri sushi. Alternatively, use a dark pink pillowcase to represent Ahi. Have your child wear a white outfit (rice), attach fish and wrap a black sash (nori) around the fish and your child’s body to hold everything in place. Add chopsticks to their hair for an extra accessory.
Parents can also join the fun and make a costume that compliments their child’s. For instance, if your child is a piece of sushi, you could be a soy sauce bottle or a sushi chef. If they are a fish you could be a fisherman or a piece of coral. If they are Moana, you could be Maui or another character from the movie. This is a great way to bond with your children and connect by sharing a common interest.
Get the kids involved and have fun with your DIY costume. You and your child will cherish the memories for years to come.
