Costumes – DIY – For Your Little Ones!

Whether you celebrate Halloween and all its typical Trick or Treating with costumes, candy, etc OR whether you prefer the Fall Festivals at your church. Or, maybe your child’s class is having a party at school, you most likely need a costume of some sort this October.

Regardless, here are (17) costume ideas for your little ones to embrace AND that you can make at home for a fraction of the cost had you purchased them from a party store.

How cute are these??

RAPHAËL BÜCHLER

Read on and be inspired to create something new this fall season!

1) Spaghetti and Meatballs: {see directions below}

JON WHITTLE

1. Cut a hole for the head in the center of a red-checkered tablecloth (or 1.25 yards of 45-inch-wide red-checkered fabric) so that it can be worn like a poncho.
2. Cut 1/2 skein off-white yarn into spaghetti-length pieces. With a hot-glue gun, glue them in swirls and bunches to a large, sturdy paper plate.
3. Paint 8 small Styrofoam balls with brown acrylic paint to resemble meatballs. Let dry, then glue 4 or 5 balls to top of spaghetti. Mix brown and red acrylic paint to make a tomato-sauce color; drip that over meatballs and spaghetti. Smear a little on the side of a small pot.
4. Glue the plate to the front of the tablecloth.
5. Glue remaining meatballs to tablecloth where you like.
6. Glue some strands of yarn to the pot “hat.” Tie under chin if needed to keep pot on head.

2) White Bunny Rabbit: 

You’ll need:

• hot glue or fabric glue
• scissors
• tape measure

1. Cut sleeves off a white sweatshirt. Turn sweatshirt fleece side out. Line inside with Poly-Fil batting and glue at neck and armholes. Fold in and glue raw edges.

2. Bunch up a piece of white marabou boa and glue to the back bottom center of body for the tail. Glue another piece of boa at the neck for tuft of fur on chest.

3. Hat: Turn one cut-off sleeve fleece-side out and glue closed at one end. For the ears, cut two 7-inch-long triangles from the other sleeve, fleece side out. Glue two teardrop pieces of pink felt on the inside, allowing a 1/4-inch perimeter. Pinch wide ends together and glue to hat.

Frank Heckers

3) Bubble Bath: {see directions below}

JON WHITTLE

1. Cut a hole in the bottom of an inflatable baby bathtub (we used Munchkin’s Inflatable Safety Duck Tub). Leave at least 2 inches for the rim.
2. On the remaining bottom rim, punch two holes near the front and back. To make the suspenders from wide ribbon, measure your child from shoulder to waist and multiply by 2; cut two lengths of ribbon to that size. Thread through the holes, knotting the ends underneath to secure.
3. Blow up 15 white balloons and attach them with double-stick tape inside the tub and to the sides to make it look like bubbles are overflowing.
4. Accessorize with bath poufs as hair accessories.

4) Snowball Costume: 

All you need is: an over-size pale-blue sweatshirt, string, batting, an extra-large sewing needle, white felt, seam binding, Styrofoam balls in assorted sizes, elastic, Velcro, fabric glue, a large safety pin.

GABRIELLE REVERE

Talk about the perfect storm! Your little Jack (or Jacqueline) Frost will leave family and friends spellbound. And, as with the rest of our costumes, all the supplies can be easily found at any big arts and crafts store. {click here for the complete set of instructions}

5) What a HOOT owl costume: Click here for the full-set of instructions. 

You’ll need:

• Oversize brown sweatshirt
• Fabric glue
• 1/2 yard brown ribbon
• 1 yard light-brown felt
• Brown marabou boa
• 1 yard dark-brown felt
• 2 oversize yellow buttons
• 2 black buttons
• 2 copper scouring pads
• Black rubber glove
• Cotton balls

RAPHAËL BÜCHLER

6) Rainbow Connection:  

All you need is: a tutu, tulle and ribbon in various colors (including rainbow), a paper crown, felt, pipe cleaners, a paper paint bucket, rainbow-striped pajamas (the ones shown are from Little Miss Matched), or any rainbow-colored items you have on hand: tights, tops, socks… it all works!

GABRIELLE REVERE

Your girly-girl is the treasure at the end of the rainbow in this smashing and sweet costume. Use your imagination when picking out hues—ours are just a suggestion. Color us happy!

7) MOO – Cow Costume: 

This costume starts with a sweatshirt two sizes bigger than your child’s size—found at a discount store for about $5 a piece. You’ll also need a hot-glue gun and scissors.

Directions:

1. Cut sleeves off white sweatshirt. Turn in-side out and fold in and glue raw edges. Cut out and glue black felt spots on sweatshirt.

2. Cut a small slit in waistband and neckband and use large safety pin to pull 1-yard piece of 1/4-inch elastic through each. Tie ends together (try on child to make sure it’s not tight).

3. Hat: Turn one cutoff sleeve inside out; glue one end closed. Turn right side out, place on child’s head, and cut to appropriate length, leaving an extra inch. Fold in and glue raw edges.

4. Ears: Cut two large teardrop shapes out of other sleeve. Cut two smaller pink felt teardrops and glue to smooth side of white teardrops.

Pinch round ends and glue to hat, as shown above. Glue Poly-Fil between ears.

5. Add white long-sleeve tee or turtleneck, black gloves, and black leggings or tights.

Frank Heckers

8) Weather Balloon Gal:

All you need is: a cardboard box, large helium balloon, dowels, fabric glue, burlap, batting, rope, jute twine, an extra-large needle, foam weather stripping, tape, and, if you want, a toy barometer, a lab coat, a clipboard and binoculars

Got a budding scientist at home? She’ll feel sky-high trick-or-treating as a meteorologist, complete with her own weather balloon! For more on this costume, click here. 

GABRIELLE REVERE

9) Be One Cool Cat: 

You’ll need:

• Oversize black sweatshirt
• Fabric glue
• 1/2 yard black ribbon
• Black marabou boa
• Straightened metal hanger
• Black headband
• Six 3-inch pieces white floral wire
• 1/2 yard sheer ribbon

Click here for more on this cool cat costume. 

RAPHAËL BÜCHLER

10) Here Comes The Sun:  

All you need is: an over-size yellow sweatshirt, orange and yellow felt, elastic, rickrack, pipe cleaners, fabric glue, a large safety pin

She’s the sunshine of your life, so show the world! A basic sweatshirt is the start of this cheery costume. The smiling face of the sun is made from felt. A plain long-sleeve tee and yellow knee-socks or tights finish it off!  Click here to learn more. 

GABRIELLE REVERE

11) Sandwich Costume: 

Here’s how to make this sandwich costume: 

1. With big, sharp scissors, cut two 18″-square, 2″-thick foam cushion inserts (buy at a large home store or fabric/trimmings shop) into slices of bread.

2. From about three 12″ squares of tan or brown felt, cut 2″-wide strips and, with a hot-glue gun, glue around edges of foam bread slices to make crusts.

3. Cut one 18″-square, 1″-thick foam cushion insert into a big circle and cover with red spray paint. Glue tomato to one slice of bread.

4. Glue a 24″ length of mustard-yellow cord or rickrack to tomato so it’s visible from side.

5. Glue three pairs green garden gloves to inside edges of the other slice of bread, fingers facing out.

6. From 2.5 yards wide ribbon, cut four 18″ lengths for side ties and two 6″ lengths for shoulder straps, and glue to “bread”. He’ll be the yummiest baby on the block!

Frank Heckers

12) Corn On The Cob:  

For this costume, you’ll need:

• hot glue or fabric glue
• scissors
• tape measure

1. Cut sleeves off a green sweatshirt. Turn in armholes and glue raw edges.

2. Give 3 paper egg-carton bottoms a coat of yellow paint. When dry, glue to front of sweatshirt for kernels, as shown.

3. Cut 1 yard of green felt in half. Pull on felt to create irregular edges. Fold and glue along each side of egg cartons, as shown. Glue green pipe cleaners to the back of felt at the top to help the “husk” tips stand up.

4. Hat: Measure child’s head and cut a sleeve to fit, leaving an extra inch at the top. Cut a bunch of raffia and bundle together. Wrap a strand around base of bundle to keep it together; glue to hat for corn silk.

Frank Heckers

13) It’s Raining Cats & Dogs: 

All you need is: a child-size clear umbrella, black sticky felt (like Presto felt), black poster board, fabric pencil, gray thread, a needle

Drips are for kids! This clever idea is sure to be a hit in your neighborhood. Pair the decorated umbrella with the raincoat and rain boots your child already owns and she’ll be set to have a blast in any weather.  For more on this costume, click here!

GABRIELLE REVERE

14) Tomato Plant: 

For this costume, you’ll need:

• hot glue or fabric glue
• scissors
• tape measure

1. Cut sleeves off a red sweatshirt; fold in and glue raw edges. Line the inside with Poly-Fil batting and lightly glue at neck and armholes. Cut a small slit in waistband and use a small safety pin to pull 1 1/2-inch-thick elastic through; tie ends in a knot. Cut off theexcess elastic.

2. Cut an 18-inch square of green felt. Trim edges to make it into a circle. Cut a slit up the back, fold in quarters, then cut a half-moon shape at the top for a neck hole. Cut points to make a leafy collar.

3. Hat: Measure child’s head and cut a sweatshirt sleeve to fit, leaving an extra inch at the top. Gather excess fabric and tightly wrap a wavy green pipe cleaner around the top to create stem.

4. Cut a small piece of green felt into a circle. Make a slit down the center, then cut jagged edges around the perimeter to create the leaves. Fit over pipe cleaner; glue into place.

Frank Heckers

15) Fluffy Blue Cloud: 

All you need is: an over-size pale-blue sweatshirt, white felt, batting, string, a large needle, small toy airplane or helicopter (make sure it’s age-appropriate), fabric glue

This is a heaven-sent get-up for a boy or a girl. You may already have the starting pieces for this costume—a sweatshirt, coordinating sweatpants and a long-sleeve plain tee. The fluffy effect of the cloud is surprisingly easy to achieve with batting.  Click here for more details. 

GABRIELLE REVERE

16) OINK OINK – Little Piggy Costume: 

This costume starts with a sweatshirt two sizes bigger than your child’s size—found at a discount store for about $5 a piece. You’ll also need a hot-glue gun and scissors.

Directions:

1. Cut the sleeves off a pink sweatshirt; fold in and glue raw edges.

2. Turn sweatshirt inside out and glue Poly-Fil or batting to cover inside, front, and back.

3. Turn sweatshirt right side out. Glue on a tail made from a coiled pink pipe cleaner.

4. Hat: Cut two 7-inch-long triangles from one of the cut-off sleeves and glue them (fleece side out) to a pink knit hat for ears.

5. Snout: Cut an empty toilet paper roll to 1 1/2 inches. Cover tube with a glued-on piece of sleeve (fleece side out). Glue two pink ribbons inside tube (to tie snout on head) and a large pink button on front.

6. Add pink tights and a pink turtleneck.

Frank Heckers

17) The Adventurous Scuba Diver: Click here for the details on this costume!

SQUIRE FOX

Please be sure to share photos of your sugar-pops in these adorable costumes this fall! And enjoy your time together as you pick one and make it together!!

For a great fall snack recipe, click here!

HT Parenting

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