Cool Halloween costume ideas
Check out these inexpensive do-it-yourself costumes.
Spider
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
You will need:
To create the legs, take three pairs of tights and fill each leg with the styrofoam balls or rolled-up pairs of socks. Tie black yarn between the first and second balls that you put into each spider leg. Leave enough yarn to tie around your wrists so you can raise and lower the legs. Pin or sew the open ends of the tights to the back of a black shirt and wear black pants. To be a black widow spider, cut an hourglass shape from red felt or fabric and pin it to the front of the shirt.
- Three pairs of inexpensive black tights
- Styrofoam balls (available at craft stores)
- Black yarn
- Safety pins
- Red felt of paper (optional)
To create the legs, take three pairs of tights and fill each leg with the styrofoam balls or rolled-up pairs of socks. Tie black yarn between the first and second balls that you put into each spider leg. Leave enough yarn to tie around your wrists so you can raise and lower the legs. Pin or sew the open ends of the tights to the back of a black shirt and wear black pants. To be a black widow spider, cut an hourglass shape from red felt or fabric and pin it to the front of the shirt.
Lion
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
You will need:
For the lion's mane, cute a piece of yarn long enough to tie around your face with the hood up. Tie three-inch-long pieces of yellow and brown yarn all along the string. Make furry cuffs for your wrists the same way. For the tail, cut a long strip of felt and glue yarn to the end. Cut two ears out of the felt. Tie the lion's mane around your hood and secure it with safety pins. Pin the ears and tail in place and tie on the fur cuffs. Paint on a brown nose and whiskers, and practice your roar.
- Yellow hooded sweat shirt and pants
- Thick, fuzzy yellow and brown yarn
- Face paint
- Safety pins
For the lion's mane, cute a piece of yarn long enough to tie around your face with the hood up. Tie three-inch-long pieces of yellow and brown yarn all along the string. Make furry cuffs for your wrists the same way. For the tail, cut a long strip of felt and glue yarn to the end. Cut two ears out of the felt. Tie the lion's mane around your hood and secure it with safety pins. Pin the ears and tail in place and tie on the fur cuffs. Paint on a brown nose and whiskers, and practice your roar.
CAT UP A TREE
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
You will need:
Wrap the garlands around your arms and torso, and pin in place. Pin the cat to your shoulder. Attach leaves to your hair with bobby pins or by pinning them to a headband. Your friends will be green with envy.
- Green shirt
- Brown pants
- Leafy garlands (available at craft stores)
- Safety pins
- Stuffed cat
- Bobby pins or elastic headband
Wrap the garlands around your arms and torso, and pin in place. Pin the cat to your shoulder. Attach leaves to your hair with bobby pins or by pinning them to a headband. Your friends will be green with envy.
Shark
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
You will need:
- White poster board
- Tape
- Gray sweatshirt
- Safety pins
What do to:
Cut triangles from the poster board and tape them inside the hood of a gray sweatshirt. Cut a fin shape from a gray foam sheet (available at craft stores). Cut a one-inch vertical slit in the center of the fin's base. Fold one side out to the right and the other side out to the left. Secure each side to the back of the sweatshirt using safety pins.
AQUARIUM
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
You will need:
Cut a hole for your head in the top of the box. Cut large squares out of all four sides. Paint the box or cover it with construction paper. Cover the back window with a large piece of cellophane and tape it to the inside of the box. Tape strips of cellophane inside both side windows. Cut sea animal shapes out of craft foam. To hang, thread fishing line through a small hole in each shape, then tape the fishing line to the top of the box. Tie or tape fishing line around the seashells to hang them. Tape greenery inside the front of the box. If you like, wear a snorkel mask, goggles, or flippers for photos. For safety, be sure to remove them before you go trick-or-treating.
- Large cardboard box
- Silver paint or construction paper
- Blue cellophane
- Duct tape
- Craft foam
- Fishing line
- Seashells
- Plastic greenery (available at craft stores)
- Snorkel mask or goggles and flippers (optional)
Cut a hole for your head in the top of the box. Cut large squares out of all four sides. Paint the box or cover it with construction paper. Cover the back window with a large piece of cellophane and tape it to the inside of the box. Tape strips of cellophane inside both side windows. Cut sea animal shapes out of craft foam. To hang, thread fishing line through a small hole in each shape, then tape the fishing line to the top of the box. Tie or tape fishing line around the seashells to hang them. Tape greenery inside the front of the box. If you like, wear a snorkel mask, goggles, or flippers for photos. For safety, be sure to remove them before you go trick-or-treating.
SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
You will need:
Cut out a two-foot-wide (.61-meter-wide) circular piece of cardboard. Cut holes in the center of the cardboard and tablecloth for your head. Glue the tablecloth to the cardboard. Cut a hole for your neck out of the plate. Slit the plate so you can wear it as a collar. Glue yarn (spaghetti), pom-poms (meatballs), and red felt (sauce) to the plate and cap. Glue napkin, utensils, salt and pepper shakers, and a vase with flowers on top of the tablecloth.
- Large cardboard box
- Small tablecloth
- Craft glue
- Large plastic plate
- Cream-colored yarn
- Brown pom-poms
- Red felt
- Baseball cap
- Paper napkin
- Plastic utensils
- Plastic salt and pepper shakers
- Plastic vase with flowers
Cut out a two-foot-wide (.61-meter-wide) circular piece of cardboard. Cut holes in the center of the cardboard and tablecloth for your head. Glue the tablecloth to the cardboard. Cut a hole for your neck out of the plate. Slit the plate so you can wear it as a collar. Glue yarn (spaghetti), pom-poms (meatballs), and red felt (sauce) to the plate and cap. Glue napkin, utensils, salt and pepper shakers, and a vase with flowers on top of the tablecloth.
Laundry
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
You will need:
Cut a hole the width of your body in the bottom of a thin plastic laundry basket, (The opening needs to be big enough so you can slide the basket over your shoulders to your waist.) Loop heavy string through the slats in the sides of the basket and tie it around your waist. Put strips of strong tape across the hole in the bottom so clothes won't fall out. Fill the basket with clothes.
- Plastic laundry basket
- Heavy string
- Assorted clothes
Cut a hole the width of your body in the bottom of a thin plastic laundry basket, (The opening needs to be big enough so you can slide the basket over your shoulders to your waist.) Loop heavy string through the slats in the sides of the basket and tie it around your waist. Put strips of strong tape across the hole in the bottom so clothes won't fall out. Fill the basket with clothes.
Cheese and crackers
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
You will need:
Cut off the bottom of a large, narrow, rectangular box. Then cut off the narrow sides stopping about four inches from the top and cut the front and back of the box into V-shapes. To create a Swiss cheese effect, cut several holes in both sides. Finally, cut a hole in the top of the box for your head. Apply a few coats of yellow paint. Wear an empty cracker box as a hat.
- Large rectangular cardboard box
- Yellow paint or construction paper
- Empty cracker box
Cut off the bottom of a large, narrow, rectangular box. Then cut off the narrow sides stopping about four inches from the top and cut the front and back of the box into V-shapes. To create a Swiss cheese effect, cut several holes in both sides. Finally, cut a hole in the top of the box for your head. Apply a few coats of yellow paint. Wear an empty cracker box as a hat.
Baked Potato
Tie several pillows to the front, back, and sides of your body. Then have a parent or a friend wrap aluminum foil around you until the pillows are completely covered. (It may take a lot of foil, so buy an inexpensive brand!) Press foil down so that it sticks to the pillows. To create a pat of butter, take a large square of yellow felt and cut an X in the center large enough to fit your head through. Wear the felt square around your neck.
Middle of the Road
Dress in black pants and a black shirt. Run two strips of yellow electrical tape down the center of your body, from your neck to your feet, to create two parallel lines.