October is coming to a close, which means Halloween is upon us. For some people, the scariest part of this spooky holiday is coming up with a good costume idea.
You want something fun and original, but you don’t want to break the bank doing it. You also shudder at the thought of buying a $50 costume for one night. This is why many people opt for a homemade costume.
The idea of a homemade costume can be daunting to many, but it doesn’t have to be a scary task. DIY costumes can be as simple or as complex as you want them to be. Need some inspiration? Here are 5 simple homemade Halloween costume ideas for kids that you can pull off for under $25.
1. Bubble Bath
What You’ll Need:
White Latex Balloons: $4.86 (Amazon)
White T-shirt: $1.97 (Amazon)
Rubber Duck: $1.99 (Amazon)
Glue: $2.77 (Amazon)
Not only is this costume squeaky-clean, but it’s also incredibly simple and wallet-friendly. Inflate a dozen white balloons and glue them to a white t-shirt. Then, either glue the rubber duck to the shirt or just have your child hold it. Add any other bath time accessories you wish (a shower cap, for example) to guarantee that your child will be bathing in compliments all night!
2. Smarty Pants
What You’ll Need:
Smarties Candy Rolls: $10.31 for 2 lbs. (Amazon)
Children’s Sweatpants: $6.96 (Amazon)
Your child will really live up to the Smarty Pants name with this clever costume. You also couldn’t ask for an easier assembly process. Simply take as many Smarties candy rolls as you want and glue them to any pair of pants. The end result? A witty costume that can be appreciated and admired by people of any age.
3. Skeleton
What You’ll Need:
Black T-shirt: $1.97 (Amazon)
Skull Mask and Gloves: $8.99 (Amazon) OR Skeleton Face Paint: $6.00 (Amazon)
White Acrylic Paint: $4.92 (Amazon)*
White T-shirt: $1.97 (Amazon)*
*Optional depending on which costume construction method you choose.
Skeletons go with Halloween like turkeys go with Thanksgiving. This iconic figure can be replicated into a spooky Halloween costume without going to the store and dropping a boneheaded amount of money. There are a couple ways you can create your own skeleton costume:
Paint white ribs and bones on an all-black outfit
Use layering to your advantage. Use a white t-shirt as the first layer, and then cut holes in the black t-shirt to give the appearance of ribs and bones when you wear it over the white t-shirt.
Once the torso is completed, use a mask or face paint to complete the look. The beauty of the skeleton costume is that it can be as simple or as intricate as you want it to be. Whichever way you go about it, you can easily create a costume that will chill people to the bone.
4. Candy Rapper
What You’ll Need:
Fake Gold Chain: $6.00 (Amazon)
Toy Microphone: $1.99 (Amazon)
Sunglasses: $3.47 (Amazon)
Candy Variety Pack: $8.97 (Amazon)
Another costume idea for the pun fanatics out there is the Candy Rapper. Start off by dressing your child up like a rap star: a white or black T-shirt and some jeans will work just fine. Get him or her some fake jewelry, a fake microphone, and some sunglasses. Then, to complete the look, glue some candy to their clothes. This pun is so sweet your child will be sure to get laughs from parents and other kids alike.
5. Emojis
What You’ll Need:
Cardboard: Free! (ask grocery/retail stores)
Paint (mainly yellow and black, but use whatever colors you like!): $6.64 (Amazon)
Duct Tape: $3.37 (Amazon)
Who doesn’t love emojis? Emojis have taken the world by storm in the past few years, and with a seemingly endless selection to choose from, there really is an emoji out there for everyone. When it comes to a Halloween costume, emojis are as simple as it gets:
Just cut some cardboard into the shape of your child’s favorite emoji and then paint to decorate it. Tape/glue this cardboard onto his or her shirt, and just like that, your kid becomes an instantly recognizable symbol that is adored by everyone.
Halloween can be a fun holiday for everyone involved without taking a toll on your wallet. If you want to cut costs on the 31st, the best way to do it is by making costumes rather than buying them. Not only is it frugal, but it can also be a fun and creative activity the entire family gets involved with. If you are itching for more fun ways to get the most out of the season for you and your family, check out our list of great family-friendly fall activities.
Autumn can be one of the most important times of the year for kids with school and extracurriculars starting back up, but it can also bring health issues. Whether it’s the dreaded flu season, autumnal allergies, or anything in between, there are a lot of things for a parent to keep an eye on this time of year. Grow Pediatrics is here to make sure that your kids’ health is always in tip-top shape. View our services and schedule an appointment today!