Cheap and Easy
Homemade Halloween Costumes

Homemade Halloween Costumes for Kids

Cinderella: One of the most popular girls easy homemade Halloween costumes. A blue flowing dress; a blue headband, and some clear plastic shoes (or silver ones), along with some very pretty makeup will get you a Princess fit for the ball. If you have a few stuffed mice they make great props.

Jack and the Beanstalk: A plain shirt with shorts, suspenders and long socks. Or you can roll up pant legs to look like knickers, and add a cap . A plastic potted plant resembling a bamboo stalk, and a "sack of magic beans" will make your point.

Rapunzel: Long dress with long puffy sleeves if you can find it, but the important thing here is the long ponytail reaching just above the ankles. You can make this out of braided yarn. Make sure it only comes to the ankle to avoid being tripped over.

Princess: A pretty dress and shoes, matched with some makeup and a dollar store tiara will get you one quickie princess. For a fairy princess make a wand out of cardboard and foil. For a woodland fairy put a ring of flowers in the hair. Get some dollar store wings, and make a wand from a tree branch and add a foil star. Strips of tulle tied in the hair, wand, or wrists will add to the whimsy of these easy homemade Halloween costumes.

3. Glue one ear to each side of the foam visor. Gluing from the underside so they flop over your kids actual ears.

4. Trace the shape of a dog bone from the white craft foam. Draw accent lines in the curves if you want.

5. Put a dab of black face paint (or mascara if you don't have face paint) on the tip of your child's nose.

If it's going to be chilly use a hooded sweatshirt instead, and pin the ears on either side of the hood. Use a strip of black felt for the tail and safety pin it in place or use a velcro dot.

Voila! One cute-as-can-be puppy! A felt dog collar and tag can add to the affect if you have the time to whip it together. Just use black felt and a velcro dot to attach the collar. Attach a construction paper dog license with your "puppies" name printed on it.

Red Riding Hood: One of the classic easy homemade Halloween costumes. If you don't want to sew, just get a good fabric glue and use pinking shears to keep edges from raveling.

You will need: 3 yards of red fabric. Get the least expensive you can find. Felt does a good job. Don't forget to check the remnant table. 1 yard of red ribbon. If you use fabric glue have plenty of clothes pins handy to hold the pieces in place until they dry.

1. Cut a piece of fabric 10" by 28". This will be the hood.


2. Putting right sides together, fold this piece of fabric in half the long way and sew/glue the long edge together.


3. Put the hood on your child with the seam in the back and trim it so it comes to the shoulders.


4. Attach the hood to the middle of the remaining fabric. Again, right sides together.


5. Attach red ribbon on either side of the cape. You can even use safety pins for this part.

A simple dress, tights, and black shoes are all you need under the red cape. A small basket to hold treats makes the look complete.

Fortune Teller: Flowing clothes in layers and bright colors. Tie a scarf around your child's head and waist. Go for lots of costume jewelry. Make an easy crystal ball by wrapping a styrofoam ball in foil then gluing it to the bottom of an inverted small paper plate.

Pirate: Roll up pants to just above the knee. Tie a scarf around the waist. Tie a dark bandanna around your child's head. Lots of costume jewelry gold necklaces and an eye patch made of felt and ribbon will make an unforgettable pirate. Draw a treasure map on craft paper. Roll it up and tie it with string or twine.

Mummy: You'll need an old white sheet and some old clothes. Preferable long pants and a long sleeved T-shirt. Tear the sheet into strips and hot glue to the clothes loosely wrapping it around the arms, legs and torso as you do. Attach some plastic bugs in icky places. Wrap the head, being careful not to wrap too tightly. Add white face paint and fake blood for effect.

Witch: Witches hats come in all shapes, sizes and prices. Again, the dollar or discount store is your best bet. Dark clothes and scary makeup usually do the trick. For added drama follow the instructions for the Red Riding Hood cape using black fabric. And don't forget the black cauldron "trick or treat" bucket. You can usually find them mixed in with the plastic pumpkins.

Short on time and need to shop?
Here are some really cute, ready-made costumes.
Many under $25

More Easy Homemade Halloween Costumes
and other Spooky Stuff

• Check out even more cool Halloween costumes that will work even for your teenaged kids.
• Is it Oct 30th and you need to throw something together NOW!?! No problem. We've got easy to make Halloween costumes that you can put together in a pinch.
• If you're throwing a ghoulish party our Halloween party games for kids can't be beat.
• Goblins get hungry on Halloween night so you'll need our gross recipes for Halloween to keep the monsters happy.

About an hour before you head out the door is a good time to plan for face painting right before everyone goes out the door. Plan ahead and put together a makeup station with essential face paint supplies.