When it's time to start thinking about Halloween costumes (for you or your kids), you have two options: Head to a costume store and pick up a bagged costume, or create a DIY Halloween costume. Contrary to popular belief, not all DIY costumes require weeks of preparation—there are plenty of easy, last-minute Halloween costumes out there. Certain costumes do require a bit of time and effort, though, especially if you plan to show them off at the school Halloween party or in a costume parade.
Lamb
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This snuggly DIY costume is both comfortable and cozy, perfect for a chilly Halloween night. You'll need a long sleeve shirt, leggings, and plenty of cotton balls to complete the disguise.
What You'll Need:
- White crewneck sweatshirt and pants
- White long sleeve shirt
- Cotton balls
- Black tape
- Black beanie
- Black felt
How-to:
- Cut the arms off the sweatshirt.
- Glue cotton balls to the sweatshirt.
- Tape the wrist of the undershirt and ankles of the pants with thick black tape.
- For the ears, cut ears from black felt and glue them to a beanie cap.
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Only a few supplies are needed to create this shark's tough skin, including a hooded sweatshirt and felt. If you're looking for a group costume idea, get your whole family to be fish, mermaids, and scuba divers for an under-the-sea theme.
What You'll Need:
- Grey hooded sweatshirt and pants
- White felt
- Black buttons
- Grey felt
- Hot glue gun
- Scissors
- Round cardboard cake base
- Red felt
How-to:
- Cut and glue white felt to the front of the grey hoodie.
- Using the white felt, cut a zigzag pattern for the teeth. Attach with glue around the inside edge of the hood.
- To make the fin, cut the round cardboard cake base into a shark fin shape.
- Cover the cardboard with grey felt.
- Attach with glue to the back of the grey hoodie.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
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Inspired by the book by Laura Numeroff, this literary DIY costume is immediately recognizable—and a great pick for any Halloween dresser-upper, especially one who has always loved reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.
What You'll Need:
- Cardboard
- Brown fabric
- Hot glue gun and sticks
- Polyester fiber fill
- Brown pom-poms
- Grey and pink felt
- Headband
- White shirt
- Blue jean overalls
How-to:
- Cut the cardboard into a 14-inch circle. If you'd like, snip a zig-zag bite into one side. Cut the fabric into a 20-inch circle. Start wrapping the fabric around the edge of the cardboard and tape it to the back of the board to secure it in place. Stop about three-quarters of the way around the circle and fill the pocket between the felt and cardboard with stuffing, then tape the last portion closed. Glue on pom-poms for chocolate chips.
- Cut two mouse ear shapes out of gray felt, then cut two smaller ear shapes out of pink felt. Glue the pink pieces onto the gray pieces to form ears, and adhere them to a headband.