These costumes are faster than the lineup at the party store and easier than one of those fancy pumpkin-carving stencils. All you’ll need is a spare afternoon (and a mini chocolate bar or two.)
Starting at the bottom, wrap strips of silver duct tape around hand-me-down or inexpensive one-piece pajamas that are at least two sizes larger than your space girl normally wears. For the hat, cover a small plunger (pick up a new one at the dollar store) with silver spray paint and then duct tape it to a length of fabric elastic you can tie around her head. Once the spacesuit is on, affix a hula hoop (spray-painted silver) with long strips of silver duct tape to create a futuristic (and see-through) skirt.
Remove the fabric from an umbrella: Snip all the threads, take out the metal pieces and then cut around the centre tube. Cut this fabric in half. Then fold each piece in half again, taping the fold along the arm of a black fleece using black duct tape (it peels off easily). For the ears, cut two triangles out of stiffened felt and hot glue them to a hair band.
Read more: Best store-bought costumes for kids
Photo: Erik PutzFold down the corners of one end of a furry leg warmer (you can find them at party stores) to form a point. Place a length of thick craft wire inside to help it hold its shape. If your troll’s head is too large to fit into the leg warmer, glue the “hair” onto a toque. Glue fake flowers and butterflies onto a piece of ribbon and wrap it around the hair, securing it at the back with Velcro. Pull a top and skirt or dress over pink PJs.
Photo: Erik PutzCut flame shapes out of orange, yellow and red felt. Hot glue them in layers onto an old red shirt. Then glue a strip of brown fabric along the base of the flames. Cut pool noodles in half vertically and then into smaller logs. Cover some of the logs with brown duct tape and others with brown packing tape. Hot glue the logs onto the brown fabric at various angles. Cut a smoke shape out of stiffened felt, hot glue on cotton batting and dab on some grey paint. Glue the smoke onto a headband.
Photo: Erik PutzThis cloud is a two-person job: one to hold the umbrella and the other to carefully hot glue on the bunches of cotton batting. Cut teardrop shapes out of blue transparency paper and attach to thin ribbons to be hot glued to the inside of your cloud.
If you don’t have a tutu, you can just tie long strips of tulle around a length of fabric elastic that you can tie around your fairy’s waist. For the toothbrush, cut a long narrow strip out of one end of a pool noodle, large enough to slip a dustpan brush into. For added stability, slide a broomstick into the centre hole, and then slide the brush in. To make the tiara, hot glue toothbrushes upright onto a hair band; reinforce by gluing a piece of stiffened felt to the back. Add wings, and your fairy is ready to shine.
Photo: Erik PutzFor the distinctive tail, stuff a black sock, adding in a piece of craft wire to help it hold its shape. Using a glue gun, stick the tail to the back of a black hoodie (use a hand-me-down or inexpensive one). Then hot glue thin white boas from the top of the hoodie, down the back and over and under the tail. Cut two ears out of black stiffened felt and glue onto the hood. For the tummy, cut an oval out of white felt. Glue one half to one side of the zipper, and use Velcro to attach the other side (so you can still access the zipper).
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Photo: Erik PutzUsing hot glue, stick toy cars onto a length of black ribbon; your little highway can wear this around his collar. Add strips of yellow masking tape to a black jacket and pants. Make a racing flag by gluing squares of black felt to a piece of white stiffened felt, and then glue a wooden spoon to the back.
Photo: Erik PutzPrint out cat and dog emojis and glue them on cardstock. (You can also draw your own cats and dogs or use stickers) Attach emojis to lengths of thin ribbon and hang them inside the umbrella—have your kid hold the umbrella as you do this. (Hot glue is the most secure, but packing tape means you can use the umbrella again.)
Photo: Erik PutzFor the anklets and wristlets, hot glue lengths of boas onto pieces of fabric elastic; add Velcro so it’s easy to secure them. Next, glue a long, skinny rectangle of felt onto a felt circle to make the end of the tail. Hot glue a boa all over the tail, and then glue a long piece of ribbon to the base that you can tie around your dog’s waist. For the ears, cut long teardrop shapes out of felt. Glue pieces of boa onto the ears. Then glue the ears onto a hair band, adding more feathers and ribbons to the top.
For this festive costume, use hand-me-down or inexpensive one-piece PJs that are at least two sizes larger than your little pinata normally wears. Cut coloured felt into long rectangles, and then cut a fringe three-quarters up the side of each strip. Working from the ankles up, hot glue fringe right onto PJs. For each ear, form a cone out of cardstock, placing a party blower in the centre. Cover with fringe and glue to a hair band.
Photo: Erik PutzMake a pilot’s badge for your little Amelia Earhart by gluing a star and shield onto a wing shape (all cut from yellow and gold felt). Attach to jacket with double-sided tape. If you don’t have a white scarf, use a length of white felt. Glue strips of gold felt onto a hat with ear flaps, then hot glue Mason jar lids onto the felt.
Photo: Erik PutzTo make the belt, draw two rectangles on a small square piece of cardboard. Cut these rectangles out, leaving a “belt buckle” shape, and then coat with gold acrylic paint. Cover the collar of a red peacoat with black duct tape, adding yellow masking tape along the edges. (It peels off easily.) Use the same technique to make epaulettes. Run yellow masking tape down the sides of black pants. Thread a piece of black ribbon through the buckle and tie at the back. Add a hat, and your Mountie is ready to ride.
Photo: Erik PutzSlice a pool noodle into 1-inch circles. Using a glue gun, stick these spots all over a hoodie and sweatpants. Glue strips of fun fur around the hood, wrists and bottoms, and add tufts of fur to the middle of some spots. Cut ear shapes out of stiffened felt and glue onto the hood. Add three Styrofoam balls and googly eyes to the edge of the hood.
Photo: Erik PutzPaint a large piece of cardboard with glossy acrylic paint. Next, cut out a dozen egg cups from an egg carton and paint them as well, before hot gluing onto the cardboard. Stick pieces of matching ribbon onto the back of the cardboard, and tie a bow at the back of the neck.
Photo: Erik PutzHave your kid hold up a clear umbrella as you stick various lengths of silver and white wired ribbon on the inside edge with packing tape. (If you don’t want to use the umbrella again, you can hot glue on your tentacles).
Wind a piece of fake ivy (you can find at dollar stores) around a thick green pool noodle “beanstalk,” hot gluing as you go. Cut a cloud shape out of foam core with an X-acto knife. Glue your beanstalk onto the cloud, and then glue on cotton batting.
Photo: Erik PutzTo make the pot, cut thin pool noodles in half vertically. Bend them into rings, trimming so they fit around your honey bear comfortably. Tape the rings together with duct tape. Stack four rings on top of each other, taping them all together using yellow duct tape. Cut a length of white felt to fit around the outside of your pot, and stick it on with hot glue. Spell out “honey” with precut letters or fabric paint. Add a few bees made out of pompoms and white felt. For the shoulder straps, stick lengths of ribbons to the top of the pot with duct tape. (Criss-crossing the ribbons at the back helps the pot stay on.) For the hat, tape two small pieces of noodles together, add felt ears and glue onto a hair band.
Photo: Erik PutzThis costume is all about the boom box (it doubles as a treat bag). Strip packing tape off a narrow cardboard box and hot glue all the sides shut. Cut a rectangle out of the top, using that cardboard for a handle. Reinforce the handle by taping a plastic ruler underneath. Apply two coats of acrylic paint. Cut details out of coloured cardstock and stick on with double-sided tape.
Photo: Erik PutzTo make a cap, hot glue the edges of two felt triangles together and turn inside out. Cut a beard shape from white stiffened felt; hot glue on cotton batting. Glue fabric elastic to either side of the beard. Draw two thin rectangles on a small rectangular piece of yellow bristol board, and cut them out, leaving a “belt buckle” shape. Thread a ribbon through your buckle and tie at the back over a puffy jacket.
Photo: Erik PutzCut out four egg cups from an egg carton, apply pink acrylic paint and then hot glue them onto an oval cut from pink felt. Hot glue your udder onto the front of a white shirt. Next, cut random shapes out of black felt and hot glue onto white pants, shirt and hat. To make ears, cut rounded diamond shapes out of black and pink felt; pinch the bottom of the diamonds and stick onto the hat with hot glue. Attach a tiny bit of fake fur to the top of the hat.
Read more: 11 best store-bought costumes for baby and toddler
You’ll need about three boas to create this fabulous bird. Using an old pink shirt, start at one wrist and glue a boa up the arm to the shoulder and then about halfway down the front. Then glue your boas back and forth across the front of the shirt until you reach the bottom. Cut a beak shape out of white and black stiffened felt, and glue onto a black glove. Stick on a few feathers and add one googly eye.
Photo: Erik PutzFold one-quarter of a thin pool noodle down, and secure with ribbon. Cut a fringe into two long pieces of felt and stick on with a glue gun. Glue on a long length of ribbon to act as reins.
Photo: Erik PutzSlice a Styrofoam ball in half, apply two coats of acrylic paint and then hot glue onto a hair band. For the antennae, glue pompoms onto pipe cleaners and attach to the band. To make the wings, strip fabric from two sets of fairy wings, and bend the wire frames so they’re long and narrow. Cut the legs off two pairs of kids’ white tights and pull them over the frames, securing them in the middle with silver duct tape. Bind the two sets of wings together with more silver duct tape. Add two circles of fabric elastic (measure on your dragonfly first) and attach to the base of wings with more tape. Cover wings with glitter glue. Add a puffy jacket or snowsuit and buzz off!
Photo: Erik PutzGrab an old black hoodie, and hot glue one boa up one arm, around the edge of the hood and down the other arm. (You might need two boas depending on your crow’s wingspan.) For the beak, cut a triangle out of stiffened felt. Fold it in half and hot glue it under the bridge of old sunglasses or 3D glasses (pop out the lenses).
Photo: Erik PutzCut the bottom half off an 18-egg carton and paint the bumpy side with yellow paint. Once dry, hot glue your kernels to an old yellow shirt. Glue raffia to a hair band.
Shape the tinfoil into two horns. Wrap and glue black felt around the foil and glue the horns to the headband. To make the tail, cut out two arrows from a piece of felt, sandwich a piece of ribbon between them and glue all three layers together. Hand stitch the tail to the back of her outfit.
Photo: Tony LanzTie the bandana loosely around her neck. For the lasso, fold a thin cotton rope in half and twist the two halves together. Secure the end with a piece of twine. Thread the twine end through the centre fold to make a lasso loop.
Photo: Tony LanzTie a bandana around her head like a headband. Cut a piece of black foam board into a speech bubble. Glue construction paper letters on it that say “We Can Do It!” Attach to a stick with tape.
Photo: Tony LanzCover the box with white paper using spray glue. Draw thin black lines on the left and right side of the box so it looks like a deck. Cut out holes for his head and arms. Cover all of the raw box edges with white tape. Add red paper hearts (or diamonds) and numbers.
Photo: Tony LanzMake a cone using grey Bristol board and tape to secure. Cut out a handle from Bristol board and attach it to the cone with glue. Add a black and white chevron pattern (made out of construction paper) to the chalkboard using glue. Accessorize with a beret.
Photo: Tony LanzCover the box with gift wrap using spray glue. Cut out holes for her head and arms. Cover all raw box edges with matching- coloured tape. Wrap a ribbon around the box, secure with tape and glue on a bow.
Tie the bandana loosely around his neck. Accessorize with a hat, whistle and toy wrench.
Photo: Tony LanzWrap a yellow bandana around her head. Inflate small balloons and add paper leaves made from construction paper. Arrange the fruit in a basket and use double-sided tape to stick them together. Tie an elastic string to the base of the basket and knot the ends to create a chin strap. Add a beaded necklace.
Photo: Tony LanzCover the box with black paper using spray glue. Cut out holes for her head and arms. Cover all raw box edges with black tape. Cut out white paper circles and glue them to the box.
Photo: Tony LanzTwist a floral stem wire around a headband to make an antenna. Form a hoop out of wire and attach to antenna with tape. Cut out stars and birds from cardstock and tape them to the hoop.
Make a cone using beige Bristol board and tape to secure. Make a mini cone with black Bristol board and glue it overtop of the beige cone. Cut a scalloped border out of yellow construction paper and glue it to the bottom of the beige cone. Poke holes on both sides. Thread an elastic string through the holes and knot both ends.
Photo: Tony LanzCut out two layers of felt for each ear, plus an accent piece for the inner ear. Glue each of the layers together. Loop the bottom edge of each ear around the headband and hot glue in place. Make a tail using a pom-pom and attach it with a needle and thread.
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Photo: Tony LanzCover the box with white paper using spray glue. Cut out holes for his head, arms and a window. Push a clear plastic bowl through window, fill it with clothing and seal with foam board. Cover all of the raw box edges with white tape. Cut out a foam-board strip and tape to the box. For the knobs, attach bottle caps with hot glue.
Photo: Tony LanzCut out a crown from green Bristol board and embellish with paper leaves made out of construction paper. Hand stitch the balloons to the outfit by threading the needle through the knot of each balloon. Use a face paint pencil to complete the look.
Photo: Tony LanzRemove the metal centre from a lampshade, turn it upside down and attach suspenders to it. Twist a bedsheet and wrap it around her body, securing it with safety pins. Add sprinkles made out of felt. Make a cherry out of a large pom-pom and glue it to the headband; add a stem made out of floral stem wire.
Make a cone using pink Bristol board and tape to secure. Attach a pom-pom and tulle to the tip of the cone with glue. Poke holes on both sides of the bottom. Thread an elastic string through the holes and knot both ends. Attach a piece of ribbon trim along the bottom edge with glue.
Photo: Tony LanzAttach inflated balloons to his clothing (see “Grapes”). Accessorize with a shower cap, scrubbing brush and rubber ducks.
Photo: Tony LanzTie a plain black, red or white bandana loosely around her neck. Accessorize with a beret, suspenders and white gloves. Use white and black face paint.
Photo: Tony LanzWrap a long cardboard paper tube with black duct tape. Inflate two black balloons and attach the number 100 (made out of construction paper) to each one with tape. Tie balloons to the paper tube using elastic thread. Use a face paint pencil for the mustache.
Make a cone using white Bristol board and tape to secure. Poke holes on both sides of the bottom. Thread an elastic string through the holes and knot both ends.
Photo: Tony LanzDraw a dispenser on felt, cut it out and hot glue it to the apron. Fill a clear plastic bowl with small inflated balloons and seal the top of the bowl with a piece of foam board. Attach a ribbon strap (long enough to fit over her head) to the foam board with tape.
Photo: Tony LanzTwist two floral stem wires around a headband and stick silver foam balls into the end of each wire. Use duct tape to make bracelets, and tape a V onto the front of his shirt. Finish the look with green face paint.
Photo: Tony LanzMake a cone using black Bristol board and tape to secure. Poke holes on both sides of the bottom. Thread an elastic string through the holes and knot both ends. Trace the opening of the cone onto Bristol board to make a 4-in. brim, cut it out and attach to the cone with tape. Glue a piece of paper trim at the base of the cone.
Photo: Tony LanzCover the boxes with silver gift wrap using spray glue. Cut out holes for his head and arms. Attach dryer vent tubing (available at hardware stores) to each armhole with tape. Glue tin-foil plates to the front of the box.
Photo: Tony LanzTie a bandana around his head. Cut out two felt eye patches. Sandwich a strip of elastic thread in between the two pieces of felt and glue them together. Knot the ends of the elastic thread together. Fray the edges of his pants using a pair of scissors. Add a couple of temporary tattoos to complete the look.
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