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Easy And Affordable Halloween Costume Ideas For Children
Many historians believe that Halloween costume ideas originated with the ancient Celts. On night before the Celtic New Year, the Celts wore costumes of animal skins and animal heads, to avoid being recognized by ghosts. Then, when Pope Boniface IV created All Saints’ Day, on the same day as the Celtic New Year, people began to choose angel, saint, or demon costumes. When the Irish immigrated to America in the latter half of the 1800s, they brought their traditions with them, along with the tradition of going door to door, asking neighbors for food or money. About a century later, the baby boom refocused Halloween on a younger generation, and both costumes and trick-or-treating became primarily children’s activities.
Fortunately, celebrants no longer make costumes from animal heads and skins. However, many people still enjoy using Halloween costume ideas for their children, out of materials easily found around the house, or in craft stores. Halloween brings communities together. People participate in parades and parties, and trick-or-treating connects everyone with their neighbors. Making a simple Halloween costume, utilizing leotards, boxes, and even socks, gives everyone the opportunity to go out and celebrate the holiday, no matter what their budget.
Using Leotards: A Jelly Bean Costume
To make a simple jelly bean costume, parents will need a leotard of any color, a clear plastic bag, a variety of colored balloons, a colorful scarf, white poster board, and a marker. To begin, put the leotard on the child, and then have the child step into the plastic bag. When the child has stepped into the bag, cut out holes for arms and legs. Then, blow up balloons, stuff them in the bag, and tie the top of the bag with a colorful scarf. Using poster board and a marker, create a sign for the front of the bag which says something like “Jelly Beans: 5 cents”.
Using Boxes: A Robot Costume
To create a robot, parents should gather two cardboard boxes (one large and one small), silver spray paint or aluminum foil. Construction paper, markers, either eight or ten-inch dryer vent accordion tubing, and either black or silver gloves. To start, cut the bottom panels off of each box, for easy decorating. In the large box, cut holes for arms, which match the diameter of the dryer vent tubing, and also a hole for the child’s head. In the small box, cut holes for eyes, so that the child can easily see. Then, either spray paint each box with silver paint, or cover with aluminum foil.
Measure the child’s arms and legs, and cut four lengths of dryer tubing to match. Using construction paper and markers, use creativity to assemble a control panel and buttons, and facial features for the robot. Start by dressing the child in a leotard or sweatsuit; put the large box over the child’s head, and then put the small box on the child’s head. Pull dryer vent tubing over arms and legs, and then add silver or black gloves, to complete the look.
Using Socks: An Octopus Costume
To construct the octopus, parents will need a hooded sweatshirt; four pairs of knee socks (which do not have to match); duct tape; approximately thirty plastic grocery bags; black, white, and pink felt sheets; glue dots; and scissors. To begin, cut white circles for eyes, smaller black circles for pupils, a black crescent shape for a mouth, and a small pink tongue, all from felt sheets. Glue the pupils to the eyes, and the tongue to the mouth. Then, attach all pieces to the front of the hooded sweatshirt, to create a face for the octopus.
To create the legs, stuff knee socks with wadded grocery bags, leaving about three inches at the top of each sock. Then, tape stuffed socks around the hem of the sweatshirt, making sure that socks are taped high enough, to avoid dragging the ground. After applying tape on one side, flip socks up, and tape the underside to the sweatshirt, for added security.
Making a Halloween costume at home saves money, re-purposes household items, and allows creativity to soar. Parents may even allow their children to help make their own costumes, which will give children a sense of pride and accomplishment. Using these simple Halloween costume ideas for children, parents will produce fun, high-quality costumes, which their children will remember for years to come.
Check out our Halloween Horror Nights article to implement some grisly decorating ideas.