With Halloween setting off the holiday season, two types of moms begin appearing: the crafters and the shoppers. We all know about those mothers who can whip up a costume without hot gluing themselves to it, and we know about those moms who have tendonitis from clicking “add to cart” so quickly. And despite DIY costume-making luring those crafting moms, the shoppers feel the pull too. We tip our hats to both of you!
If you do decide to go the DIY route, we’re here for you. Putting together a costume for a little one is nostalgic and reminiscent of that really awesome costume that your mother made, or — sorry, mom — that really horribly constructed costume your mother worked so hard making that you had to wear. Either way, the memory is lovingly stitched on your heart. So, here’s to nostalgia and spending late nights making those darn DIY Halloween costumes because they’ll be so freaking cute, and it’ll be such a good stinking memory.
For the littles: Baby DIY Halloween costumes
For the fam: Family Halloween costumes
Kids and family costumes are not going to happen forever, so begin this tradition early and do a DIY family Halloween costume.
10. Ice Ice Baby costume
White T-shirts with large plastic ice bags and a blue-and-white baby onesie will make new parents pros at the costume game. Vanilla Ice will be impressed with this punny take on his hit song.
11. Rainbow family costume
For those who aren’t into crafting but want to have an all-out family costume, go with monochrome outfits. Have each family member choose their favorite rainbow color, and then send them to their closets to make the magic happen. This is a great last-minute costume that doesn’t require any craft supplies.
12. Fruit snacks costume
Make fruit shapes out of felt and hot glue them onto white outfits to make a colorful ensemble. This is a unique and creative costume that everyone will love.
13. Family weather costume
Dress in a sunny yellow outfit or a glassy blue ensemble to have the family pull off this weather costume. “There are so many options for expanding a family weather costume too — a lightning bolt, a sky, a cute tornado (!!), a snowflake, even a blizzard! So if you’ve got more kiddos (or friends, a weather group costume is super fun too!), you’ve got options,” shared Kelly, mom of one and maker of this costume, in her blog Studio DIY.
14. Family circus costume
With each day being an adventure in itself, get the family to put on costumes that depict all parts of the circus. Embrace the wild ride that you and your partner have been on since your kids were babies.
A note on safety:
When making costumes this year and dressing kids for their fun night out, keep these safety tips in mind:
- Choose fabrics and materials that are nonflammable and flame-resistant. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Halloween accessories and toys must meet flammability requirements, but that might not apply to DIY materials. Check labels carefully.
- For younger children, avoid materials that could be a choking hazard, such as buttons, bells, pom-poms, or small toys.
- Choose materials and costumes that are brightly colored or have reflectors.
- Makeup should be nontoxic.
- Older kids may request decorative contact lenses to change the look and/or color of their eyes, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strongly advises against this. “Wearing decorative contact lenses can be risky. Wearing any kind of contact lenses, including decorative ones, can cause serious damage to your eyes if the lenses are obtained without a prescription or not used correctly,” they caution.
- Hats and the costume as a whole should fit well, and avoid masks that restrict vision.
- Make sure that the child is comfortable and not overly warm to avoid overheating.
- Be wary of accessories with sharp edges or pointy ends that could hurt others.
