| EASY HOMEMADE KID COSTUMES | | | | purchase at very reasonable prices, too. |
| Homemade kid costumes are an easy and affordable | | | | NO SEW KIDS COSTUMES |
| alternative to store-bought. With just a little vision and | | | | If you don't sew, you can still make a great homemade |
| imagination, you can create your own original | | | | costume using these common household items: |
| costumes for pennies! | | | | Stapler and Masking Tape or Iron-on Tape - for quick |
| Start out by surfing the internet for costume ideas, | | | | hems |
| then go in search of the materials to make your unique | | | | Fabric Glue - for adding embellishments |
| costume ideas a reality. | | | | Black Electrical Tape - for creating different looks: |
| FINDING GREAT COSTUME MATERIALS | | | | Striped on a yellow raincoat or sweatshirt for a |
| Take stock of your closets for items that can be | | | | bumble bee, |
| transformed into kids costumes. I keep a large plastic | | | | A circular pattern on a white sweatshirt for a spider |
| storage container filled with used clothes that I view as | | | | web |
| having "costume potential". | | | | Place a stripe of white medical tape down a dark |
| These could include plain oversized sweatshirts and | | | | pants leg for a police officer or military costume. |
| kid-sized sweat suits which can be decorated with | | | | Colored Tape makes similar cool effects: See "How to |
| fabric paint or tape, stuffed, or cut up as needed. Also, | | | | Make a Kids Costume from a Trash Bag" |
| long colorful skirts which can be fashioned into capes. | | | | PLACARD COSTUMES |
| Old sheets can be dyed or spray painted to make a | | | | Another quick and easy idea for kid costumes is a |
| character's robe and discarded scarves and belts to | | | | "placard" costume in which the child wears a hooded |
| make a sash or headband, well you get the idea... | | | | sweatshirt and pulls front and back cardboard panels |
| Yard sales are another valuable resource for | | | | (the placard) on over it. |
| "recyclable" kids costumes and dress-up items, as well | | | | Placard costumes can be adapted to many different |
| as old clothes, such as bridesmaid dresses, old suits | | | | themes, such as: |
| and uniforms, belts, shoes, hats, scarves, gloves and | | | | Ladybug |
| even costume jewelry. | | | | M & M Chocolate Candy |
| Children's resale stores and discount clothing outlets | | | | (two kids of different heights can be "plain" and |
| often have used Halloween costumes (probably worn | | | | "peanut"! |
| only once) and assorted clothing items that you can | | | | |