Some parents have craft rooms, sewing machines, and can holster a hot glue gun like some kind of Wild West Pinterest-mom outlaw.
This article is not for those parents.
If you like the idea of lovingly crafting a DIY Halloween costume for your kid, but have no idea how, and the thought of trying to compete with PTA-Becky’s hand-sewn “The Lion King” family costume makes you want to curl into a ball and click “add to cart” on Amazon, then read on.
(Not that there is ANYTHING wrong with buying a pre-made costume. We fully support and encourage this. Does your kid care if his Catboy costume came from Walmart? He does not. He just wants to be Catboy. But you said you wanted to try being crafty-ish, so ...)
WATCH: Amazing Halloween costumes for pregnant moms. Story continues below.
We scoured the internet to find the easiest DIY kids costumes that even the most craft-averse parent can (probably) pull off. Behold, good luck, and Happy Halloween!
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1. No-sew ghost costume
You’ll need: White fleece or felt, black adhesive felt (or regular black felt and a glue gun), scissors.
Why we love it: You had us at “no-sew.” Sure, you could throw a sheet over your kid’s head, but this DIY ghost costume is adorable and looks kind of fool-proof. Also, the instructions say you need to cut a hat out of the white fleece but ... you could just buy a white hat.
Get the instructions: Gina-Michelle.com
2. DIY pilot costume
You’ll need: Some kind of bomber jacket, a brown ear-flap hat, either white felt to make a scarf or just a white scarf, yellow felt if you want to add a pilot badge, mason jar lids or aviator goggles if you can find any, a hot glue gun and glue.
Why we love it: This costume is mostly about assembling, with very little actual crafting. If you manage to track down a white scarf and aviator goggles, you basically have to craft nothing.
Get the instructions: Today’s Parent
3. Curious George costume
You’ll need: A Curious George stuffie, yellow clothes or clothes you can dye yellow (yellow dye if so), yellow and black felt, safety pins, a yellow hat, brown or black shoes, brown or black adult socks, black ribbon.
Why we love it: It’s another no-sew costume! The hardest part will be dye-ing the shirt and pants, and sourcing that hat (try your local Halloween shop, or grab this one on Amazon and glue some foam inside to make it fit your kid’s head).
Get the instructions: hauteapplepie.com
4. E.T. costume
You’ll need: A bike, a basket, a red hoodie, a white blanket, E.T.
Why we love it: First of all, we are actually dying at this cuteness. Second of all, this costume requires absolutely zero crafting. Need an E.T. doll? Here’s one.
5. Woody costume
You’ll need: Bright yellow shirt or leotard, denim skirt or pants, knee-high socks if going with skirt, cowboy boots or cute shoes, cowboy hat, red bandana (can use felt), brown cowboy belt (ditto), cow print vest (white T-shirt and black felt), glue.
Why we love it: Yet another costume that is mostly about assembling! Plus, “Toy Story” costumes are super popular this year thanks to the release of “Toy Story 4.”
Get the instructions: hairtodream.com
6. Minion costume
You’ll need: Yellow long-sleeve shirt, denim overalls, yellow fleece for hat (or ... just a yellow hat), black, silver, white, and brown felt.
Why we love it: This costume calls for some mild sewing (PASS), but you could just use a glue gun, instead.
Get the instructions: wineandglue.com
7. Jedi costume
You’ll need: Brown felt, rope, scissors, pool noodle, duct tape.
Why we love it: This could not be easier, and it’s another trendy costume (Jedi costumes are the #5 most-searched costumes by those who identify as boys, according to Pinterest).
Get the instructions: allthingsthrifty.com
8. Lego costume
You’ll need: A box, box cutter, plastic cups (those little applesauce cups would work well), glue, spray paint, an outfit that’s the same colour as your paint.
Why we love it: This is so easy, and who doesn’t love Lego (other than parents who have to clean it up and step on it)?
Get the instructions: wineandglue.com
9. Baby Shark family costume
You’ll need: Grey sweatshirts and pants for the whole fam, white fabric colour, white felt, red jersey fabric, white and grey thread, black iron-on letters, scissors, white paint, marker.
Why we love it: OK, we saved the hardest one for last. This costume does require some sewing. But do-do-do-do-do-do you want to show PTA-Becky what you’re made of, or what? (Or, we’re just saying, you could cheat a little with these shark hoodies).
Get the instructions: shrimpsaladcircus.com
Photos: DIY baby costumes that are killing us with cute.
