The team at Care.com have put together some fun ideas, which we hope will inspire you and your little monsters to get involved this year!
Black Spider Costume
There’s nothing that gives parents the shivers more than a big, hairy spider. So it’s the perfect costume for terror-loving tots! Here’s how to make a spider costume in four easy steps.
Materials:
* Black long sleeve shirt
* Black leggings
* 4 long black socks
* Several pipe cleaners for smaller children (from craft shop) or coat hangers for older ones
* Quilting or other soft fabric filler
* Black hat or bike helmet
* 10 safety pins
* Black ribbon
* 8 large Googly Eyes from craft store
* Black mittens or gloves
* Glue
Step 1: Glue Googly Eyes to front of hat.
Step 2: Stuff four socks with fabric filler. Cut or shape pipe cleaners or coat hangers into four long pieces. Run one wire through each sock to make four bendable spider legs. (Careful that little hands and fingers don’t get scratched doing this!)
Step 3: Put shirt and leggings on. Using safety pins, pin two spider legs to the right and left side of the waist. To keep legs from dangling aimlessly, pin and connect ribbon to each leg, leaving enough slack to tie the end at the child’s wrist; when the child’s arms lift, all of the spider legs will be out straight.
Step 4: Finish costume by putting black mittens or gloves on the end of both human hands.
No-sew Ghost Costume
This is our all-time favourite, it really is the “hole in a sheet” costume, but if you add the white hoodie and make-up you take it up a level!
Materials:
* White sheet
* White hoodie
* Black or white leggings
* Black or white shoes
* Make-up (black eyeliner or face paints including black and white colours)
Step 1: Cut a hole in the centre of the sheet to make a white poncho
Step 2: Get dressed in hoodie and leggings.
Step 3: Apply make-up using either black eyeliner underneath the eyes or white face paint and black face paint circles around the eyes to create the “Twilight” look
Step 4: Wear white poncho. Collect trick or treat sweeties!
Spooky Jewellery
If your child already has their costume, what about adding some spooky jewellery?
Materials:
* Black and red Fimo
* Darning needle
* White clay
* Orange button
* Black marker
* Gold cord
* Cocktail stick
Step 1: Roll out a piece of black Fimo to a thickness of 3mm and form into a double bat wing shape with your fingers.)
Step 2: Lay the wings flat onto a baking surface and use a darning needle to make two holes at the top of the shape.
Step 3: Roll a little bit of red Fimo on a flat surface to make a thin sausage. Use this to make the ribs of the wings by pressing on top of the black Fimo wings before baking.
Step 4: For eyeballs, roll some white clay into a ball between your hands. Press a small orange button (or any orange disc) onto the surface and draw a tiny dot of black for the pupil using a marker.
Step 5: Make holes through the eyeball beads by slowly pushing a cocktail stick through the centre.
Step 6: Cook all clay pieces for 30 minutes at 110*C and let cool. Thread gold cord through the holes and knot to make necklaces and pendants.
Traveling Circus Costumes
Family costume idea!
There’s no need to feel like you’re walking on a tight rope with this costume. Step right up and see how easy and fun it can be to create your own little circus family!
Ring Leader Materials:
* White button down shirt
* Vest
* Band jacket
* Black leggings or trousers
* Knee high boots
* Top hat
* Brown eyeliner or face paint.
Step 1: Put on outfit, tucking trousers into boots.
Step 2: Draw curly cue moustache on face.
Hula Hooper Materials:
* Leggings
* Long-sleeved leotard
* Cloth headband
* Fabric flower to match headband
* Hula hoop
* Dramatic eye makeup
* Red lipstick and rouge
Step 1: Attach the fabric flower to the cloth headband so that your child can wear this in their hair.
Step 2: Put on leggings and leotard. Apply dramatic eye makeup along with rosy cheeks and red lipstick. Add hula hoop and you’re ready to perform!
Juggler Materials:
* White face paint
* Black jacket
* Black trousers
* Three juggling pins or three tennis balls (can also use one orange and two apples).
Step 1: Cover face in white face paint.
Step 2: Put on outfit and carry pins or tennis balls (or fruit).
Clown Materials:
* Palette of face paint
* Oversized clothes
* Oversized shoes
* Brightly-coloured wig
* (Squeaky!) Red clown nose.
Step 1: Put on white face paint with exaggerated eyes and mouth.
Step 2: Put on oversized clothes and shoes.
Step 3: Add wig and nose (draw nose with red face paint, if needed).
Pencil Costume
This is a good costume for the novelty factor!
This Halloween, start preparing your perfect pupil by turning him/her into a must-have school supply: a No. 2 pencil. The irony of having a trick or treater turn up dressed as a pencil may be lost on some of the neighbours but we think it is good, clean fun!
Materials:
* Yellow top
* Black fabric marker
* Yellow trousers
* Black or brown socks
* Pink or beige hat
Step 1: Lay yellow top flat. Write “No. 2 PENCIL” vertically down the side.
Step 2: Put on top, trousers and socks. Add hat as the pencil top rubber.
Kate Middleton Costume
Does your daughter love everything to do with Princess Kate and doesn’t fancy dressing up as something scary or ugly? Then this Kate Middleton Halloween costume is a great choice for your modern day little princess.
Materials:
* White blouse
* Blue school-style blazer
* Blue skinny jeans
* Ballet flats or black boots
* Alice band
* Black or blue felt or card paper
* Costume jewellery pearls
* Small piece of black or blue veil to match paper
* Long and short feathers to match veil and paper
* Light coloured makeup in soft pink and blue shades.
Step 1: Make a fascinator hat. Cut a circle out of card paper, glue small piece of veil onto edge of circle and glue feathers to the centre, being creative with feather positioning. Attach paper at the 10 o’clock position of headband using glue. Let dry. The more dramatic the better!
Step 2: Put on white blouse, school-style blazer, skinny jeans, pearls and ballet flats or boots. Don’t tuck in the blouse.
Step 3: Apply makeup that’s subtle, but effective: soft pink cheeks, soft pink lipstick and soft blue eyes.
Step 4: Brush hair long and flowing or tucked into a neat, but loose, low bun. Add fascinator hat, so feathers and veil are slightly askew on left side of head.
