Halloween is just around the corner, and it’s time to think about fun costume ideas for the kids! Not everyone wants to spend a fortune on a shop-bought outfit, and honestly, some of the best Halloween memories come from making costumes together at home.
Here are five cheap and easy to make ideas for kids Halloween costumes — perfect for celebrating the spookiest night of the year without breaking the budget.
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Enjoy creating one of these easy Halloween costume ideas with your kids. These are the moments memories are made of, and it’s a great way to put together something budget-friendly and totally unique.
You may also enjoy: 12 Colourful and Creative Homemade Halloween Costumes
Easy Ideas for Kids Halloween Costumes
1. An Artist
This is one of the easiest and cheapest Halloween costume ideas out there. All you need is:
- An oversized white t-shirt, or a classic navy and white striped top
- Dark trousers, leggings or dungarees
- A beret
- A bandana tied at the neck
- An artist’s palette — if you don’t have one, cut a cardboard box lid into the shape of a palette and paint on a few colourful splodges
For the finishing touch, add a small drawn-on black moustache!
You may also enjoy: 12 Not So Scary Halloween Games for Younger Kids
2. A Cat
One of our favourite ideas for kids Halloween costumes is a classic black cat — it’s so easy to put together that we’ve used it more than once!
You will need:
- Black clothing — black trousers or leggings and a black hoodie
- A pair of black socks or tights
- Black paint
- Some cardboard or a box
- Black face paint
Instructions:
1. Paint the cardboard black and let it dry, then cut out two triangles for ears. Attach them to the top of the hood using small pieces of duct tape or hot glue. No hoodie? Glue or tape the ears onto a black hairband instead.
2. For the tail, stuff a black sock or the leg of a pair of black tights with cotton wool or stuffing.
3. Use black face paint to draw on some whiskers, and there you have it — a little black cat!
You may also enjoy: 30 Fangtastically Fun Halloween Projects for Kids
3. A Mummy
A Halloween mummy is a brilliantly simple costume idea for kids. You can wrap strips of toilet paper or bandages around clothing, but we love this tutorial video, which uses strips of white material and tea bags to create a really convincing (and cute) mummy costume.
4. LEGO
A cardboard box, some paint, and a few cups are all you need to transform your little one into a LEGO brick for Halloween, like this fun version from Lovely Indeed. It works for lots of different ages too, so you could make one for everyone in the family and go trick-or-treating as a family of LEGO bricks!
Not only is it an inexpensive costume, it’s also colourful and fun to wear — especially for any LEGO fans in the house.
5. Spaghetti and Meatballs
This costume takes a little more effort than the others, but it’s so cute it’s worth it.
You will need:
- Red or red-checked clothing or fabric
- Thick white wool and scissors
- Styrofoam balls
- Red and brown acrylic paint
- Glue
- A small lightweight pot or chef’s hat
- Some elastic or string
Instructions:
1. Cut a hole for the head in the centre of a tablecloth or square of fabric so it can be worn like a poncho.
2. Cut the wool into spaghetti-length pieces and glue them onto a paper plate in bunches and swirls to look like spaghetti.
3. Paint around eight Styrofoam balls with brown acrylic paint so they look like meatballs. Once dry, glue some of them onto the “spaghetti” on the plate.
4. Mix brown and red paint to make a “tomato sauce” and drip it over the meatballs and spaghetti, smearing a little on the side of the pot for extra effect.
5. Glue the plate onto the front of the tablecloth or fabric.
6. Glue the remaining meatballs randomly across the tablecloth.
7. Glue a few strands of wool to the pot “hat” and, if needed, tie it under the chin to keep it in place.
You may also enjoy: 15 Other Ideas for Kids Halloween Costumes
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the cheapest Halloween costume to make for kids?
The artist costume is one of the cheapest and quickest — it mostly uses clothes you already have at home, plus a homemade cardboard palette and a drawn-on moustache.
Can I make these costumes with things I already have at home?
Yes! Most of these ideas use everyday clothing, cardboard, paint and craft basics like wool and glue, so there’s a good chance you won’t need to buy much at all.
How far in advance should we make a homemade Halloween costume?
Simple costumes like the artist or the cat can be put together on the day itself. Costumes with more steps, like the spaghetti and meatballs outfit, are easier if you spread the painting and gluing over a couple of days so everything has time to dry.
Are these costume ideas suitable for different ages?
Yes, all five ideas can be adapted for toddlers up to older children — just adjust the sizing of the clothing and cardboard pieces to fit.
Related Articles
- 12 Colourful and Creative Homemade Halloween Costumes
- 12 Not So Scary Halloween Games for Younger Kids
- 30 Fangtastically Fun Halloween Projects for Kids
- 15 Other Ideas for Kids Halloween Costumes
Save These Ideas for Later
Loved these costume ideas? Bookmark this page or pin your favourite so you have it ready when Halloween planning starts — and browse our other Halloween features for more budget-friendly inspiration.
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