What tips and tricks can be used to make a DIY Halloween costume for a tween?
Do it Yourself Halloween Costumes for Tweens
Candy Corn Costume
What you’ll need:
- Yellow t-shirt
- Orange t-shirt
- White t-shirt
- Scissors
- Sewing machine or needle and thread
How to make it:
- Cut the yellow t-shirt to be shorter than the orange t-shirt
- Cut the white t-shirt to be shorter than the yellow t-shirt
- Sew the three shirts together, with the yellow on top, orange in the middle, and white on the bottom
- Cut a triangle out of cardboard and cover it in yellow and orange tissue paper
- Attach the cardboard triangle to a headband using hot glue or tape
Black Cat Costume
What you’ll need:
- Black sweatpants and sweatshirt
- Black felt
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun or fabric glue
How to make it:
- Cut out two black felt triangles for the ears and hot glue them to a black headband
- Cut out white felt circles for the eyes and hot glue them to the sweatshirt
- Cut out a black felt tail and hot glue it to the back of the sweatpants
Superhero Costume
What you’ll need:
- Plain t-shirt and leggings
- Fabric paint
- Paintbrushes
- Masking tape
- Iron-on transfer paper
- Iron
- Superhero emblem stencil (you can download this online)
How to make it:
- Use masking tape to create a mask design on the t-shirt
- Paint the t-shirt and leggings with fabric paint
- Print out a superhero emblem stencil onto iron-on transfer paper
- Cut out the emblem and iron it onto the t-shirt
Zombie Costume
What you’ll need:
- Old clothes to destroy
- Red and green food coloring
- Flour
- Corn syrup
- Ketchup or fake blood
How to make it:
- Wear old clothes and rip holes in them to make them look tattered
- Mix red and green food coloring with flour and corn syrup to create fake blood
- Splash the fake blood on the clothes and your face
- Add ketchup or more fake blood to areas of your clothes and face to make it look extra gory
Halloween is a time of spooky fun and creative costume-making, and tweens enjoy getting involved in the imaginative spirit of the season too. Crafting a Halloween costume doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. With some craft materials and a sunny afternoon, you can create a costume that will make your tweens the stars of Halloween.
One of the simplest and most fun costumes to make is a vampire. Start by choosing a dark-colored t-shirt and some dark-colored fabric, like velvet or corduroy. Cut out two wide strips of the fabric and use fabric glue to attach them to the t-shirt as sleeves, giving the costume a more costume-like appearance. When it’s dry, add a few vampire accessories, like a cape and a pair of plastic fangs.
For a steampunk-inspired costume, choose a light-colored t-shirt and fabric in a similar tone. Sew plenty of pockets, straps and buckles onto the t-shirt with some contrasting-colored thread. Add goggles and a top hat for a high-tech touch. You can also create a mask from a paper plate, adding some gold and black detailing around the eyes for a more authentic steampunk look.
Fairy costumes are always a hit with tweens. To make one, choose a tutu in pastel colors and attach it to an inexpensive white long-sleeved top. Tie a sprig of colorful ribbons to a thin headband to make a headpiece. Then, add some glittery wings and a wand or staff. You can add some temporary tattoos and face paint to give your tween’s costume an extra touch of magic.
A cowboy or cowgirl costume is also easy to create. Start with a pair of jeans and a patterned shirt with boots, and then add a wide-brimmed hat and a bandanna. For a final touch, add a gun belt with a few plastic guns. This would make a great group costume as well!
Whatever costume ideas your tweens come up with, have fun encouraging creative DIY costumes. With a bit of imagination and craft supplies, Halloween can be a great time for making super-cool costumes that will be remembered for years to come.