Creative costumes for kids

For the second year in a row, KidsPost readers have come up with incredibly clever ideas for our Homemade Halloween Costume Contest. Here are some of the most clever entries, along with instructions for making them yourself. Who knew what you could make with boxes, duct tape, feathers and foam?

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KidsPost Halloween Costume Contest

Toilet and plumber
Zoe Q. Bell, 10, and Owen T. Bell, 7, Gaithersburg

Inspiration: "This year I'm a walking, talking toilet for Halloween, and my brother is the plumber. The idea hit me when I saw the brand new toilets at my school! Toilets are actually really fascinating."
Supplies: White paint, a big box, white trash bag, toilet seat, flush handle and plunger.
Amount of time to make: About 2 1/2 hours.
Amount of grown-up help: "My mom and brother helped me assemble the toilet seat to the tank."

/ Family photo

Peacock<br> Layla McCool, 5, of Evansville, Indiana <br>
<br> Inspiration: Layla and her grandmother came across a peacock image on the Web.<br> Supplies: Fabric and elastic (to make the tutu), spherical foam ball cut in half, feathers that get stuck into the foam. The foam and feathers are glued to a belt that Layla wore around her waist. Feathers were glued to her face mask as well. <br> Amount of time to make: About five hours.<br> Amount of grown-up help: Grandma cut the fabric strips but Layla arranged the feathers.

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Peacock
Layla McCool, 5, of Evansville, Indiana

Inspiration: Layla and her grandmother came across a peacock image on the Web.
Supplies: Fabric and elastic (to make the tutu), spherical foam ball cut in half, feathers that get stuck into the foam. The foam and feathers are glued to a belt that Layla wore around her waist. Feathers were glued to her face mask as well.
Amount of time to make: About five hours.
Amount of grown-up help: Grandma cut the fabric strips but Layla arranged the feathers.

/ Family photo

Table tennis court<br>Kyle Clemente, 12, of Washington <br>
<br> Inspiration: 'I love playing ping-pong so that is why I made this costume.' <br> Supplies: Foam poster board, paint, white tape, glue, hat, balls, paddle.<br> Amount of time to make: About six hours.<br> Amount of grown-up help: 'My parents helped me get the supplies and gave me advice.'

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Table tennis court
Kyle Clemente, 12, of Washington

Inspiration: "I love playing ping-pong so that is why I made this costume."
Supplies: Foam poster board, paint, white tape, glue, hat, balls, paddle.
Amount of time to make: About six hours.
Amount of grown-up help: "My parents helped me get the supplies and gave me advice."

/ Family photo

Owl <br>Vanessa Turner, 7, Kensington<br>
<br> Inspiration: 'It was my idea to make an owl costume. We got a new shower curtain with owls this summer and I thought they were really cute.'<br> Supplies: Felt and feather boa for the body of the costume. Plastic-foam cones, wire and feathers to make the headband and mask.<br> Amount of time to make: The design took about a week and made it over two weeks.<br> Amount of grown-up help: 'I helped in cutting out a lot of the feathers out of felt and did some of the sewing. Mommy sewed on the feather boa. I made the headband . . . all by myself.'

KidsPost Halloween Costume Contest

Owl
Vanessa Turner, 7, Kensington

Inspiration: "It was my idea to make an owl costume. We got a new shower curtain with owls this summer and I thought they were really cute."
Supplies: Felt and feather boa for the body of the costume. Plastic-foam cones, wire and feathers to make the headband and mask.
Amount of time to make: The design took about a week and made it over two weeks.
Amount of grown-up help: "I helped in cutting out a lot of the feathers out of felt and did some of the sewing. Mommy sewed on the feather boa. I made the headband . . . all by myself."

Family photo

Flip-flop<br>Nina Clemente, 14, of Washington<br>
<br> Inspiration: 'I chose to be a flip flop because I have never seen anyone as a flip flop and thought it would be a good idea. I also thought it would be really funny to add gum ... as if I had stepped in it.' <br> Supplies: Two-inch-thick foam, summer fabric, glue, foam to create the foot strap, enlarged bubble gum wrapper, pink clay to look like squished gum. <br> Amount of time to make: 'It took me one weekend with hardly any sleep.' <br> Amount of grown-up help: 'My dad to cut out the foam flipflop. and my mom because she stepped on the gum to make it look real.'

KidsPost Halloween Costume Contest

Flip-flop
Nina Clemente, 14, of Washington

Inspiration: "I chose to be a flip flop because I have never seen anyone as a flip flop and thought it would be a good idea. I also thought it would be really funny to add gum ... as if I had stepped in it."
Supplies: Two-inch-thick foam, summer fabric, glue, foam to create the foot strap, enlarged bubble gum wrapper, pink clay to look like squished gum.
Amount of time to make: "It took me one weekend with hardly any sleep."
Amount of grown-up help: "My dad to cut out the foam flipflop. and my mom because she stepped on the gum to make it look real."

/ Family photo

KidsPost Halloween Costume Contest

Flip-flop
Nina Clemente, 14, of Washington

Inspiration: "I chose to be a flip flop because I have never seen anyone as a flip flop and thought it would be a good idea. I also thought it would be really funny to add gum ... as if I had stepped in it."
Supplies: Two-inch-thick foam, summer fabric, glue, foam to create the foot strap, enlarged bubble gum wrapper, pink clay to look like squished gum.
Amount of time to make: "It took me one weekend with hardly any sleep."
Amount of grown-up help: "My dad to cut out the foam flipflop ... and from my mom because she stepped on the gum to make it look real."

/ Family photo

Optimus Prime<br> Dylan Koch, 6, of King George, Virginia <br>
<br> Inspiration: Dylan wanted to be a transforming Optimus Prime.<br>Supplies: Boxes, paper towel tubes, tires from a firetruck toy, spray paint, velcro, hinges and decals.<br> Amount of time to make: About two weekends.<br> Amount of grown-up help: Given Dylan's age, parents did most of the work, but Dylan helped with the design, stenciling and painting.

KidsPost Halloween Costume Contest

Optimus Prime
Dylan Koch, 6, of King George, Virginia

Inspiration: Dylan wanted to be a transforming Optimus Prime.
Supplies: Boxes, paper towel tubes, tires from a firetruck toy, spray paint, velcro, hinges and decals.
Amount of time to make: About two weekends.
Amount of grown-up help: Given Dylan's age, parents did most of the work, but Dylan helped with the design, stenciling and painting.

/ Family photo

Beethoven<br>Michael Stroud, 7, of Laurel <br>
<br> Inspiration: 'I chose Beethoven because he is my favorite composer and my favorite Symphony was his 9th.' <br> Supplies: Purchased at a thrift store after doing research online to find out what Beethoven looked like. Hair gel and gray hair-spray paint.<br> Amount of time to make: About a week to collect the parts.<br> Amount of grown-up help: 'I did about half the work and my mom did the other half (the shopping part)!'

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Beethoven
Michael Stroud, 7, of Laurel

Inspiration: "I chose Beethoven because he is my favorite composer and my favorite Symphony was his 9th."
Supplies: Purchased at a thrift store after doing research online to find out what Beethoven looked like. Hair gel and gray hair-spray paint.
Amount of time to make: About a week to collect the parts.
Amount of grown-up help: "I did about half the work and my mom did the other half (the shopping part)!"

/ family photo

Stinky laundry <br> Evan Dempsey, 7, of Arlington<br>
<br> Inspiration: 'My older sisters thought a dirty laundry costume would be funny so that is why I made the costume.' <br> Supplies: Laundry basket, dirty clothes, straps, face makeup.<br> Amount of time to make: About 20 minutes. <br> Amount of grown-up help: 'My mom helped me cut a hole in the bottom of the basket and I tied the straps, filled the basket and made a stinky face while I trick-or-treated.'

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Stinky laundry
Evan Dempsey, 7, of Arlington

Inspiration: "My older sisters thought a dirty laundry costume would be funny so that is why I made the costume."
Supplies: Laundry basket, dirty clothes, straps, face makeup.
Amount of time to make: About 20 minutes.
Amount of grown-up help: "My mom helped me cut a hole in the bottom of the basket and I tied the straps, filled the basket and made a stinky face while I trick-or-treated."

/ Family photo

Pippi Longstocking<br> Alina Kahn, 9, of Rockville<br>
<br> Inspiration: “I love stories about Pippi.” <br> Supplies: Jumper with patches sewn on, white underskirt, mismatched socks, huge shoes and a monkey (not in the picture).<br> Amount of time to make: It took a couple of days to find all the parts and sew the skirt and patches. And hair and freckles took some time too. <br> Amount of adult help: “Mom helped a lot.”

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costume

Pippi Longstocking
Alina Kahn, 9, of Rockville

Inspiration: “I love stories about Pippi.”
Supplies: Jumper with patches sewn on, white underskirt, mismatched socks, huge shoes and a monkey (not in the picture).
Amount of time to make: It took a couple of days to find all the parts and sew the skirt and patches. And hair and freckles took some time too.
Amount of adult help: “Mom helped a lot.”

/ Family photo

Oven <br> Taryn Leoncavallo, 11, of Fairfax <br>
<br> Inspiration: 'My costume is an oven cooking gross things. I wanted to do something big.' <br> Supplies: The oven is made of a large box with a smaller, 'baking chamber' box duct-taped to the inside. The burners were made from coffee can lids. Luggage straps were used for the harness to connect Taryn to her oven. <br> Amount of time to make: 'It took only a few days to make, but a lot longer to think up the idea.' <br>Amount of grown-up help: 'My dad helped me build it and get the materials.'

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Oven
Taryn Leoncavallo, 11, of Fairfax

Inspiration: "My costume is an oven cooking gross things. I wanted to do something big."
Supplies: The oven is made of a large box with a smaller, "baking chamber" box duct-taped to the inside. The burners were made from coffee can lids. Luggage straps were used for the harness to connect Taryn to her oven.
Amount of time to make: "It took only a few days to make, but a lot longer to think up the idea."
Amount of grown-up help: "My dad helped me build it and get the materials."

/ Family photo

Popcorn box<br>Meaghan Kilner, 11, Rockville<br>
<br>Inspiration: Meghan likes going to the movies and thought it would be fun to be a popcorn box.<br>Supplies: Foam board, acrylic paint, foam peanuts for the popcorn on top of the box. a yellow clown wig was used for the butter, suspenders.<br>Amount of time: About 12 hours<br>Amount of adult help: Meghan's dad did a lot of the work with help from her and her brothers.

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Popcorn box
Meaghan Kilner, 11, Rockville

Inspiration: Meghan likes going to the movies and thought it would be fun to be a popcorn box.
Supplies: Foam board, acrylic paint, foam peanuts for the popcorn on top of the box. a yellow clown wig was used for the butter, suspenders.
Amount of time: About 12 hours
Amount of adult help: Meghan's dad did a lot of the work with help from her and her brothers.

/ Family photo

Wednesday Addams<br> AnnMarie Bedard, 8, Springfield<br>
<br> Inspiration: I wanted to be Wednesday Adams after I saw the “Addams Family” movie. My costume was a big hit with all the teachers at my school on fright night. But most of the kids didn't know who I was. That was pretty funny.'<br>Supplies: Supplies: Black dress, white color, buttons, black wig. <br> Amount of time: Just collecting items and sewing.<br> Amount of adult help: “My mom helped me sew on the white collar that we cut off an old shirt.”

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Wednesday Addams
AnnMarie Bedard, 8, Springfield

Inspiration: I wanted to be Wednesday Adams after I saw the “Addams Family” movie. My costume was a big hit with all the teachers at my school on fright night. But most of the kids didn't know who I was. That was pretty funny."
Supplies: Supplies: Black dress, white color, buttons, black wig.
Amount of time: Just collecting items and sewing.
Amount of adult help: “My mom helped me sew on the white collar that we cut off an old shirt.”

/ Family photo

Fire truck<br> Christopher McDonald, 10, of Clarksburg <br>
<br> Inspiration: Christopher has a condition known as cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. This costume fit around his wheelchair.<br>Supplies: Carboard box, paint, red and yellow duct tape, lights and reflectors.<br>Amount of time to make: Several weeks because they worked on it a little at a time.<br> Amount of grown-up help: Because of Christopher's disability, his mom did most of the work.

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Fire truck
Christopher McDonald, 10, of Clarksburg

Inspiration: Christopher has a condition known as cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. This costume fit around his wheelchair.
Supplies: Carboard box, paint, red and yellow duct tape, lights and reflectors.
Amount of time to make: Several weeks because they worked on it a little at a time.
Amount of grown-up help: Because of Christopher's disability, his mom did most of the work.

/ Family photo

Traffic light<br>William Young, 10, Silver Spring<br>
<br> Inspiration: “I chose it because in our school, we had a traffic light system (green means we were good, yellow, ok, orange, not that good, and red, terrible) and I liked it.” Supplies: Cardboard and paper<br> Amount of time: About a week <br>Amount of adult help: “I got some help from an adult.”

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Traffic light
William Young, 10, Silver Spring

Inspiration: “I chose it because in our school, we had a traffic light system (green means we were good, yellow, ok, orange, not that good, and red, terrible) and I liked it.” Supplies: Cardboard and paper
Amount of time: About a week
Amount of adult help: “I got some help from an adult.”

/ Family photo

Trapped in a box<br> Neha Pai, 9, of Fairfax<br>
<br>Inspiration: 'I got this idea after researching on the Internet. It is an optical illusion that looks like I am sitting in a box carried by a scary person. So what do you think, am I sitting in the box or am I standing? Who is that scary guy holding me? Beware everyone!'<br> Supplies: Box big enough to fit in, clothing for scary guy, including sweat shirt, gloves and mask.<br> Amount of time to make: About three hours.<br> Amount of grown-up help: 'My mom helped me attach the box.'

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Trapped in a box
Neha Pai, 9, of Fairfax

Inspiration: "I got this idea after researching on the Internet. It is an optical illusion that looks like I am sitting in a box carried by a scary person. So what do you think, am I sitting in the box or am I standing? Who is that scary guy holding me? Beware everyone!"
Supplies: Box big enough to fit in, clothing for scary guy, including sweat shirt, gloves and mask.
Amount of time to make: About three hours.
Amount of grown-up help: "My mom helped me attach the box."

/ Family photo

Robot<br>Grady Williams, 9, of Kensington<br>
<br>Inspiration: 'I saw an advertisement with a robot that looked cool so I wanted to be one.' <br> Supplies: Cardboard boxes, metallic spray paint, aluminum foil, dryer venting for the arms, old television anntennae, Lite-Brite game.<br> Amount of time to make:About 10 to 12 hours <br> Amount of grown-up help: 'We worked on it all of October and my mother helped me a lot.'

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Robot
Grady Williams, 9, of Kensington

Inspiration: "I saw an advertisement with a robot that looked cool so I wanted to be one."
Supplies: Cardboard boxes, metallic spray paint, aluminum foil, dryer venting for the arms, old television anntennae, Lite-Brite game.
Amount of time to make:About 10 to 12 hours
Amount of grown-up help: "We worked on it all of October and my mother helped me a lot."

/ Family photo

'Jeopardy' game<br> Evan Reed, 9, of Woodbridge<br>
<br>Inspiration: 'My family loves to play Jeopardy every night at 7:30 pm. So when brainstorming costume ideas, that came up as a joke. We talked ... and my dad said it wouldn't be too hard.'<br> Supplies: Cardboard, paint, markers, string and a buzzer. Amount of time to make: 4-5 hours <br> Amount of grown-up help: 'My dad did a lot of it and I helped.'

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

"Jeopardy" game
Evan Reed, 9, of Woodbridge

Inspiration: "My family loves to play Jeopardy every night at 7:30 pm. So when brainstorming costume ideas, that came up as a joke. We talked ... and my dad said it wouldn't be too hard."
Supplies: Cardboard, paint, markers, string and a buzzer. Amount of time to make: 4-5 hours
Amount of grown-up help: "My dad did a lot of it and I helped."

/ Family photo

Duct tape girls<br> Lydia Perez, Jenny Fiedler, Mia Hancock, Jade Schaub, all 13, from Alexandria<br>
<br> Inspiration: “We wanted to make costumes out of duct tape because we all loved it and had made smaller things out of it, and we thought it would just be really fun to make an entire set of clothes.” <br> Supplies: “Lots and lots and lots of duct tape, with occasional Velcro to attach things.<br> Amount of time: About 2 ½ months<br> Amount of adult help: “The only things our parents did was drive us to each other's houses, as well as Michaels to buy all the duct tape.”

KidsPost Halloween Costume Contest

Duct tape girls
Lydia Perez, Jenny Fiedler, Mia Hancock, Jade Schaub, all 13, from Alexandria

Inspiration: “We wanted to make costumes out of duct tape because we all loved it and had made smaller things out of it, and we thought it would just be really fun to make an entire set of clothes.”
Supplies: “Lots and lots and lots of duct tape, with occasional Velcro to attach things.
Amount of time: About 2 ½ months
Amount of adult help: “The only things our parents did was drive us to each other's houses, as well as Michaels to buy all the duct tape.”

family photo / family photo

Roller coaster ride<br> Madison Wakefield, 13, of Gaithersburg<br>
<br> Inspiration: 'This costume was me on a roller coaster with my 'legs' hanging off. ... I love the reaction of people when they see me.'<br> Supplies: Cardboard box with hole cut in middle to stand in, foil, paint, paint brush, scissors, extra pants and shoes, safety pins for attaching shoes to pants. Images from your favorite coaster ride for decoration on the sides and back of the coaster car.<br> Amount of time to make: 2-3 hours<br> Amount of grown-up help: 'My mom helped cutting out the shape of the roller coaster and painting it.'

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Roller coaster ride
Madison Wakefield, 13, of Gaithersburg

Inspiration: "This costume was me on a roller coaster with my 'legs' hanging off. ... I love the reaction of people when they see me."
Supplies: Cardboard box with hole cut in middle to stand in, foil, paint, paint brush, scissors, extra pants and shoes, safety pins for attaching shoes to pants. Images from your favorite coaster ride for decoration on the sides and back of the coaster car.
Amount of time to make: 2-3 hours
Amount of grown-up help: "My mom helped cutting out the shape of the roller coaster and painting it."

/ Family photo

Laura Ingalls <br>Alexandria Botzenhart, 14, Waldorf<br>
<br> Inspiration: Alexandria always has and always will love the Little House series of books. <br>Supplies: Old-fashioned dress, bonnet, leggings and shoes.<br>Amount of time: About 10 hours<br>Amount of adult help: Alexandria worked with her grandmother on this costume.

KisdPost Homemade Halloween Contest

Laura Ingalls
Alexandria Botzenhart, 14, Waldorf

Inspiration: Alexandria always has and always will love the Little House series of books.
Supplies: Old-fashioned dress, bonnet, leggings and shoes.
Amount of time: About 10 hours
Amount of adult help: Alexandria worked with her grandmother on this costume.

/ Family photo

Caveman<br>Cooper Brown, 9, Silver Spring <br> Inspiration: “I decided to be a caveman after seeing the evolution exhibit at the Museum of Natural History.”<br>Supplies: “I used a foam club, a wig, brown make-up and cut-up clothes from the thrift store.<br>Amount of time: “It took about 2 weeks to collect everything and make the costume.” <br>Amount of adult help: “My mom helped me.”

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Caveman
Cooper Brown, 9, Silver Spring
Inspiration: “I decided to be a caveman after seeing the evolution exhibit at the Museum of Natural History.”
Supplies: “I used a foam club, a wig, brown make-up and cut-up clothes from the thrift store.
Amount of time: “It took about 2 weeks to collect everything and make the costume.”
Amount of adult help: “My mom helped me.”

/ Family photo

Space shuttle astronauts<br> Kelly, 10 and Jill, 9, Jones of Alexandria<br>
<br>Inspiration: “In honor of the end of the Space Shuttle program, we decided to be Apollo astronauts.” <br>Supplies: “We used painters cover-alls and booties for the main part of the costume. The helmet was made of a outdoor lamp cover. The hose nozzles are milk bottle tops and we used NASA stickers. Dad (Dan Jones) dressed up as our Mission Control” specialist. <br>Amount of time: About a week on and off.<br> Amount of adult help: “Our whole family worked on the costumes.”

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Space shuttle astronauts
Kelly, 10 and Jill, 9, Jones of Alexandria

Inspiration: “In honor of the end of the Space Shuttle program, we decided to be Apollo astronauts.”
Supplies: “We used painters cover-alls and booties for the main part of the costume. The helmet was made of a outdoor lamp cover. The hose nozzles are milk bottle tops and we used NASA stickers. Dad (Dan Jones) dressed up as our Mission Control” specialist.
Amount of time: About a week on and off.
Amount of adult help: “Our whole family worked on the costumes.”

/ Family photo

Indiana Jones<br> Nate Mergler, 8, Manassas<br>
<br>Inspiration: “I chose to be Indiana Jones because I read Indiana Jones books.” <br> Supplies: Black satchel, blue toy revolver, an orange whip made out of a necklace, tan pants, white shirt and brown fedora. <br>Amount of time: Worked on it from the last week of August to the last week in September. <br> Amount of adult help: “I did it all by myself.”

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costume

Indiana Jones
Nate Mergler, 8, Manassas

Inspiration: “I chose to be Indiana Jones because I read Indiana Jones books.”
Supplies: Black satchel, blue toy revolver, an orange whip made out of a necklace, tan pants, white shirt and brown fedora.
Amount of time: Worked on it from the last week of August to the last week in September.
Amount of adult help: “I did it all by myself.”

/ Family photo

Professor Trelawney from Harry Potter<br> Victoria Botzenhart, 15, Waldorf<br>
<br>Inspiration: A love of all things Harry Potter<br>Supplies: “Grabbing stuff from closets.” <br>Amount of time: About 2-3 hours<br> Amount of grown-up help: None!

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Costumes

Professor Trelawney from Harry Potter
Victoria Botzenhart, 15, Waldorf

Inspiration: A love of all things Harry Potter
Supplies: “Grabbing stuff from closets.”
Amount of time: About 2-3 hours
Amount of grown-up help: None!

/ Family photo

France<br>Fiona Wang, 9, Silver Spring<br>
<br> Inspiration: “My lifelong dream is to move to France and become an artist.<br>Supplies: Two French flags sewn together. Hat made from a headband with the Eiffel Tower attached. Lace gloves, because lace was invented in France. Tennis racquet, because tennis was invented in France. <br>Amount of time: Several weeks to plan and a week to make.<br>Amount of adult help: Her mom helped sew the straps on.

KidsPost Homemade Halloween Contest

France
Fiona Wang, 9, Silver Spring

Inspiration: “My lifelong dream is to move to France and become an artist.
Supplies: Two French flags sewn together. Hat made from a headband with the Eiffel Tower attached. Lace gloves, because lace was invented in France. Tennis racquet, because tennis was invented in France.
Amount of time: Several weeks to plan and a week to make.
Amount of adult help: Her mom helped sew the straps on.

Family photo

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Creative costumes for kids

For the second year in a row, KidsPost readers have come up with in­cred­ibly clever ideas for our Homemade Halloween Costume Contest. Here are some of the most clever entries, along with instructions for making them yourself. Who knew what you could make with boxes, duct tape, feathers and foam?

For the second year in a row, KidsPost readers have come up with incredibly clever ideas for our Homemade Halloween Costume Contest. Here are some of the most clever entries, along with instructions for making them yourself. Who knew what you could make with boxes, duct tape, feathers and foam?