Midway through your meal, your child suddenly pushes away the plate because a dinosaur costume is no longer an option for Halloween. Now, the plan is to dress up as a haunted lamp.
Halloween is Saturday and nothing you order will show up in time. So you can go look in your own closet. Flannel shirt, black hoodie or striped tee with a mustard stain on the hem. That’s three costumes, so the lamp is doable too.
Here are things to look out for if your kid is making their own Halloween costume.
1. Pick the One Piece That Does the Work
The best costumes always begin with just one piece of clothing. A flannel shirt can make an excellent scarecrow or lumberjack costume. A black hooded jacket makes you a cat, bat or ninja. Even the humble white T-shirt has many possibilities. It can be used to become a ghost, mummy or doctor.
Put everything out on the bed and let the child choose.
2. The Ten-Minute Costume
A scarecrow is simple to construct using a flannel shirt, jeans, and a hat. The sleeves can be stuffed using dry hay or brown yarn, and stitch marks can be made using eyeliner on the cheeks.
To make a cat costume, all you need is a pair of black leggings along with a hoodie with felt cat ears attached to the headband. Use bat wings cut from an old black T-shirt so that they don’t get stuck in anything.
A pirate requires a striped shirt, a bandana, and a sash belt. Do not include an eye patch to avoid tripping hazards.
A mummy can be easily made by using loose strips of white cloth, without covering the face or hands. A crayon can be dressed up by placing a cone hat on top of a colorful shirt.
3. Make Sure People Can See Your Kid
Halloween happens in the dark, so deal with light early. Clip a glow stick to a belt loop or put strips of reflective tape across the back of your kid’s jacket. Dark costumes need it most.
If the costume is dragging on the ground, it will trip somebody, so secure it. Skip masks if you can, since they slide and block the side view.
Lots of houses light their jack-o’-lanterns with real candles. A cape and an open flame don’t get along. Tell your kids to keep their distance from lit pumpkins, and if you carve your own, use flameless lights.
4. Comfort Matters More Than You Think
Closet costumes have one real edge over the store-bought kind. You already know what kinds of fabric your kids love. If your kid is picky about textures, this alone could settle it.
The itchy costume will make your child want to go back home early. The comfortable costume will allow them to enjoy three more blocks. In case of cold weather, ensure that you put an extra warm layer underneath. Check the weather forecast a day early.
5. Let Your Kid Run the Show
Handmade works best when the kid owns it. Ask them to explain the character. Let them choose the face paint, the prop and the name. A kid who builds their own costume can defend it at every door.
Warn them about comparisons, too. Some kid down the street will turn up in a motorized dinosaur with LED eyes.
Lay the whole outfit a day early on a chair, including hat, belt, shoes and props. Have your kid wear it around the house, walk the hallway, sit down and climb the stairs. If something slips or itches, you’ve still got some time to fix it.
