6 DIY Halloween Costumes on a Budget

By NYMetroParents Staff October 17, 2018

A consignment expert shares six Halloween costume ideas and how to make your kid's Halloween costume on a budget.

By the time summer festivities come to an end and the new school year is under way, Halloween is right around the corner. Shopping for children’s costumes is stressful and expensive, as they are always for one-time use. DIY Halloween costumes are a great option for the crafty mom. Using old fabrics around the house, clothes your children has outgrown, or transforming last year’s Halloween costume can be easy and save a great deal this Halloween.

“There is such a large variety of great costume ideas out there,” says Michelle Thompson, consignment expert of Swap.com, an online consignment shop. “With just a little bit of creativity and effort, it’s easy to save big and have your child stand out.”

Michelle shares this years best Halloween costumes for the DIY mom on a budget.

Mad Scientist: More than likely, your little one will already have a pair of khakis and a plaid shirt. All you need is a white lab coat and lab goggles. Add a few finishing touches such as a cute bowtie, yellow gloves, and pens for pocket flair. Complete this look with a fun wig or add a bit of hairspray if their hair is long, and your little Einstein is ready to go!

Superheroes: Superhero costumes are fun and extremely easy to make with items you already have. Take an existing track outfit or brightly colored, matching shirt and pants. Add colorful tape to decorate the outfit and make their favorite superhero sign. Another option: extra fabric around the house can make a quick cape, pair with comfortable leggings, purchase a mask or face paint and you have a DIY superhero! (Or check out this DIY Duct tape idea for a cape and mask!)

Raining Cats & Dogs: This costume is super cute and fun to make. There are two routes for this costume. The first, take a clear umbrella, and place cat and dog stickers on the clear umbrella; pair it with your kid’s favorite raincoat and boots. For the second option, take a few stuffed animals of cats and dogs and glue them to the umbrella and your kiddo will be the talk of school with their creative outfit.

Deep Sea Scuba Diver: This is a great out-of-the box costume idea and easy to make with existing items. What you will need for the scuba gear: goggles, wet shoes, and black gloves. Pair this with a black hoodie or long johns for underneath the accessories. For the air tank, take two 2-liter Coke bottles, and paint them silver or yellow. Duct tape them together and glue them to the back of a black sweatshirt. To add a finishing touch, you can use a tube or cord and cut a hole in the bottle and attach the cord to one side of the shoulder.

Little Piggy: Take an old pink sweatshirt (2-3 sizes larger than your child), cut the arms and hood off. Sew or glue the edges showing to make a clean look for the arms, head and bottom. With the extra fabric and hood, you can make a hat and ears to pin to the hood. For the nose you can paint on the pink, purchase a nose or cut a toilet paper roll and attach string for around the head. Pair this with pink pants or tights and a pink long sleeve undershirt.

Other Animals: Follow the little piggy instructions above. Animals are super simple to make with existing items around the house. All you need is a sweatshirt that is cohesive with the animal’s color you are choosing, and extra fabric to glue for the specific markings of the animals. Take old tights, pants, or play clothes to pair with, purchase a nose, ears, and face paint, and you are set to DIY an adorable costume.

Here at Rockland Parent, we've got everything you need to have a safe, fun, and festive fall and Halloween season. Whether it is pumpkin or apple picking, getting lost in a corn maze, making Halloween crafts or finding costumes and decorations, we're here to help.

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