It’s that time AGAIN?! Don't let planning your child's next Halloween costume become a burden. This year, go cheap and easy!
Costumes from the Closet
1. Crayons. Find colored long underwear (or dye it). Add a paper colored cone hat to match. Iron on the word “crayon” sideways on the front. Join with a few friends to have several colors.
2. Ghost with flair. Use the usual white sheet, with eyes and nose and mouth cut out, but add eye lashes, eye shadow, blush on the cheeks, some lipstick, earrings, necklace. If it’s a male ghost, add a beard or a mustache.
3. Scarecrow. Wear an over-sized flannel shirt, faded blue jeans with patches, rope for belt and to tie at the cuffs of jeans and sleeves, stuff clothes with plastic grocery bags or newspaper, and add a bit of straw hanging out of jeans and shirt.
4. Candyland. Wear a cute dress in the Candyland game theme colors (pastel pink and green). Attach lollipops, candy canes, gum drops, licorice to your clothes and shoes. Wear bright colorful make-up, hair and accessories.
5. Unicorn. Purple sweatpants and hoodie top (or any other pastel color). Make a horn out of colored paper to match and attach it to the hoodie. Wear colored gloves to match the costume.
6. Dwarf. Wear dark pants, long sleeved top, boots, long white beard, and make a cone hat out of paper or felt.
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Box Costumes
11. Christmas present. Take a big box, make holes for arms, legs and head. wrap it in Christmas paper, add bows.
12. Dice. Take a big box, paint it white, add black circles. Do it with a friend and go as a pair of dice.
13. Rubics cube. Take a big box, paint colored squares.
14. Jack-in-the-box. Paint the box in bright colors, than wear a matching top and hat. Clown make-up will add that little extra.
15. Robot. Cover box in foil, then use have fun decorating.
16. Toy chest. Wear a box at the waist and have some other dolls and toys attached so it looks like there are toys coming out of the chest.
17. Sponge Bob. Paint box yellow and decorate to look like a sponge. Cut out holes for arms, legs and head.
18. Lego. Use glossy spray paint and round boxes glued onto the big box, holes for hands, legs and head. Wear clothes that match the color of the lego block.
19. iPod. Paint box any color, cut out or draw the MAC apple and the ipod control button.
20. Favorite Book. Cut opening for arms, legs, head. Tape rest of box shut. Decorate as your favorite book.
Costumes with Prom Dresses
25. Miss Piggy. Blond wig, make a big nose, lots of bling.
26. Prom Queen. Make a crown out of tin foil.
27. Cinderella or any other Disney princess.
28. Bride.
29. Angel. Make wings from cardboard or netted material stretched over wire-shaped wings.
Odds ‘n Ends Costumes
30. Tornado. Wear an over-sized black shirt over pillows, wrap your child in black material, felt for a hat, black gloves.
31. Tree. Make a trunk out of brown material or paper bags. Cut off branches from trees in your yard and stick them out of a headband or hat.
32. Fruit. Pick one. Apple, orange, tomato, pumpkin. Wear that color in clothing and stuff clothes with paper or material.
33. Sandwich. Take cardboard, paint it white and attach it to front and back of your child. Have him dress in whatever color food he wants in his sandwich.
34. Spider. Wear all black, adding spider legs out of extra thick chenille pipe cleaners attached to the costume.
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When preparing for Halloween this year, make it your goal to spend less money, recycle clothes and materials, and have fun with your kids by being creative together!
Janis Meredith writes Jbmthinks, a blog on sports parenting and youth sports. After being a coach's wife for 27 years and a sports parent for 17, she sees issues from both sides of the bench.