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How to Make Cheap Halloween Costumes for Kids
October 20, 2023
The summer holidays are a distant memory, and now Halloween is on the horizon. For cash-strapped families, having to fork out for costumes, sweets, and Halloween events can mean going without something else. We wanted to take away the stress of spending money on costumes this year with this guide on how to make cheap Halloween costumes for kids.
DIY witch costume
If your little one is all about hocus pocus, here’s how to transform them into a witch. The most important part of the costume is a witches’ hat. You can make a hat that looks the part out of black card and tape. See an easy to follow guide here.
For the rest of the outfit, black stripy tights and black clothes are a must. And don’t forget the cape! You can use some cheap material from a market or go old school and fashion one out of a black plastic bin sack!
For extra witchy scariness, pick up some face paints and a witches’ broom from the pound shop.
DIY vampire costume
A vampire costume is always a great option when it comes to cheap Halloween costumes for kids. Start off with the cape. Just like the witches’ cape, you can use cheap fabric from the market or something like a black plastic table cloth or bin bag.
Because they spend all day in darkness, vampires need a white face which you can achieve with pound shop face paints. Don’t forget to make their eyebrows look dark and dramatic to give the look a scary edge. And of course, they wouldn’t be a vampire without the slicked back hair and fake blood. Invest in some cheap hair gel and make your own fake blood from just a few ingredients. Not keen on making a mess? You can achieve a great effect with some red lipstick.
DIY mummy costume
Mummy costumes are a fun, cost-effective choice for fancy dress. You can turn your little one into a mummy by buying some low cost bandages and wrapping them up in them. For the undead look, apply some white face paint and black eyeliner under their cheeks and on their temples. Smudge it slightly, and consider applying some fake blood to the bandages.
DIY spider costume
We think actual spiders are scary enough, but they are also good inspiration for cheap Halloween costumes for kids. Dress your little one in black (a black hoodie is ideal). Take a pair of old black tights and cut them in half at the top. For eight spider legs, you’ll need two pairs of tights. Fill each of the legs with plastic bags to give them shape, then tie the top. Want a firmer leg? Try empty kitchen roll tubes. Connect the legs to your little one’s top with safety pins.
If you spend money on anything and your little one is wearing a black hoodie, get some googly eyes from the craft shop and stick them on the top of the hoodie. We promise it will look amazing!
DIY skeleton costume
A scary skeleton is always a popular dress up choice for Halloween. Choose a long-sleeved black top and black trousers for the base of the outfit. Then get some silver duct tape and cut out some skeleton bone shapes to stick on the clothes. See a great example here.
Next, you need scary skeleton make up. You can use white and black face paint from the pound shop. Cover the face with the white, then draw black lines under the cheeks, darken around and under the eyes, and the temples for that gaunt effect. Don’t forget to use black on the nose too!
We hope this has given you plenty of inspiration for DIY cheap Halloween costumes for kids. You and your little ones could even try making them together. A perfect rainy day activity.
Come along to our spooky Halloween Hunt!
Now you’ve got the costume sorted, who’s ready for some Halloween fun?
Put on your best scary outfit and come along to the Cheltenham Saracens FC ground on 31st October between 3pm and 5pm for a spooky Halloween Hunt!
Warm food and drinks will be served afterwards.
Hope to see lots of you there.