9 Costumes for Halloween Your Kid Can Wear Again (And Again)

By Heidi Palkovic, Catherine Ryan, Jocelyn Worrall, and Lori Palma
September 26, 2018
After October 31 rolls around, you don't need banish your kid's Halloween costume to the back of the closet. These clever ensembles can be repurposed after trick-or-treating ends.
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Scuba Diver

Help your little guy fulfill his dreams of underwater exploration with this imaginative scuba diver costume. Use swim trunks and a swim shirt as the basis for the outfit, then add on air tanks made from two empty 2-liter soda bottles, duct tape, and clear plastic tubing. Create the walking-friendly flippers with crafts foam, and finish up with a swim mask wired with crafts-foam coral and fish. You better believe that the swimming accessories will come in handy again next summer!

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Movie Star

Your future Oscar winner will be ready to battle the paparazzi with this easy movie star costume. Glam up a simple belt, tiara, or bracelet with gold-painted pasta "jewels." Pair the accessories with a playful gown, which can be tossed straight into the toy box for playing “dress up” after Halloween.

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Weatherman

Tie paper raindrops and lightning bolts onto a child-size umbrella, then dress your kid up in a cute raincoat and boots. He'll be out the door, rain or shine, in no time! While you probably won’t reuse the paper elements of this costume, the rainy day accessories (like the umbrella, raincoat, and boots) will come in handy throughout the year!

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Judge

This Halloween, let your kid lay down the law for a change. Save up toilet paper rolls for this "courtly" costume, and buy a well-made black robe that can be reused as a bath time necessity.

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Artist

Set your artistic creativity free by splattering and streaking paint across a plain button-down shirt to make a colorful paint smock for your favorite budding artist. Accessorize the outfit with leggings, tights, and a scarf, then tuck a variety of paintbrushes into pockets. After October 31 rolls around, save the paintbrushes for your child’s art projects – and keep the paint smock on hand for protecting her clothing from spills and splatters. The leggings, tights, and scarf can be incorporated into her everyday wardrobe.

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Moose

A cozy brown onesie is perfect for chilly winter days – and for dressing up your baby in a moose costume for Halloween! You’ll also need white cotton gloves stuffed with batting to make the antlers, as well as a snug brown cap.

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Cheerleader

Your enthusiastic child will be jumping for joy over this fun costume. Start with a cute skirt and shirt ensemble; the pieces can easily be worn to school or play dates in the warmer months. Then cut plastic bags into thin strips to make authentic-looking pom-poms. Hip, hip, hooray!

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Zookeeper

Dig into your child's stuffed animal stash to create a clever zookeeper costume for Halloween! Simple khaki shorts, a white polo shirt, a ball cap decorated with a "Zoo" label, and stuffed animals attached to the clothing with safety pins or hook-and-loop tape are all that you need to tame this look. Once candy collection is over, the components of this costume can go straight into your kid’s closet!

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Cowgirl

Planning to enroll your child in ballet? Save some cash by using dance gear in her Halloween costume! This cowgirl costume was assembled with a leotard, pink net tutu, and tights. Accessories include bandannas in assorted pink prints, a cowgirl hat, and boots.

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Decorating Technique: Freezer-Paper Stencil

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Decorating Technique: Make and Iron-on Design

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