Homemade Halloween Costumes for the Perfect Pair of Kids

He's alive! A monster is born with a milk-jug head and shredded duds. His crazy creator, dressed in a potion-stained lab coat, shows off his invention with pride.

What you'll need 1-gallon milk jug, scissors, primer, green and black acrylic paint, paintbrush, felt, adhesive-backed Velcro, aluminum foil, 2 bottle tops, 2 wine corks, black pants and brown long-sleeve shirt, burlap

Make It
Head Cut off top of jug so base is 5" tall. Coat base in primer (to prevent paint from flaking off); let dry. Apply green paint; let dry. Paint bottom of base with black paint as shown.
Neck nodes Cut a 1½"-wide strip of felt that measures slightly larger than child's neck. Adhere Velcro tabs to each end. Hot-glue wine cork to inside of bottle cap and cover completely in foil. Hot-glue nodes about 4" apart on felt strip.
Clothes Cut zigzags into bottom of pants and sleeves of shirt. Tie a ragged strip of burlap around child's waist as a belt.

What you'll need Kids' lab coat, green and yellow acrylic paint, paintbrush, plastic bugs, hot-glue gun, orange pants and blue shirt, blue latex gloves, glasses

Make It
Water down paint and gently brush onto lab coat to create green and yellow spots on fabric; let dry. Hot-glue plastic bugs onto coat, as shown.

A calcium-fortified refreshment can't live without his cookie loaded with felt chocolate chips. Don't forget his white moustache!

What you'll need Foam-core board, X-Acto knife, scissors, red, white, and blue felt, hot-glue gun, paper-towel tube, white and red yarn, masking-tape roll, white adhesive-backed felt, white hat, white shirt and pants

Make It
Carton In center of a 17"x9" piece of foam core, use an X-Acto knife to cut a hole large enough to fit over child's head. Cut a 17"x9" piece of red felt and glue on top of foam core; cut out head hole. Cut two 17"x24" and two 9"x24" panels of red felt and glue ends to corresponding edges of foam core, as shown. Cut two 17"x12" and two 9"x12" white felt panels and glue in the middle of each red felt panel, as shown. Cut 6"-tall letters (MILK) from red felt and glue to mounted white panel in front.
Straw Hot-glue white felt around a paper-towel tube. Glue a 1½"-wide blue felt stripe in a spiral around covered tube to create striped straw. Trace bottom of tube in back corner of milk-carton top and cut with an X-Acto knife; push straw through and hot-glue to secure.
Hat Wrap red and white yarn vertically around a roll of masking tape, about 40 times each, making sure yarn doesn't expand more than 2" wide, then slip yarn carefully off roll. Knot a 6" strand of yarn around center of yarn bundle and cut each loop to form a pom-pom. Attach to top of hat with hot glue.
Moustache Draw and cut out a moustache shape from white adhesive-backed felt and press under child's nose.

What you'll need String, pencil, cardboard, scissors, tan and dark brown felt, hot-glue gun, 1" brown ribbon, chenille stem, polyester batting, brown knot hat, brown karate pants and shirt

Make It
Body Tie a 7½" piece of string to a pencil, then hold end of string in center of a piece of cardboard and, with other hand, stretch out pencil to draw a 15" circle. Cut out and repeat to make a second cardboard circle. Trace cardboard circle on tan felt and cut out; repeat for second felt circle. Glue each felt circle to a cardboard circle. Trace template onto dark brown felt to make about 20 felt chocolate chips and hot-glue to tan felt circles. Cut eight 14" pieces of brown ribbon. Lay cookie flat and hot-glue two pieces of ribbon to either side (for waist ties) and two pieces of ribbon, about 6" apart, at the top; repeat on second cookie. Tie ribbons on one cookie to corresponding ribbons on other cookie so they go over child's shoulders like a sandwich board.
Hat Place a chenille stem and some polyester batting into the top of an untied cotton-knot hat and shape to resemble a chip.

Robe your little royal in a magenta dress with ribbons and pom-poms; adorn her frog prince with a gold crown and oversize googly eyes.

What you'll need Stiff red felt, scissors, hot-glue gun, organza ribbon, 1 large gold pompom, yellow and pink pompoms, pink tights, pink long-sleeve shirt and jumper dress

Make It
Hat Trace template onto stiff red felt and cut out. Hot-glue cut felt into cone shape to fit child's head, then hot-glue two 8" pieces of ribbon to inside bottom edge of hat and use to tie under chin. Cut several 36" pieces of ribbon, pull through top hole of hat, and knot together inside. Hot-glue large sparkly pompom to point. Glue pompoms around base of hat.
Dress Glue pompoms around collar of dress and layer shirt underneath.
Belt Cut a piece of ribbon that measures 20" longer than your child's waist size. Hot-glue pompoms and pieces of ribbon (long enough to reach hem of dress) around belt.

What you'll need Stiff yellow felt, hot-glue gun, small gold pom-poms, 2 large white pom-poms, black felt, green hat, leggings, and long-sleeve shirt, green felt, medium green pom-poms, scissors, adhesive-backed Velcro.

Make It
Hat Trace template onto a 5"x10" piece of yellow felt, cut out, and glue short sides together to form a crown. Hot-glue gold pom-poms to points of crown and hot-glue to top of hat. Cut two ½" circles from black felt and glue to large white pom-poms to create eyes. Hot-glue eyes to either side of crown.
Collar Trace template onto green felt and cut out. Hot-glue green pom-poms to collar tips. Attach ends with tabs of adhesive-backed Velcro.
Wrist and ankle bands Trace template onto green felt and cut. Repeat to create four bands. Attach ends with tabs of adhesive-backed Velcro.

Trade places with your little one for a day -- dress up for a play date while you deck her out in business attire.

What you'll need Light-colored men's T-shirt, ink-jet T-shirt transfer paper, iron, adhesive rhinestones, 15 12"x36" pieces of tulle, 2" satin ribbon, hot-glue gun, headband, sweatpants

Make It
Shirt Download teddy-bear icon, and print onto transfer paper. Follow package instructions and iron design onto T-shirt; decorate collar with rhinestones.
Skirt Tie pieces of tulle to a length of ribbon and tie around waist over sweatpants. Bow Make a large ribbon bow and hot-glue to headband.

What you'll need long-sleeve shirt, ink-jet T-shirt transfer paper, iron, fabric scrap, suit jacket and pants

Make It
Download tie design and print onto transfer paper. Follow package instructions and iron onto shirt. Fold fabric scrap into a triangle and insert in jacket pocket.

Voilà! A beret and a ruffled collar is all this painter needs to get his creative juices flowing. Dress his masterpiece in a gold doily frame for a museum-worthy look.

What you'll need Large and small white doilies, tape, safety pin, turtleneck, unused gallon-size paint bucket, colored contact paper, scissors, black beret, vest, striped pants

Make It
Necktie Layer 2 small doilies on top of a large one and accordion fold. Tape together at one end and attach to turtleneck with safety pin.
Paint can Cut paint drip shapes from contact paper and adhere to paint can as treat bag.

What you'll need 14"x17" piece of foam-core board, pencil, ruler, paint, paintbrushes, glue, 6" gold doilies, ribbon, duct tape, yellow shirt, skirt, gold leggings

Make It
Draw a 9"x12" rectangle in the center of the foam core and have your child create a painting within that shape. Fold about 14 gold doilies in half and glue around painting to create frame. Hold painting up to child's midsection; tape two lengths of ribbon to back of painting and tie around waist for a belt.

This rough-and-tumble seafarer reels in a super-cute baby bluefish!

What you'll need Rain jacket and boots, striped shirt, black pants, watch cap, mesh shopping bag, small plastic bag, hot-glue, fake or toy crab or fish

Make it
Dress child, then line mesh shopping bag with plastic bag and secure with hot glue. Tuck crab or fish in between the two bags and hot-glue in place if necessary.

Make it
Body Trace scales template onto metal-foil tape and cut out. Repeat as necessary, then stick scales to front of one-piece and pants, as shown.
Tail Trace tail template onto felt and cut out. Embellish with ½"-wide strips of foil tape, as shown, leaving an extra 4" of tape at top of tail. Use this extra tape to secure tail to the back of one-piece.
Cap Cut sponge in half in an arc shape so it matches contour of pilot cap and hot-glue in place.
Shoes Cut two star shapes from foil tape and attach to top of socks.

Make one of Aesop's memorable stories come to life -- give your tortoise a felt-covered-backpack shell, and dress her opponent in bunny ears and a cotton tail.

What you'll need 14" round plastic bowl, polyester batting, stretchy green fabric, hot-glue gun or tape, light and dark green felt, scissors, child-size backpack, safety pins, purple tights, green shirt, shorts, green leg warmers, goggles

Make it
Shell Cover outside of bowl with polyester batting and stretchy green fabric; hot-glue or tape fabric to inside of bowl to secure. Trace hexagon template onto light green felt and cut out; repeat to make seven hexagons, then hot-glue to shell. Stuff backpack into shell, keeping straps on outside, and use safety pins and tape to attach and keep in place.
Number Cut an 8"x7" piece of dark green felt and desired number from light green felt. Hot-glue number to rectangle and safety-pin to front of child's shirt.

What you'll need white, light pink, and dark pink felt, hot-glue gun, scissors, two chenille stems, 1"-wide headband, pink gloves, white yarn, masking-tape roll, safety pin, light pink tights, white shirt and skirt or pants, goggles

Make it
Ears Trace outer-ear template onto white felt and inner-ear template onto light pink felt; cut out. Sandwich a chenille stem between inner and outer ear pieces, trim excess if needed, and hot-glue ear shapes together. Repeat for second ear. Cover headband in a piece of white felt, then glue ears to top, about 1½" apart.
Paws Cut out a 2" circle and 4½" circles from white felt. Cut off half of each finger on gloves and glue on white felt circles, as shown.
Tail Wrap yarn vertically about 50 times around a roll of masking tape, making sure the yarn doesn't expand more than 2" wide, then slip yarn carefully off the roll. Knot a 6" strand of yarn around center of yarn bundle and cut each loop to form a pom-pom. Attach to back of child's skirt or pants. Number Cut an 8"x7" piece of light pink felt and desired number from dark pink felt. Hot-glue number to rectangle and safety-pin to front of child's shirt.

Spring has sprung in a flirty ensemble adorned with daisies and daffodils. Style your dapper fellow in all brown, and glue leaves to his jacket for flair.

What you'll need fake daffodils and daisies, ¼" yellow grosgrain ribbon, hot-glue gun, green dress, fake grass or small green leaves, fake butterfly and ladybug, 1"-wide headband, clip-on earrings, ballet flats, two pair green nylon tights and one pair gloves

Make it
Dress Hot-glue daffodils to bottom of dress.
Necklace Cut a 30" piece of ribbon and glue on daisies about 2" apart; knot ends.
Headpiece Arrange flowers, grass or leaves, and fake bugs on the headband, as shown, and secure with glue.
Shoe Clips Glue fake flowers to clip-on earrings and attach to ballet flat or shoe.
Arm Covers Cut the bottom 12" off a pair of green tights and cut off feet. Glue flowers around the larger ends, then slip onto child arms and finish the look with matching gloves.

What you'll need assorted fake leaves, acorns and wheat (available at Michaels), suit jacket, pants, hot-glue gun, plaid fedora

Make it
Remove plastic stems from leaves and hot-glue to jacket and hat, as shown. Make a boutonniere from acorns and wheat and glue inside pocket.

Originally published in the October 2010 issue of Parents magazine.

Copyright © 2010 Meredith Corporation.