Still looking for a Halloween costume? Before you panic buy another outfit, take a look around your house! A cardboard box, some colorful yarn, or even an umbrella could become a costume that makes everyone stop and smile.
These ideas are cute, clever, and full of personality. Some are perfect for kids to wear on their own, while others make a fun parent and child duo. Pick your favorite and get crafting!
Jellyfish Made From an Umbrella
An umbrella costume that’s actually useful if it rains on Halloween? We’re listening.
Decorate a clear umbrella with colorful ribbons, strips of tulle, or curling fabric hanging from the edges to look like jellyfish tentacles. Pair it with a matching outfit and you have a magical underwater costume that looks amazing when the ribbons move.
Choose pink and purple for a whimsical jellyfish, or try blue and silver for an ocean-inspired look.
Related: Make some jellyfish crafts too to get into the theme of it. We have paper bag jellyfish to make with watercolors, or a Handprint Jellyfish Craft for Kids, and more!
Paper Doll
Remember dressing up paper dolls and folding the little tabs around their outfits? Now your child can become one!
Cut a dress shape from a large piece of cardboard, paint it any color you like, and add white tabs around the shoulders and sides. Wear it over a plain top and leggings, and your little paper doll is ready to go.
The best part? You could make a few different cardboard outfits and have a whole costume change!
Related: Print out some free paper dolls here at In The Playroom. We have paper dolls from around the world and also Halloween paper dolls, and more!
3. A Giant Ball of Yarn
If your child loves cats, crafts, or anything a little bit silly, this ball of yarn costume is a winner!
Wrap pink yarn around a lightweight rounded base that can be worn over their clothes. Add two pretend knitting needles made from cardboard tubes, and suddenly your child is the cutest ball of yarn ever.
For a family costume, a parent or sibling could dress as a cat. We all know what happens when a cat finds a ball of yarn!
Related: Make some halloween yarn crafts too. These yarn monsters are so much fun!
Squishy Dumpling
If your child loves squishy toys, this shiny little dumpling costume is sure to be a hit! Create a rounded dumpling shape with pink or lavender iridescent wrapping and add a sweet face with rosy cheeks. Pop it inside a lightweight cardboard steamer basket with shoulder straps, then pair it with a matching outfit. A tiny dumpling headband makes the cutest finishing touch!
Related; Why not make some paper squishies with the kids too before heading out trick or treating?
Dropped Ice Cream
Oops! This ice cream has taken a tumble, but it might just be the sweetest costume of the night. Dress your child in pink, add a fluffy tulle scoop and a felt ice cream “splat” with colorful sprinkles, then finish it off with a cardboard cone hat tilted to one side. You could make a chocolate, mint, or rainbow version too!
Related: We have a bunch of cute ice cream crafts you can make too. We love these ice cream names.
A Box of Popcorn
Movie night just got a Halloween makeover!
Make a popcorn box from lightweight cardboard painted with red and white stripes. Add crumpled white and pale yellow tissue paper around the top to look like popcorn spilling out.
A few pieces of tissue paper on a headband finish the look. It’s bright, funny, and easy to recognize, even from across the room.
Related: Why not craft with popcorn too? We made these cute popcorn sheep.
Cotton Candy
This costume is fluffy, pink, and looks good enough to eat!
Gather pink tulle over a pink outfit to create the cotton candy shape. Add a little cardboard cone hat and your child is ready for a sweet Halloween.
You could also try blue, purple, or a mix of colors for a rainbow cotton candy version. This would be such a cute choice for a child who loves everything pink and sparkly.
Related: Make some cotton candy slime! So much fun.
Gumball Machine
A colorful gumball machine costume is a great way to use up a big bag of pom-poms!
Attach bright pom-poms to the front of a white top, then add a red skirt or red pants. Make a little coin slot from gray cardboard and attach it at the waist to complete the look.
It’s cheerful, easy to put together, and kids can have fun choosing all the different gumball colors.
Snail Mail
This one might be our favorite pun of the bunch! Turn your child into a little snail who delivers the mail.
Make a spiral shell from rolled-up brown paper and attach it to a small backpack. Add a headband with antennae and a little mailbag filled with envelopes.
Give your snail a large envelope to carry, and the costume becomes instantly recognizable. It’s snail mail, and it’s absolutely adorable.
Rain Cloud and Rainbow
Looking for a parent and child costume? This colorful duo is a lovely one to make together.
The parent can wear a gray outfit with a fluffy cloud attached to the front and blue felt raindrops underneath. For the child, paint a large cardboard rainbow and wear it over a bright outfit.
Stand together for the photo and you’ve got a rainy day followed by a rainbow! This would also work beautifully for siblings or best friends.
Related: There are so many fun rainbow crafts you can make with kids if you’re going for this theme.
Seagull and Stolen Chips
If you’ve ever tried to eat chips near a seagull, you already know exactly how this story goes!
Dress the parent as a seagull using a white top, gray felt wings, and a simple beak headband. The child can wear a red cardboard chip carton filled with oversized yellow foam or cardboard chips.
For the photo, have the seagull reach over and “steal” a chip. It’s a funny costume and a ready-made little scene all in one!
More Easy Costume Ideas
Once you start looking at everyday things as costume inspiration, the ideas keep coming! A parent dressed as a milk carton and a child dressed as a chocolate chip cookie would make another sweet pair. You could also try beans on toast, a missing sock, or a biscuit being dunked in tea.
These ideas are all about having fun with what you have and adding a little imagination. Your homemade costume doesn’t have to be perfect to make everyone smile! You can also use these ideas as world book day costumes.
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Which one would your child choose? Share this post with a friend who’s looking for a last-minute Halloween costume idea!
