With prices going up pretty much everywhere, many families are feeling a crunch this year that has nothing to do with candy. Save money with these easy DIY Halloween costumes made from packaging materials you may already have on hand!
Cardboard Halloween costumes: Easy mode
We’ve divided this section into two levels: Easy, and Advanced. If you’ve got your hands full juggling multiple responsibilities, and just want to paint a box and call it a day, you might be able to interest your child in becoming:
- A box of crayons
- A Rubik’s cube
- A lego brick (glue six yogurt cups to the box and paint)
- A TV set
- A Chinese takeout box
- A box of popcorn
- A birthday present
Cardboard Halloween costumes: Hard mode
If you’ve got some time on your hands and are up for a project, you can flex your DIY skills with these slightly more challenging cardboard costumes:
- Transformers robot (or any robot)
- Minecraft character
- Samurai warrior
- Knight in armor
- A Super Mario or Luigi go-kart
- A spaceship
As demonstrated in our cardboard boat race post, almost anything can be made out of cardboard. It’s a very affordable, lightweight material that’s easy to tape, glue, and paint. Some artists, like Olivier Bertrand, even use it to create incredibly lifelike sculptures. So, when it comes to making costumes out of cardboard boxes, don’t be daunted—the sky’s the limit!
Bubble wrap Halloween costume ideas
If you’ve got a ton of bubble wrap lying around from a recent move, you can upcycle it into a unique costume. Consider these bubble wrap costume ideas:
- Jellyfish:Attach bubble wrap strands to a wide-brimmed sun hat to imitate the appearance of a jellyfish’s tentacles. You can also line the inside of the hat with battery-powered LED lights for a glowing effect.
- Glowy ghost: Drape the wearer in bubble wrap sheets and add LED lights beneath for a truly spooky effect.
Paper Halloween costume ideas
If you’ve got a lot of leftover poster board lying around, you can use it in your Halloween costume as well. Some unique ideas include:
- A paper doll: Simply cut out paper clothing, complete with tabs, and attach it to the wearer with tape.
- The Paper Bag Princess: The heroine of this popular children’s book is easy to recreate with brown Kraft paper and a “golden” crown. Since paper is rather fragile, you will want ensure that the wearer has real clothing underneath!
- A paper-mache monster mask: First, create a basic shape out of aluminum foil. Mix small paper scraps with glue, and apply the mixture to the surface. Finally, add paint. This is a great way to engage children and involve them in their costume fabrication.
Tips for making a DIY Halloween costume
- Start early:To avoid last-minute stress, begin planning your costume in early October. For complex costumes, you might want to start in September or even earlier!
- Take a look around: Before deciding on a costume, look at the clothing you already have at hand, and use household materials to make props and accessories. For instance, a black dress might just need a witch hat to make a witch. A boy with a flannel shirt and jeans might just need a fake axe to become a lumberjack!
- Sketch your design:Create a rough sketch or mood board of your costume idea. This helps you visualize the project, spot potential problems early, and create a list of supplies.
- Anticipate the weather: Make sure you know what the local weather is expected to look like on Halloween. A paper-clad mummy might shiver on a cold October night, and a shaggy werewolf might suffer on a warm one.
- Have a dress rehearsal: To avoid last-minute emergencies, make sure the costume is tested (i.e. worn) before the actual night of Halloween.
- Prioritize visibility:If the costume includes a mask, make sure it doesn’t obstruct the wearer’s vision. If the wearer is trick-or-treating, add reflective elements to ensure he or she is seen by drivers.
More tips for saving money during Halloween
If you are considering making a costume, you are probably feeling a crunch this October that has nothing to do with candy. More ways you can tighten your budget during Halloween include:
- Make your own Halloween decorations. Many decorations, just like costumes, can be easily made out of cardboard, paper, bubble wrap, and tape! In fact, here are some easy Halloween decorations we posted about a while back.
- Buy candy in bulk:Purchase Halloween candy in large bags from warehouse clubs or grocery stores that offer bulk discounts. This is usually cheaper than buying multiple smaller bags.
- Buy candy alternatives: Some items, like stickers or glow-stick wristbands, can be purchased in bulk for less than $5. As a bonus, they are allergy-friendly!
- Don’t pass out candy at all: On Halloween night, there is nothing wrong with taking your child trick-or-treating, while leaving your own lights off and blinds drawn.
- Find free local events: Check with your local community center, library, or parks and recreation department for free Halloween events like trunk-or-treats, costume parades, or movie nights. Many churches and schools often open their doors to the community during Halloween, for a fun, free, safe time.
- Take a tour of decorations: One of the most popular and free activities is taking a tour of decorated houses in your town. Make a family game out of it by creating a bingo card to check off items like skeletons, ghosts, and spiderwebs.
- Buy and preserve clearance pumpkins. On November 1st, all of the stores decide that fall is officially over, and it’s time for Christmas. Therefore, all pumpkins and squash must go! Most of these are perfectly edible. This blog offers great tips on preserving discount pumpkins so you can eat them all winter long.
Happy Halloween from SSI Packaging!
We hope that this blog has given you some good inspiration and useful tips! If you need cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, or other packaging materials, please feel free to browse our online store, or visit us at our Richmond, VA location. Have a safe and happy Halloween!