By Helena Zhu, Women Students Program Assistant, Access & Diversity

Halloween is right around the corner, which is also when Halloween costumes are most expensive, even for the little ones. With some creative juice though, and some ideas from this article, you can avoid spending the $80 without compromising too much on giving your kids costumes that they love. Even better, their friends and classmates will be jealous that they have such artistic moms and/or dads!

Minion

Remember that lab goggle from your first-year science lab? Cut out two circles from a white piece of paper. Secure them on the lab goggle using thin slivers of silver duct tape as the minion’s goggle frame. Use a black sharpie to complete the minion’s eyeballs. There you have the minion’s eyes and googles, which can be worn on your child’s forehead.

Your little one can now put on a yellow top, a pair of denim shorts or a denim romper, and a black pair shoes, and there you have your little minion.

Piñata

Think about when your little one will be wearing this costume. If it is for trick-or-treating, then you can decorate an outerwear; if it is for a house party, then perhaps choose a dress, an old t-shirt, or a top and bottom. Once you have your outfit of choice, purchase different colours of crepe paper streamers at a dollar store. As an example, there is Dollar “N” Plus, the dollar store at the University Village.

Use scissors to cut fringes into their widths. If you want to be able to remove the layers of streamers from the outfit, you can sew the layers on. If it is an outfit you plan to toss or are planning on reusing, you can apply the streamers with fabric glue.

You may also choose to buy a party hat from the dollar store. Your little one can wear it as it is or have it decorated the same way with the streamers.

Mario and Luigi

If you have a denim jumpsuit, you have hopes for making a Mario or Luigi costume. You could also wear regular jeans with blue or denim coloured suspenders. With a red top and a red cap, you or your little one can be a Mario. If you have a green top and a green cap, you can be a Luigi.

To use Mario as an example, cut out a circle from a piece of paper. Use a red sharpie or marker to write a large letter “M.” Then pin it onto the front of the cap. To make the moustache, you can either use artificial moustache if you have any, or cut out one from black or brown construction paper, and secure it above the lips with poster mounts or double-sided tape.

If you have white gloves and brown shoes by any chance, they will make the costume even better.

Off you go for your adventure!

Crayon

Look into your or your child’s closet. Identify an outfit of one solid colour, preferably one where you have matching construction papers for. Say that you choose blue, put on the blue outfit, and take out a blue construction paper. On the long side, use a black sharpie to write “crayon” or “Crayola.” On either end, colour in a black stripe along the width of the paper. Turn it on its side, use a hole puncher to punch holes at the top corners. You can then insert a string or yarn into the holes, and wear the “crayon” sign on the neck. You can adjust the string so that the crayon sign falls in front of the chest.

Take out another sheet of blue construction paper. Roll it up into a cone. This will be a hat or the tip of the crayon. You can secure the hat with bobby pins or another string or yarn to go under the chin.

Start colouring!