Animaterna

Making Great Halloween Costumes

Halloween is a time that kids look forward to. They plan for months what kind of costume they will wear. As parents you can help them decide by either taking them to the store to pick out a pre-made costume, or you can work together to make a great homemade costume that will be like no other!

Many people get intimidated when they think of creating a costume – it must be hard right? Not a bit! Costumes can range from extremely simple to very elaborate, so depending on your creative skills you can find something that is in your range of ability.

First of all you need to decide what you want to create. Explore websites and craft books with your children and check out your options. If you live close to a fabric store or a large department store with a craft section, take a look at the pattern books to find something that will work. Most costume patterns are very easy to follow using simple stitches and maybe some glue. Some of the cutest costumes I have made were made of felt. Simple sewing and a hot glue gun helped me make an adorable ladybug and a handsome candy wrapper! Fleece fabrics and felt are great materials for costumes. They are both very easy to work with and durable.

You don’t have to have sewing skills to make a homemade costume. Some very creative costumes can be made by using things you have in your home. An old pair of pants paired with a flannel shirt can be the beginning of a fun scarecrow costume. Make bands of raffia ‘straw’ on elastic wristbands to put around the wrists and ankles. Use some old make up to draw ‘stitching’ on the child’s face and add a straw hat. This scarecrow looks better than any store bought costume!

Older kids love dressing up in retro clothes, so dig into the back of your closet and find clothes from the 80′s or 90′s. Put your daughter’s hair up in a fluffy side pony tail and flip up your son’s collar on his pastel polo shirt. They will be a cute preppy pair! An old pair of jeans can become part of a punk rocker and a flowing skirt and some heavy costume jewelry can become a gypsy.

Use your imagination and you will find that you can make very creative and unique costumes. Your kids will have a blast helping you make the most memorable costume they will ever have!

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome $5.50 The third film in the futuristic “Road Warrior” series pits Max (Mel Gibson) against the sadistic residents of Bartertown and their leader, Auntie Entity (Tina Turner), while he tries to lead a tribe of wild children to their “promised land.” Sci-fi adventure and slam-bang chases galore. 106 min. Standard and Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital Surro…

Mystical Genie Child Costume $36.37 Includes top, pants, veil, and tiara.Cast a spell over the desert!…

Large Gypsy Tambourine $4.99 Make a little music and a lot of noise! This Large Gypsy Tambourine is a great accessory for your gypsy or belly dancer costume. Note: colors on edge of tambourine may vary (no choices)….

Gypsy Jewelry Set Adult (One-Size) $4.56 Includes necklace and earrings….

Dogz 4 $5.29 Your Virtual Petz PalzProduct InformationThe world famous virtual Petz™ are back and as rambunctious as ever.Dogz® 4 takes your whiskered friends on a wild romp through time andspace to visit a south seas island and even a palace in Arabia! Tons ofgreat new accessories costumes and toyz ensure that your traveling Dogzalways arrive in style. With new voice-recognition technology (microphoner…

Mystical Genie Costume $64.53 Includes top, pants, veil, and tiara….

Gypsy Child Costume $45.21 Add a little mystery to her life this Halloween in the Gypsy costume which includes a whimsical white ankle length peasant dress featuring large ruffles along the hem and a sequined apron with attached golden coins. A matching sequined scarf is also included in this trendy travelers look. Includes: Dress, Apron, Scarf. Does not include jewelry or shoes….

In Character Costumes, LLC Girls 7-16 Gypsy Dress Set $58.20 Includes dress, vest, sash, belt, and headpiece. Does not include shoes, cards, jewelry….

Madeline and the Gypsies, Reissue $8.99 “How ineviatable that the irrepressible Madeline should one day meet up with gypsies….As absurd and amusing as ever.” Chicago Tribune…

Danny the Champion of the World $2.95 “My father, without the slightest doubt, was the most marvelous and exciting father any boy ever had.” Danny feels very lucky. He adores his life with his father, living in a gypsy caravan, listening to his stories, tending their gas station, puttering around the workshop, and occasionally taking off to fly home-built gas balloons and kites. His father has raised him on his own, ever since Da…