Family Matters: Halloween Costumes
Friday, October 14, 2011
With Halloween just around the corner, now is the time to make some moves on getting the kidos outfitted. Here are 8 steps to get them suited up and ready for fun by the time the 31st rolls around.
1. Make costume planning a family event and an opportunity for conversation. Ideas for costumes may stem from books, movies, toys, games or their imagination. Talk to children about their ideas and why they want to be whatever they pick.
2. Set a deadline. Give children a calendar date (that works for you) by when they need to finalize their costume choice so you have ample time to make or shop for the costume.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST3. Swap costumes with friends. Reusing or repurposing someone else's costume is a cheap and easy way to get a Halloween costume.
4. DIY Costume Planning. DIY does not have to mean difficult or involve sewing. Find pictures online or in books of the character or the game, toy, object your child wants to be. If your child wants to make up a character, draw or make a list of parts of the costume. Start simple. A robot can be made from a box, a superhero needs a cape and a secret identiy, a pirate needs some scarves and ripped clothes, and a witch often has a hat.
5. Look around the house for clothes, parts and props that may work as part of the costume. Shop thrift shops for inexpensive clothing that can be worn as-is or transformed simply by cutting up and repurposing.
6. Assemble costume in advance of Halloween night to avoid last-minute stress of missing parts like makeup or magic wands and to find out whether the costume fits, is comfortable or your child can walk in it .
7. Last Minute Ideas: Go as a color - Green Man or Aqua Woman. Turn the character into a superhero by assigning special powers and adding a cape and/or attaching a logo to the front of the shirt, a fairy or a princess by adding some wings or tuille skirt, or into an animal by adding a tail or ears.
8. Have fun with it, kids may love to dress up and want to wear the costume more than just on Halloween. But if your child only wears that expensive store-bought costume once, swap it or consign it for something new the next year!
Check out these costume ideas on Kidinfo:
Anisa Raoof is the publisher and founder of Kidoinfo, the parents' guide for Rhode Island and beyond.
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