Easy Animal Costumes: Infants and Up
by Amanda Formaro
Children look so cute dressed as fuzzy
and furry creatures. Especially with whiskers painted on their chubby little
cheeks! Here are some fun animal costumes that are perfect for infants and
toddlers, as well as children of all ages.
Note: For all of the costumes below, use our
make
up recipe and paint on a cute nose and whiskers! Almost any animal costume
can be made with a little imagination and a sweatsuit!
Sheep
white hooded sweatsuit
cotton batting or stuffing from a pillow
white or black felt triangles for ears
double sided tape
two pairs of white or black socks
Apply strips of double sided tape up and down the sweat suit. Attach cotton
batting in clumps by pressing onto the tape. For the ears, cut two triangles
from either black of white felt. Either hand sew or hot glue onto the hood.
Keep in mind that hand sewing will make the ears easily removable so you
can reuse the sweatsuit after Halloween! Have child wear one pair of white
socks on his hands and one pair on his feet (use black socks if you used
black felt for the ears).
Skunk
black hooded sweatsuit
white faux fur
fabric glue
black felt
2 pairs black socks
double sided tape
black fabric
Cut the faux fur into a long strip and adhere it on the hood and down the
back of the sweat jacket with strips of double sided tape. Cut a small oval
shape for the tummy area and adhere that with fabric glue. For the ears,
cut two triangles from black felt. Either hand sew or hot glue onto the hood.
Keep in mind that hand sewing will make the ears easily removable so you
can reuse the sweatsuit after Halloween! Have child wear one pair of black
socks on his hands and one pair on his feet.
Bunny
pink, brown, or white hooded sweatsuit
powder puff or large pompom or a handful of cotton balls
double sided tape
white pantyhose
wire coat hanger
plastic headband
two pairs of socks to match suit color
plastic or real carrot
Attach powder puff, pompom, or cotton balls to back of sweat pants using
double sided tape. Bend the coat hanger into the shape of two long bunny
ears. Gently stretch the panty hose over the ears and attach to plastic headband.
Carry a carrot!
Turtle
green sweatsuit (hooded is optional)
2 piece green or light brown poster board
scissors
craft paint or thick markers
hot glue
Cut one piece of the poster board into a large oval shell. Draw large wobbly
circles on shell. Go over outline with markers or paint to accentuate. Cut
two long, fairly thick strips (between one and two inches depending on the
size of the child) from the second piece of posterboard the full length of
the board. Using hot glue, attach these strips to the top of the back side
of the shell, then run over child's shoulders as straps. Hot glue straps
in place. Leave enough room for "give" so child can move his/her arms without
tearing or breaking the straps.
Puppy
brown, tan, gray, black or white hooded sweatsuit
Fabric circles in a contrasting color (i.e. white suit, brown spots, etc.)
2 sheets of felt in color matching sweatsuit
scissors
double sided tape
2 pairs of socks in color matching sweatsuit
dog collar or belt cut to size (optional)
Using small pieces of double sided tape, attach fabric circles to sweatsuit
in various different areas. Cut two floppy ears from 1 sheet of the felt
and either hand sew or hot glue onto the hood. Keep in mind that hand sewing
will make the ears easily removable so you can reuse the sweatsuit after
Halloween! Cut a long tail from the second sheet of felt and attach to the
back of the pants with a safety pin. Have child wear one pair of socks on
her hands and one pair on her feet. Top off with a dog collar or a belt cut
short to serve as a collar.
Cat
gold, brown, tan, black, gray or white hooded sweatsuit
faux fur in color matching sweatsuit
fabric glue
felt in color matching sweatsuit
plastic headband
scissors
2 pairs of socks in color matching sweatsuit
dog collar or belt cut to size (optional)
If desired, use black marker to draw stripes on sweatsuit. Cut two triangles
for ears and hot glue to the headband. Cut a small oval shape from the faux
fur for the tummy area and adhere that with fabric glue. Next make cuffs
and a collar. Use the cuffs on the sweatshirt as a guide for how wide and
long you need to cut the faux fur strips. Attach the strips to the sweatshirt
using fabric glue. Cut a long tail from the remaining felt and attach to
the back of the pants with a safety pin. Have child wear one pair of socks
on her hands and one pair on her feet. Top off with a dog collar or a belt
cut short to serve as a collar.
Spider/Bug
black hooded sweatsuit
2 pairs of black socks
4 pair of black tube socks, nylon or polyester
cotton batting
Stuff the tube socks with cotton batting to make the spider's legs. Sew or
pin the eight legs to the sides of the black outfit. Have child wear one
pair of black socks on his hands and one pair on his feet.
Note for infants: When your baby crawls, the legs flop up and down on the
ground, making it look like a spider crawling across the floor. Adorable!
Variation: To make a bug costume, use a green or brown (or any color you
like) sweatsuit and coordinating socks.
Spider Web
black hooded sweatsuit
white fabric paint, squeeze bottle
medium sized fuzzy spider
black plastic headband
hot glue
small plastic spiders
With white fabric paint in a squeeze bottle, paint a big spider web on the
front and back of the black sweatsuit. Paint a few smaller ones on the pants.
Hot glue the fuzzy spider to the plastic headband, allow to dry. With two
or three stitches, hand sew small plastic spiders to the webs, don't forget
the ones on the legs!
Tiger
yellow hooded sweatsuit
black or brown fabric paint
yellow felt
2 pairs of black socks
Paint black or brown stripes on the sweatsuit. For the ears, cut two triangles
from felt. Either hand sew or hot glue onto the hood. Keep in mind that hand
sewing will make the ears easily removable so you can reuse the sweatsuit
after Halloween! Cut a long tail from the remaining felt and attach to the
back of the pants with a safety pin. Have child wear one pair of black socks
on his hands and one pair on his feet.
Cow
white hooded sweatsuit
black fabric marker or black fabric/felt circles
short piece of rope or 10-12 strands of black yarn, braided
dog collar or old belt cut to size
bell
2 pairs white socks
Draw black splotches onto sweatsuit with a fabric marker or cut and sew on
black felt or fabric circles or spots. Add a tail by unraveling one end of
the piece of rope and pinning the closed end to the back of the pants. If
using yarn, be sure to leave a section unbraided toward the end of the tail.
For the ears, cut two large triangles from felt. Either hand sew or hot glue
onto the hood (or a headband). Keep in mind that hand sewing will make the
ears easily removable so you can reuse the sweatsuit after Halloween! Use
dog collar or an old belt and attach "cow bell" for the finishing touch.
Have child wear one pair of black socks on his hands and one pair on his
feet.
Pig
oversized pink hooded sweatsuit
cotton batting or receiving blankets
pink felt
hot glue
long pink chenille stick
2 pairs of pink or white socks
plastic pig nose (optional)
For the ears, cut two triangles from felt. Either hand sew or hot glue onto
the hood. Keep in mind that hand sewing will make the ears easily removable
so you can reuse the sweatsuit after Halloween! Twist chenille stick into
a corkscrew tail and attach with a safety pin. After child is dressed, stuff
sweatsuit with cotton batting or receiving blankets (anything soft that will
not irritate skin). Have child wear one pair of socks on her hands and one
pair on her feet.
Dinosaur/Dragon
green hooded sweatsuit
sheet of red felt
sheet of blue felt
sheet of purple felt
sheet of orange felt
two or three sheets of yellow felt
plastic grocery bags (for stuffing) or cotton batting
long piece of green felt or fabric to match suit
fabric glue
From the red, blue, purple and orange felt, cut triangular scales. Glue to
the front of the sweat jacket in overlapping scale pattern. From the yellow
sheets of felt, cut large triangles, roll into cone shapes, glue together
to form the cone. Allow to dry. Stuff cone shapes with plastic bags or cotton
batting and glue to the back of the suit for spikes. Make smaller versions
of the yellow cones for the hood. Add a large pointy tail on the back hem
made from long piece of felt or fabric. Hand sew on to back of pants or bottom
of jacket.
Mouse
gray hooded sweatsuit
gray felt
double sided tape
2 pairs of gray or black socks
Cut two circles for ears from the felt and either hand sew or hot glue onto
the hood. Use may alternatively use a headband. Keep in mind that hand sewing
will make the ears easily removable so you can reuse the sweatsuit after
Halloween! Cut a long tail from the second sheet of felt and attach to the
back of the pants with a safety pin. Have child wear one pair of socks on
her hands and one pair on her feet.
Ladybug
red hooded sweatsuit
2 pieces red poster board
scissors
black craft paint or black marker
hot glue
2 black chenille sticks
red or black plastic headband
2 pairs of red or black socks
Cut one piece of the poster board into a large oval. Draw or paint black
circles onto oval. Cut two long, fairly thick strips (between one and two
inches depending on the size of the child) from the second piece of posterboard
the full length of the board. Using hot glue, attach these strips to the
top of the back side of the shell, then run over child's shoulders as straps.
Hot glue straps in place. Leave enough room for "give" so child can move
his/her arms without tearing or breaking the straps. Wrap chenille sticks
onto headband for antennas. Have child wear one pair of socks on her hands
and one pair on her feet.
Bear
brown hooded sweatsuit
brown felt
double sided tape
2 pairs of brown or black socks
oversized plastic margarine tub
blue construction paper or craft paint
black marker
Cut two circles for ears from the felt and either hand sew or hot glue onto
the hood. You may alternatively use a headband. Keep in mind that hand sewing
will make the ears easily removable so you can reuse the sweatsuit after
Halloween! Have child wear one pair of socks on her hands and one pair on
her feet. Paint or glue construction paper around margarine tub. using black
market, write the word "HONEY" across the front.
Butterfly
black hooded sweatsuit
2 black chenille sticks
black plastic headband
poster board, any color except black
fluorescent craft paint, different colors
sequins
glitter
craft glue
pair of long boot laces
2 pairs of black socks
Cut posterboard in half, with scissors shape each half as a wing of butterfly.
Being sure to leave enough room for a border around the wing, paint wings
with fluorescent paints in different shapes and patterns. Paint a black border
around edge of wings. Add sequins and glitter to the border. Poke a hole
at the top inside seam of each wing, and at the bottom inside seam. Run boot
laces through and criss cross over child's body and tie. Wrap chenille sticks
onto headband for antennas. Have child wear one pair of socks on her hands
and one pair on her feet.
About the Author:
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children. She is also the owner of FamilyCorner.com Magazine. Subscribe to her free newsletter by clicking "sign up" below
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