Danielle Falk from Little Ginger Studio shares a few simple techniques for making fabulous DIY kids costume with a variety of recycled materials. With thanks and acknowledgement of the skill & imagination of our studio teacher Christine Hill.
![Creative DIY kids costumes with recycled materials](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Creative-DIY-kids-costumes-with-recycled-materials.jpg)
Big and little kids just love dressing up. And I think a homemade costume is so much better than a store bought one.
![GIrls wearing handmade kids costumes](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cute-sisters.jpg)
Don’t believe me? Check out the amazing ingenuity displayed by students in our recent Summer vacation art camps.
Kids (ages 4-10) just blew us away with their creative ideas for fancy costume design.
![Child with DIY hat](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Child-with-DIY-hat.jpg)
We had masks, shoes, shields, box-dragons, fairy wings, tutus, hats, handbags and more–all using humble throw-away materials such as newspaper, cardboard and packing materials.
These kids seriously rocked their design brief!
![Child wearing dress & wings costume](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Child-wearing-dress-wings-costume-768x1024.jpg)
In order to keep things simple, I’m going to explain how to create a skirt, bodice and wings, but obviously the sky is very much the limit here.
![Two girls wearing homemade Star Wars costumes](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Two-girls-wearing-homemade-Star-Wars-costumes.jpg)
How to Make DIY Kids Costume from Recycled Materials
MATERIALS
- newspaper
- cardboard
- scissors (big for adult and small for kid)
- PVA (or any white glue such as Elmer’s)
- large brown paper grocery bags
- variety of tapes (duct tape, masking tape, even washi tape for decorating)
- chalk markers / paint markers
- hot glue gun (for teacher to add pom poms)
- stapler & staples
- string
- ribbons / streamers
- pom poms
- elastic band any width (for the arm straps)
- any other shiny, pretty & bright papers & craft materials for decorating
INSTRUCTIONS
![Child wearing dress & wings costume for kids](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Child-wearing-dress-wings-costume-for-kids-768x1024.jpg)
1. Make a skirt out of newspaper.
- Create a skirt out of newspaper with just an old newspaper or two and a stapler.
- Start by folding one sheet of newspaper lengthways a few times to make a “belt”.
- Next, grab another single sheet and fold it “concertina” (fan) style to make some pleats.
- Staple this set of pleats at right angles to your belt (at one end) and repeat along the entire length of your belt until you have a skirt! This makes a tutu skirt that little ballet enthusiasts are sure to love.
- Add streamers or ribbons for a final colourful touch. The skirt can then have ribbons attached for fastening and wearing.
- Or you can staple the skirt directly onto a bodice to make a “pop-over” dress (see how to make a bodice below). You might also make a simpler skirt by adding long fringing to a belt or bodice.
![Handmade pink dress with newspaper fringes](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Handmade-pink-dress-with-newspaper-fringes.jpg)
2. Create a bodice (for a dress) or vest.
We love using shortcuts when creating with kids and are big fans of using brown paper (grocery) bags to make costumes.
![Diy dress & wings costume for kids](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Diy-dress-wings-costume-for-kids.jpg)
- Simply cut a hole for a neck, two more for arm holes and voila! It’s a bodice for a dress! All you need to do now is attach a skirt.
- Or, cut the bodice open, draw on some buttons and you have a vest.
- Add paper cut fringes and it’s a cowboy vest!
- Then it’s time to decorate using papers, markers etc.
![Child with DIY wings costume](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Child-with-DIY-wings-costume.jpg)
3. Make a pair of fabulous wings.
We had a lot of fun creating magical wings with some of our students using thin packing foam. You could easily use cardboard for firmer wings as well.
- First have an adult cut out the wing shapes.
- Next, attach wings using hot glue gun to a rectangle of cardboard (adult help).
- Then add some long cardboard “struts” to support the wings.
- After this, kids can decorate their wings using tape, shiny paper, feathers, pom poms etc!
- Add elastic bands or ribbon loops with a stapler or hot glue gun and you’re good to go!
![DIY handbag & star wand for kids](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DIY-handbag-star-wand-for-kids-768x1024.jpg)
4. Have some fun with accessories!
Our students also loved creating fancy accessories for their outfits. We had fabulous hats, handbags, swords, jewelery and shoes galore!
Older kids (7+) especially are very capable of problem-solving how to make accessories whereas younger children may need a bit of assistance.
![DIY shoes for kids costume](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DIY-shoes-for-kids-costume.jpg)
Kids will really surprise you when you give them the freedom to just create and most of our students did so with little instruction. Seriously – check out the shoes!
![Girls wearing Star Wars costumes](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Girls-wearing-Star-Wars-costumes-scaled.jpg)
I hope you and your kids give these DIY kids costume ideas a try–they are so much fun!
Autumn Arts & Crafts Ideas & Supplies
![The Artful Parent Amazon shop for Fall Crafts & Play Ideas.](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Get-your-fall-family-fun-list-from-The-Artful-Parent-Amazon-Shop.jpg)
See our FALL family fun list on my Amazon storefront!
It includes supplies for fall arts & crafts (including the best paper leaves for painting!), autumn toys, Halloween ideas, and picture books about autumn.
Plus, we have lists of the best kids art supplies, open-ended toys, children’s games, and more!
![](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Halloween-Arts-and-Crafts-for-Kids-Workshop-350-Square.jpg)
Get our new Halloween Arts & Crafts for Kids workshop!
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Plus a bonus of 10 Halloween-themed drawing prompts!
![31 Halloween Activities for Kids Free Printable Graphic](https://artfulparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/31-Halloween-Activities-for-Kids-Free-Printable-Graphic.jpg)
Download our FREE printable idea list of 31 Halloween activities for kids & families!
Or just check out the blog post with the links… So many fun ideas for Halloween!
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