How to Make Cheap Wizard of Oz Costumes for Kids

Use household supplies and materials to make kids' costumes.

"The Wizard of Oz" is a classic movie that can serve as inspiration for Halloween costumes or dress up ideas. If your kids have an upcoming occasion that warrants them to wear "Wizard of Oz" costumes, consider making the costumes yourself. Not only does a do-it-yourself costume project save you money, but it also allows the kids to keep the outfits and accessories because you do not have to return them to a costume store.

Things You'll Need

• Blue dress
• White T-shirt
• Shoulder pads
• Thread
• Needle
• Sewing shears
• Pumps
• Red spray paint
• Basket
• Stuffed dog
• Assorted clothes
• Silver spray paint
• Plastic headband
• Plastic funnel
• Craft glue
• Shoes
• Gloves
• Silver face paint
• Black smock
• Black and green striped leggings or tights
• Black witch hat
• Green face paint

Instructions

Dorothy

1. Prepare the iconic blue Dorothy dress. The Dorothy dress is a tea-length dress that goes down between the knees and the ankles. If you have a blue dress, use it for the costume. You can make adjustments, such as giving the dress tank top sleeves and a tighter waist. Additionally, if you do not have a blue dress, you can dye a white one with fabric dye in the washing machine.

2. Sew shoulder pads into the white T-shirt. Dorothy's shirt beneath her dress has puffy shoulders. Use a straight stitch to connect the shoulder pad to the inside of the shirt.

3. Spray paint the pumps red. These become the ruby red slippers that Dorothy wears. Embellish the costume by having the child hold a basket with a stuffed dog inside.

Tin Man

1. Spray paint assorted clothes silver. The tin man wears a silver tin suit that covers his legs, arms and body. As such, prepare denim jeans, sweatpants or leggings to be silver bottoms with a long-sleeved silver shirt for the top.

2. Paint the headband and the plastic funnel silver. Glue the two together so that the funnel's spout faces up and the wide brim is glued to the headband. The child will wear the headband so that it looks like the tin man's hat.

3. Prepare shoes and gloves by painting them silver. Paint the child's face with silver face paint to complete the tin man costume.

Wicked Witch

1. Wear a black smock as the wicked witch's black cloak. Have the child put on black and green striped leggings or tights. If you only have black leggings or tights, you can create your own green stripes by cutting out strips of green fabric and gluing or sewing them to the tights to look like horizontal stripes.

2. Place the witch's hat on the child's head. Paint the child's face and hands green with green face paint.

3. Put the red ruby slippers on the child's feet for the costume footwear. Since the wicked witch is chasing Dorothy and her ruby slippers in the story, you can give the witch the ruby red slippers to wear for this costume.

References

• Disney Family Fun: Dorothy Costume
• Planet Green: Make Your Own Broadway-Inspired Wicked Halloween Costume