How to Make a Shepherd Costume for Toddlers

Toddlers can make such cute shepherds for Christmas plays and Bible skits, especially if they have costumes. Here are two ways to make a shepherd costume. The quick version works well when you need a costume in a hurry without any sewing and with minimal expense. The sewn version works best if you plan to reuse the shepherd costume from year to year, or if you want a more polished look for your church pageant. In either case, neutral colors look best. Shepherd costumes don’t have to be fancy, or perfectly made, to be cute and effective.

Things You'll Need

• Adult t-shirt or a robe pattern and fabric
• Scissors
• Piece of rope or cording
• Small towel or piece of fabric
• Elastic headband
• Sewing machine (optional)
• Pins (optional)

Instructions

Quick No-Sew Shepherd Costume

1. Cut a slit all the way down the center front of an old adult t-shirt.

2. Have the child put on the t-shirt like a robe and overlap the two sides of the front.

3. Tie a piece of rope or cording around the child’s waist.

4. Place a small towel or piece of fabric on the child’s head so that the end of the towel slightly covers the child’s forehead and the rest hangs down the back.

5. Place the elastic headband over the child’s forehead and around the back of the head to hold the towel or fabric in place.

Sew a Shepherd Costume

1. Purchase a small robe or long shirt pattern at a fabric or craft store. Many pattern catalogs have a section just for costumes.

2. Purchase enough fabric to complete the robe or long shirt, following the guidelines on the pattern package.

3. Fold the fabric in half to cut one robe back, two sleeves and two robe fronts.

4. Place the robe back and robe fronts right sides together. Sew them together along the shoulders and sides.

5. Hem the neckline and front edges of the robe.

6. Fold each sleeve right sides together. Sew the underarm seams in each sleeve.

7. Pin the sleeves to the armholes right sides together and sew them to the robe.

8. Turn the robe right side out and have the child try it on. Adjust the length of the robe and sleeves as needed by cutting off excess fabric.

9. Hem the bottom of the robe and the ends of the sleeves.

10. Have the child put on the robe. Tie a piece of rope or cording around the child’s waist.

11. Make a head covering as described in Steps 4 and 5 in the quick version above.

Tips & Warnings

• You may want to make the robe a little too large for the child, in case you want to use it again next year or let another child use it.