How to Make An Easy Lady Bug Costume

Halloween is right around the corner and it is time to decide on costumes for the kids. Little girls will look adorable dressed up in a ladybug costume as they walk down the street trick-or-treating. Ladybug costumes are easy and inexpensive to make. Enlisting the help of the little ladybug herself will make the project even more fun and memorable. All you need to make the ladybug costume are some items you have laying around the house and a few supplies from the local craft store.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Large cardboard box
• Scissors strong enough to cut the box
• Red paint
• Black construction paper
• Glue
• Black electrical tape
• Stapler
• Four thick, red pipe cleaners
• Black headband
• Black pants
• Black shirt
• Black shoes

1. Cut out two large circles from the sides of the cardboard box. Paint the cardboard circles red.

2. Cut out several 3-inch diameter circles from the construction paper. There should be enough circles to make the ladybug’s dots. After the paint on the cardboard circles has dried, glue the dots onto the cardboard.

3. Make straps for the ladybug costume body with electrical tape. Attach the two pieces of cardboard with tape and then cover the first piece of tape with another piece of tape, sticky sides together.

4. Secure the straps by stapling the tape onto the cardboard.

5. Form two of the red pipe cleaners into the shapes of balls. Attach one ball to each of the remaining two pipe cleaners.

6. Twist the free end of each of the pipe cleaners to the black headband for the antennae.

7. Dress the little ladybug up in the black pants, black shirt, and black shoes. Slip the cardboard body over top of her head so that the straps rest on her shoulder. Place the antennae headband on her head.

Tips & Warnings

• Red spray paint will make the painting of the ladybug costume body easier, but two or three applications will be necessary to adequately cover the cardboard.
• Gluing red pom-poms to the ends of the pipe cleaners is an alternative to making balls out of pipe cleaners when making the antennae headband.
• Two strips of black Velcro could be used to make the straps for the ladybug costume body instead of black electrical tape.
• The bottom of the ladybug costume body should not extend beyond the back of the child’s knees.