How to Make a Kids Monkey Costume

It's easy to make a last-minute kid's monkey costume for Halloween or a costume party. Brown and gray are typical colors for monkey costumes, but if you have other colors of sweats and felt on hand (or simply feel like being more creative), try making a bright and colorful monkey costume. You can spruce up the costume with accessories, such as a red vest and hat for an organ grinder monkey.

Things You'll Need

• Brown or gray sweatpants and hooded, pullover sweatshirt
• Brown or gray felt to match sweats
• Tan or pink felt or fleece
• Two pipe cleaners
• Pins
• Thread and needle or sewing machine
• Red felt (optional)
• Plastic mug (optional)

Instructions

1. Buy or find matching brown or gray sweatpants and a hooded, pullover sweatshirt that fit the child.

2. Cut four semicircles out of felt matching the color of the sweats to make the monkey ears. Cut two smaller semicircles from the tan or pink felt for the center of the ears. Sew each pink or tan semicircle to one of the smaller semicircles.

3. Pin each of the ear pieces you just sewed to one of the remaining felt semicircles, with the pink or tan side facing in. Sew around the round edge, then turn the ears right side out. Place a bent pipe cleaner inside each ear so that they will keep their shape, adding a row of stitches on the inside of the pipe cleaners so they will stay in place.

4. Sew the ears to the sides of the sweatshirt hood.

5. Sew a long piece of brown or gray felt into a tube. Turn it right-side-out, stitch up one end and sew the other to the back of the sweatshirt.

6. Cut an oval from pink or tan felt that's not quite as long and wide as the front of the sweatshirt. Sew it on to make the monkey's belly.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a vest to go with the monkey costume by cutting two pieces of red felt the same size and shape as the back of the sweatshirt. Sew the top and sides of the pieces together, leaving room for the arm holes, then cut an opening down the middle of one of the felt pieces and turn the vest right-side-out.

• Make a felt fez to go with your organ grinder monkey vest; see Resources for a pattern. Give the child a plastic mug to complete the outfit.

References

• Craftzine: Last Minute Halloween Costumes for Kids
• Coolest Homemade Costumes: Organ Grinder Monkey

Resources

• Lucius Monkey: Fez Instructions