How to Make an Indian Halloween Costume for a Toddler

Make an Indian costume for your toddler for Halloween.

Dressing in scary costumes can be frightening for toddlers at Halloween. Besides the fear factor, you need to consider your child's comfort level. Active toddlers are rambunctious and should not wear clothing that is too big for their little bodies. Make your small child an Indian costume yourself. Save a few dollars and customize the costume to fit your child's size and shape. Both boys and girls will like dressing as small Indians.

Things You'll Need

• Sewing tape
• Pencil
• Brown faux leather fabric
• Scissors
• Hook and loop fastener
• Red permanent marker
• Black permanent marker
• Feather
• Hot glue gun
• Brown T-shirt
• Brown sweat suit
• Brown belt
• Moccasins

Instructions

Headband

1. Measure your child's head circumference with a sewing measuring tape. Mark the tape with a pencil or write the measurement down.

2. Lay the faux leather fabric on a flat surface, like a table, wrong side up. Measure out a length of fabric that matches the measurement you took of the child's head circumference. Mark it with a pencil.

3. Cut out a 2-inch wide strip from the fabric, using your mark as a guide to the length.

4. Add strips of hook and loop fastener to both ends of the fabric. Place two inches of the hook and loop fastener on the right end of the fabric. Then turn the fabric over and place another two inches of the hook and loop fastener on the left end of the fabric.

5. Draw some vertical lines and designs on the right side of the fabric using red and black permanent markers.

6. Glue a feather to the back of the headband with a hot glue gun. Tuck the quill inside the headband and place a piece of fabric over the quill tip so it does not irritate skin.

Outfit

1. Buy a brown T-shirt with short or long sleeves. Choose a shirt that is just a size or two too big for your child.

2. Cut fringe on the bottom of the shirt. Do this by making slits along the edges of the fabric with the scissors.

3. Make fringe on the sleeve hems of the shirt.

4. Assemble the costume by pulling the fringe shirt over a brown sweatshirt and brown sweatpants. If you live in a warm weather area, no sweatshirt is needed. Put the headband on the child and secure it in the back with the hook and loop fasteners. Add a brown belt over the fringe shirt and have your child wear moccasins.

References

• Costumzee: Indian Costumes