How to Create a Stop Light Halloween Costume for a Child

A traffic light is a fun and safety-conscious Halloween costume for kids.

Make your own children's Halloween costume using a large cardboard box. Decorate the box as a traffic light complete with a personalized street sign. Children will love turning the tap lights off and on while trick or treating, at Halloween school parties or costume contests and during other activities. In addition, the bright lights will add even more protection on a dark Halloween night.

Things You'll Need

• 2 to 3 yards of golden-yellow felt
• 1 large piece of foam in black, green and white
• 3 large tap lights
• Red, yellow and green spray paint
• Black knit hat

Instructions

Decorate Cardboard Box as a Stop Light

1. Pick up a large cardboard box from a retail store and cut it to length (just above the child's knees).

2. Measure the circumference of the child's head and cut a hole in the top of box to fit. Cut holes approximately 3 to 4 inches from the top of the box on each side for the child's arms.

3. Hot glue the golden-yellow felt around the top and sides of box to completely cover.

4. Cut head and arm holes through the felt using a flashlight to shine the light through the holes in box.

5. Cut the corners off of black foam and hot glue the black foam to the front of covered box.

6. Spray paint tap lights in red, yellow and green and let dry.

7. Cut a semi-circle out of the black foam for each light cover. Glue the foam covers in an arch over the top of each light, perpendicular to the box.

8. Center the yellow light on front of box and secure it with hot glue. Glue the red light just above the yellow light. Glue the green light just below the yellow light.

9. Dress the child in a solid black sweatsuit and shoes, and place the decorated box over his head and onto his shoulders.

Create Street Sign Cap

1. Cut a large rectangular shape out of the green foam. Outline the green rectangle shape using white foam.

2. Cut the child's name and "Avenue" out of white paper or foam and glue the letters to the green foam.

3. Hot glue completed "street sign" to a black-knit cap. Place the knit cap on the child's head.

Tips & Warnings

• A large hangers box from Walmart works best.

• Add Styrofoam to the underside of the box to fit the child's shoulders for extra padding.

• Put batteries in each tap light and test before gluing onto the box.

• Use a Sizzix machine to cut the letters for the street sign name. If you do not have a Sizzix machine, white sticker letters may be used as a substitute.

• Paint tap lights in well-ventilated area.

• Handle the hot glue gun very carefully -- keep away from small children.

References

• PieceOfScrap on eBay: Stop Light Halloween Costumes Ideas