How to Make a Person in a Cage for Halloween

A cage to put around your body for Halloween is a creative and funny costume.

Whether you want to dress up as a zoo animal, a circus act, a prisoner or a mad scientist's experiment, making a costume that makes you appear to be in a cage is a funny and creative idea. Using PVC piping, hot glue, and some cardboard, you can create your own cage that you can stand in as a costume. Follow these steps and you'll be caged and ready to trick-or-treat in no time.

Things You'll Need

• PVC pipe
• Band saw or hack saw
• Plastic corner brackets (to fit PVC pipe)
• Hot glue gun
• Hot glue
• Sturdy cardboard
• Box cutter
• Study string or wire (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut eight pieces of PVC pipe 2 1/2 to 3 feet in length. All eight pieces should be the same length. These pieces will serve as the base structure for your cage.

2. Connect four pieces of the PVC pipe into a square using the corner brackets. Do the same for the other four pieces of pipe.

3. Measure the length and mark the PVC pipe bars beginning at your waist and reaching to about 6 inches above your head. Cut it into pieces that match this measurement.

4. Cut 16 pieces of PVC pipe to the desired height. All 16 are the same length.

5. Use the hot glue gun to glue the bars of the cage onto the frame by placing one of the PVC squares on the ground, applying the glue, and pressing the bars down into the glue. Each side of the square should have four bars spaced equally. Two of these bars should go in the corners to make a box shape.

6. Once the hot glue has dried, glue the other PVC square to the top of the cage structure by placing glue quickly on all 16 bars and pressing the square firmly on top. Speed is of the essence, so it helps to have someone to help apply the glue using another glue gun.

7. Measure a square of cardboard with the same dimensions as the squares of PVC pipe and use the box cutter to cut it out. Draw a large circle in the middle of the square and cut this out as well. Smooth any rough spots with sand paper. This hole will go around the middle part of your body as you stand in the cage.

8. Secure the cardboard base to the bottom of the cage with hot glue.

9. Make a strap to hold the cage up (or you can hold the sides of the cage yourself). To make a strap, use sturdy rope or string and tie it to two sides of the cage, tightening it so that it can rest on your shoulders (behind your neck) and hold the cage up. If you'll be wearing it for a long time, pad it with some soft fabric or foam where it hits the shoulders.

References

• Disney Family Fun: Best Halloween Costumes: Lion Tamer