4 Cheap & Easy DIY Halloween Costume Hacks

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Need a last-minute Halloween costume?

Never mind the pricey pre-made store-bought costumes that stores have on their shelves. Here's our tutorial for making five fun, creative and absolutely easy DIY Halloween costume ideas with the most affordable materials imaginable.

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These DIY ideas all work well for adults or for kids, and even for last minute get-ups for trick-or-treating, cosplay or spooky Halloween party events.

Trick or Cheap!

Robot Reboot Halloween Costume Hack

Robot Final Costume

Things You'll Need

  • 2 Silver automotive sun shades

  • Hot glue gun

  • 12-inch plastic basket

  • Colored duct tape in red, yellow, black and turquoise

  • Black 1/4-inch tape

  • Dark shirt and pants that fit child

  • Scissors

  • X-acto knife

  • Wax paper

1. Cut the Head and Arm Holes

With an X-acto knife, cut holes for a head and arms out of a cardboard box. Duct tape the sides and flaps in place.

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2. Cover the Box with Sun Shade

Wrap the box with sun shade, as if you were wrapping a present. Hot glue the flaps down. With the X-acto knife, cut out the arm and head holes.

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3. Prepare the Basket

Take a plastic basket and cut the bottom ridge off. Wrap it with the other sun shade, letting the bottom edge hang a couple of inches past the bottom of the basket. Trace the top circumference and cut a circle for the top. Hot glue everything in place.

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4. Create the Robot's Facial Features

Create buttons, eyes and panels with duct tape on a piece of wax paper. Trace circles for the eyes and cut out the middle so the wearer can see.

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5. Cover the Arms and Legs with Sun Shade

Duct tape several strips of sun shade to the arms and pant legs.

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Read more:These Halloween Decor Finds Are Hauntingly Beautiful

Shackled Ghost

A simple project a child can help with.

Things You'll Need

  • Pipe insulation or pool noodle

  • White glue

  • Scissors

  • Black fabric

  • Mask

1. Cut the Insulation Foam

Cut the insulation foam into 1/2-inch rounds.

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Split half of them at the perforation line and leave the other half in their intact rounds. Link them together, alternating whole rounds and split rounds. Glue the split rounds together again.

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3. Make a Chain

Make a long linked chain.

4. Finish Your Shackled Ghost Costume

Pair with a black cape and a spooky mask and drape the chain loosely around the costume wearer's neck.

Garden Party

Add flora to your Halloween night.

Things You'll Need

  • Fake flowers

  • Skirt

  • Top

  • Scissors

  • Hot glue gun

1. Prepare the Flowers

Trim back and glue petals together.

Remove the stem from the flower and cut the plastic connector off the back of the flower. From the inside, hot glue the petals together so the inner flowers don't fall out.

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3. Glue on the Flowers

Hot glue flowers and leaves to outfit.

Hot glue flowers and leaves to the front of a shirt and skirt. If you have the time and enough flowers to do the back, this is an option as well, but start on the front just in case you run out of flowers or time.

4. Finish Your Garden Party Costume

A garden wherever you go.

Add a flower and a couple of spritzes of perfume to your hair, and it's a party.

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Things You'll Need

  • Yellow yarn

  • Plastic baseballs (wiffle balls)

  • Air dry clay

  • Yellow fabric or ribbon

  • Double stick tape

  • Needle and thread

  • Brown craft paint

  • 1/2-inch sponge brush

  • Scissors

1. Sew the Yarn to a Ribbon or Fabric Strip

Unwrap the skein of yarn and spread it widthwise, leaving the loops intact. Sew the loops to a ribbon or piece of fabric by hand or machine. Make three or four ribbon lengths that fit around your child's body.

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2. Cover the Whiffle Balls with Clay

Take plastic whiffle balls and cover them with air dry clay. Paint the balls brown with craft paint and a sponge brush.

3. Finish Your Spaghetti and Meatballs Costume

Tape meatballs to the noodles with double stick tape. Fasten the noodles to the wearer with safety pins. Cut a red bib into a red sauce shape, and the costume is complete.

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